There aren’t many familiar faces on the Iowa State Cyclones football roster heading into the 2026 season.

After head coach Matt Campbell departed for the Penn State Nittany Lions, several players followed him to Happy Valley. But one of the players who decided to stick it out with new head coach Jimmy Rogers was running back Aiden Flora.

A walk-on under Campbell, a big selling point for him to remain with Iowa State was that he was becoming a scholarship player. Flora was someone the new coaching staff identified as a player they wanted to keep, and he made the right decision to stick in Ames.

After handling only four carries last season, and 15 in his entire career, Flora is set for a massive role in 2026. He is currently RB1 on the depth chart heading into the first game of the season against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, which requires some delicate work from the coaching staff to ensure he is ready for an expanded role but also healthy.

Iowa State turning to Aiden Flora as starting running back

“I think there is, but I think it’s significant that you start the season with your best players feeling the best that they possibly can,” said Rogers when asked about Flora’s workload on media day, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required). “I think that’s more important. I can’t change his game experience. I can’t go back in history and throw him into a game.”

Given the run-heavy game plan that offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl is expecting to use, there is certainly a chance that Flora matches his career total of 15 carries in the first game of the 2026 season against the Redhawks.

This is a major change for Flora, who was buried on the depth chart in recent seasons. Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III handled the majority of the work, but he was also behind Dylan Lee in the pecking order.

All three of those players are gone from the program, transferring this offseason to Penn State, the Wisconsin Badgers and UCLA Bruins, respectively. That has created a massive void in the backfield, one that the new coaching staff is confident Flora can fill.

Iowa State has some intriuging talent in backfield

To earn the starting role, Flora had to beat out Cameron Pettaway, a transfer from the Bowling Green Falcons who was the MAC Freshman of the Year in 2025. He is expected to handle a versatile role for the Cyclones, being named to the Paul Hornung Award watch list, given to the most versatile player, and the Jet Award watch list, given to the best return man.

Another transfer who will be looking to carve out a role in the backfield is Arnold Barnes III. A late addition from the Tulane Green Wave following the departure of Jayden Jackson, Barnes has the most experience of any running back on the roster.

All three should have roles in Roehl’s offense, but it will be Flora who has earned the opportunity to be the starter.