AMES — The 15 transfers from Washington State might be some of the new kids in the Iowa State football program, but in this new Jimmy Rogers regime, they’re some of the most important pieces to building the team’s base as spring football is underway.
Some of them, like defensive lineman Max Baloun, have followed Rogers and the defensive staff since their days at South Dakota State. Others came along for the ride to the Midwest after Rogers’ lone year at Washington State.
With a whole new 4-2-5 scheme to learn, after years of Iowa State running the 3-3-5, the former Cougars have been a vital resource to lean on.
“They’re usually the ones getting some of the first reps and so the guys can watch that,” said defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit. “Some of the teach tape that we’re using, naturally is from Washington State, and so they’re watching those guys do it… It’s a huge advantage having guys that have already done it, those guys can lean on them and watch those reps be done, whether that’s (individual) or team or in a meeting, whatever it is, whatever coach expects, those guys can lead the way in and catch guys up, and we’re all working on one page.”
Baloun, who is entering his seventh season of college football, has been around Rogers since 2020, when he was the co-defensive coordinator at South Dakota State. He remained with the Jackrabbits through 2024, before joining Rogers, Bobbit and other defensive position coaches at Washington State for the 2025 season.
Unfortunately for the 6-foot-6, 285-pound lineman, he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in September 2025. Before that, he was named a team captain for the Cougars and started in the first four games of the year.
Now, at Iowa State, he’s been going through the rehabilitation process to get back on the field, while serving as a guiding force in meeting rooms and from the sidelines.
“Going to be a lot of coaching on the sideline, helping people get the playbook down, hopefully towards the end, be able to get into some (individual) drills,” Baloun said of his spring camp. “Really just trying to get healthy, doing stuff on the side, helping players learn the playbook, all that stuff.”
With so many new faces with varying levels of college experience, it’s important to develop chemistry and get everyone on the same wavelength.
There are only so many weeks of spring camp, only so many months before the season kicks off, and a finite time to shed old habits and learn the Cyclone way.
“As coaches, we have zero ego, we talk about doing this together,” Bobbit said. “We have what we do, what we’ve done, but I always ask the guys that have been here in a different scheme where they came from, what have you guys done or how are you taught this? So, I know how you were taught, that makes sense why you’re doing that, because you’ve been taught that for three years. Here’s how we can adjust and here’s how I can make it the same as for you and teaching, so I think there’s that aspect of it.”
Even those familiar with the schemes know they have to be open-minded to all their new teammates. While everyone had a different journey, they all have to unite as Cyclones.
“It definitely helps. We had a couple guys that came from Washington State, so having those predeveloped relationships, it’s nice,” Baloun said. “It helps you kind of early on in the transition, when you first get here, and there’s 80 new guys that you don’t know, you at least know 5-10 of them, but then it just boils down to how fast can we connect with everyone else? Trying to not clique up into groups, you want to try to spread out as much as you can and get to know as many people as you can.”
Everyone has something to bring to the table, even those who may not have been previously familiar with Rogers or the other position coaches.
“Not a lot of guys stayed and I’m a guy who’s been here since ’22, so I know what it’s about,” said holdover Carson Willich, who was one of 21 scholarship players remaining from last season. “How we go when we win here, how we go when we lose here. I know the difference, and that’s something that I’m really looking forward to.”
Even new offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl, who previously served as the Cyclones’ running backs coach in 2024 and had a stint as the Detroit Lions tight ends coach in 2025, is looking to bring his own flavor and carry from past experiences to his new role.
However, as spring football progresses, he expects both sides of the ball to get comfortable and confident through installation periods.
“The hard thing in spring ball from an offensive standpoint, you have this schedule of how you’re going to install the schemes. Day 1 is this run scheme and pass schemes, but also, we know what the defense is doing on day one and vice versa. Everyone knows what’s going in on that day, so it’s probably the hardest to execute that scheme, because they know exactly what’s coming.
“… Practice seven, eight, nine, 10, you’re executing that at a high level, you can hang your hat on those schemes that you’re executing because really, everything’s in. They got to defend it, but we also have to be ready for what they have defensively as well.”
There’s something to be gained from everyone’s past experiences, but growing together through the spring, summer and fall will be most vital.
“It’s definitely fun, it’s been a great challenge,” Bobbit said. “I think as a coach, when you look at it, having a new roster, reinstalling everything like everyone’s a freshman, getting coaches on the same page. The challenge of trying to get everyone the level of which we want to be, coaching at that standard, and playing at that standard, it’s been a lot of fun.”
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State football roster growing together from past experiences
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
