Jimmy Rogers follows Iowa State’s greatest football era and seeks to avoid return to bad old days

The Iowa State football program, which experienced its best 10-year period in history, is beginning anew under head coach Jimmy Rogers following the departure of Matt Campbell for Penn State. Campbell took around two dozen players with him. At the team's media day, Rogers acknowledged the skepticism and hurt among fans who set a school attendance record in 2025 but emphasized that everyone is in this together, working towards an extremely competitive team.

Rogers, a 39-year-old coach, has signed a six-year contract with a $3 million annual salary. He understands the new Cyclones will take time to adjust, especially for 82 returning newcomers, including 15 from Washington State, and a mix of players from Division II and NAIA. Only nine of the newcomers transferred from Power Five schools.

Only nine players from the last game returned, and seven others who played major roles are among the 24 who followed Campbell to Penn State. The Cyclones haven't won a conference championship since 1912, and their 678 all-time losses rank fourth in the highest division. Despite these challenges, Rogers believes in his team's potential and aims to prove the doubters wrong.