Iowa State Cyclones Receive Strong Grade for Hiring Jimmy Rogers

What grade did the Iowa State Cyclones receive for hiring Jimmy Rogers?

Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers speaks during a timeout in the first half in the Iowa State and Iowa men’s basketball Cy-Hawk series at Hilton coliseum on Dec. 11, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Following an 8-4 season, the Iowa State Cyclones saw their head coach, Matt Campbell, leave for the Penn State Nittany Lions, creating a significant void for the program after years of success. Fortunately, they found a replacement quickly. 

After a crazy turn of events for the Cyclones, they were able to quickly replace their long-time head coach with a talented up-and-comer. Jimmy Rogers might have only been the head coach with the Washington State Cougars for one year, but he was able to do a solid job and clearly impressed the program. 

Now, Rogers will be coming into a bit of a mess following the departure of Campbell, but there is reason to believe that he will be able to continue to build up the program in the years to come. It certainly won’t be easy, but Rogers is clearly hungry to propel himself into one of the best coaches in the country. Iowa State is a step up from Washington State, and this will be the next test for him. 

Bill Connelly of ESPN recently graded the Rogers hire in the A-/B+ range, along with some other hires around the country. 

Strong Grade for Cyclones

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even though he might be a bit of an unknown to some, he comes from a winning pedigree. Prior to joining the Cougars, he was the head coach of South Dakota State and totaled a very impressive 27-3 record, including an FCS Championship. 

With Washington State, totaling a 6-6 record in his first season was a good accomplishment, and his calling card was a strong defense. This unit was impressive in 2025, and he will be bringing his defensive coordinator, Jesse Bobbitt, along with him. 

While they might not have beaten some of the tough teams on their schedule, the Cougars played one-score games against Ole Miss, Virginia, and James Madison. That is pretty impressive for the program, and a clear indication of the type of coach Rogers will be. 

Now that the staff will be starting to come over following the Cougars’ bowl win, Rogers and they will have to get to work. The Cyclones are a team that is seeing a lot of roster turnover so far, and things will likely only get worse. 

Iowa State being able to bring in players from the Cougars, especially on the defensive side of the ball, is going to be key. While it is still early, the hiring of Rogers appears to be a good move by the program early on.