New Iowa State Football Transfer Can Make Case To Be Starting Running Back

Will a new member of the Iowa State Cyclones be able to take over as the starting running back?

Nov 11, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Arnold Barnes III (20) warms up before their game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at Yulman Stadium. | Matthew Dobbins-Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones have an intriguing running back group going into 2026. With a few players that have showcased themselves at other schools in the past, they all enter a room where anyone can come out on top.

Around the time of spring practice, Cyclone running back Jayden Jackson left the team. After, Salahadin Allah suffered a season ending injury. That leaves a wide-open spot for a new running back to potentially crack the rotation.

On May 19th, Arnold Barnes III committed to Iowa State to potentially be that replacement. He spent three seasons at the Tulane Green Wave leading up to it. As a freshman, he had just 138 yards throughout the year, but showed potential for the future. That led to somewhat of a breakout sophomore year. He had 402 yards and six touchdowns with the Green Wave, immensely intriguing numbers. As a junior though, he had just 217 yards, taking a bit of a step back. Now coming to the Cyclones, he hopes those numbers improve.

The best game of his career came against the Ole Miss Rebels during the regular season, where he had 47 rush yards against a future College Football Playoff Semifinalist.

Iowa State needs a running back, and Barnes III could potentially be their top running back entering the season.

Will Barnes Be the Starter?

Tulane Green Wave running back Arnold Barnes | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Currently, there seems to be a consensus that former Bowling Green Falcon Cameron Pettaway will be the starter. After a solid freshman season in the MAC putting up 365 yards, he comes to the Cyclones with hopes of being their top option. But Barnes III may be a better option.

He is much more proven, playing for a better team for three years. Also, he’s shown consistency when it comes to gaining yards. At his peak, he was much better than Pettaway during his freshman season.

The main thing that Pettaway has on Barnes III is his age. Having two extra years of eligibility, he does have a lot more potential even if his current output isn’t there just yet.

It all depends on what head coach Jimmy Rogers is looking for. If he wants a young player with question marks, but a lot of potential, it’s definitely worth it to let Pettaway get the majority of snaps. But if Rogers is interested in putting the best player out there, one that has proven more, and one that could potentially lead Iowa State to more wins, it might be worth it to make Barnes III RB1 going into the upcoming season.