Depth of These Two Groups Will Be Important for Iowa State Football

With spring practices ongoing for the Iowa State Cyclones, the team is starting to try to figure out what the depth chart for a couple of key positions will look like.

It is no secret that the Cyclones underwent a lot of changes this winter following their loss of Matt Campbell as their head coach. While a good number of players followed him to Penn State, others explored opportunities elsewhere.

The transfer portal decimated the Iowa State roster, and new head coach Jimmy Rogers inherited a tough situation. However, the young head coach seems well-versed in navigating the transfer portal, and while the Cyclones didn’t add star players, they brought in a lot of new faces who appear ready to compete.

Rogers and the coaching staff cast a wide net to bring in talent, and all of the new players will be fighting for starting spots and playing time. Of the groups that saw the most turnover, wide receiver and offensive line were two of them. New offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl will have his work cut out for him trying to set a depth chart in these two areas, but competition should bring out the best in the units.

Depth at Wide Receiver and Offensive Line is Impressive

Iowa State Cyclones head coach Jimmy Rogers at a game — Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With all of the new faces coming in, wide receiver and offensive line will be two areas closely watched on that side of the ball. At the quarterback position, the team seemingly did a nice job with the addition of Jaylen Raynor from the Arkansas State Red Wolves. The veteran quarterback will be a dual-threat option, but he has improved as a passer. Over the next few months, it will be important for him to get comfortable with his new receivers and build some chemistry.

Furthermore, while the passing game will be important, the offensive line has the ability to be a great strength for this team. With a whole new group, it is going to take some time to gel, but the talent to be good is there. Rogers and the coaching staff want to have a tough, physical mindset on the field, and that starts in the trenches.

Since the team might not be as talented as others in the Big 12 conference, this style of play, with running the football and playing good defense, will be key to their success. If they are able to control things in the trenches, it will help result in success for the unit. Overall, with a lot of new players, it will be interesting to see how these two talented groups end up when the season starts.