Pick and Preview: Iowa State opening the Jimmy Rogers era vs. SEMO
- Iowa State opened the Jimmy Rogers era with a rebuilt roster after Matt Campbell left for Penn State and 24 players followed him out of the program.
- Rogers brought his defensive staff from Washington State and South Dakota State while building a new offensive staff led by Tyler Roehl.
- Iowa State entered the opener with 83 new players and low Big 12 expectations, making early cohesion and buy-in a central market question.
- Rogers emphasized toughness, unity, focus, and finishing while publicly stating that his mission at Iowa State is to win immediately.
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Tyler Roehl, Jaylen Raynor build trust entering new offense
- Iowa State's new pro-style offense asks Jaylen Raynor to transition from a shotgun and short-pass system to huddles, under-center snaps, shifts and motions.
- Raynor brings 36 career starts and is viewed by Iowa State as an advanced pre-snap processor whose decisions and leadership have earned trust across the roster.
- Coordinator Tyler Roehl has historically featured quarterbacks in the run game, matching Raynor's 1,183 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns across three seasons at Arkansas State.
- Raynor's vertical passing is the main concern after he completed 17 of 66 throws at least 20 yards downfield in 2025 with three touchdowns and six interceptions, continuing a three-year decline in deep accuracy.
- Roehl plans to keep game-day helmet communication brief because Iowa State is using weekly meetings and practice to prepare Raynor for each call's expected looks and worst-case outcomes.
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