Iowa State’s players compete hard at the football program’s “Spring Showcase” on April 25, 2026 at Jack Trice Stadium. Photo by Jacqueline Cordova/Cyclone Fanatic.
AMES — Iowa State’s top transfer quarterback Jaylen Raynor made an array of impressive throws.
Cyclone receivers Cody Jackson, Dominic Overby and Trevor Fortenberry shined in yards after the catch.
And ISU’s defense looked the part of a potentially stingy unit during Saturday’s “Spring Showcase” at Jack Trice Stadium.
“I think the (defensive) line from the jump (did well),” said ISU’s first-year defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit, who fielded a top-15 unit in terms of yards allowed per game at Washington State last season. “(Defensive tackles) Bryson Lamb and Zaimir Hawk, the guys getting off the rocks, resetting the line of scrimmage — I mean, on play one, I think it was Maryland I-power and I think we held them for a gain of one or two (yards), just kind of getting off the rock. That’s kind of how it’s been all spring.”
The battles in the trenches attract edthe Cyclones’ coaches most keen eyeballs in the spring, and for good reason. Entirely rebuilt offensive and defensive lines need to form that baseline competitiveness and toughness and that’s occurred on both sides of the ball — but there’s still plenty of room for necessary growth.
“I know I said this about two or three weeks ago, (I’m) happy, bust not satisfied,” first-year offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl said. “Here’s what I appreciate: The effort. It’s one thing that’s just demanded. Effort. Physicality. And just attention to detail — and I appreciate the fact that they bought in (and) there’s high-level intent to what we’re doing.”
That’s true both for headliners such as Raynor, and the many lesser known transfers, holdovers and freshmen working to appear on the coaches’ radar for potential playing time in the fall.
I think you can look at Vince Benetti, someone who when I was here (before) was playing D-line,” said Roehl, who served on former head coach Matt Campbell’s staff in the 2024 season before a one-season stint coaching the Detroit Lions’ tight ends. “He has transitioned to playing tight end and in how versatile he can be with the personnel grouping that I’m gonna want to utilize at that position group, really happy with his growth.”
Jackson — who caught six touchdown passes while averaging 15.1 yards per catch last season at Tarleton State — scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) in the scrimmage.
“I think you see his ability to create separation on some of your deeper play-action, even incorporating the run game,” Roehl said.
Roehl also gave “a shoutout” to returning backup running back Easton Miller, a big body (6-1, 225) who can help the offense in multiple ways.
“(He was) getting the dirty (work done) — and he would have had another big gain if we didn’t have (a) holding penalty,” Roehl added.
As for the defense, a handful of projected starters, including edge rusher Isaac “Bobby” Terrell, were held out because of various “tweaks,” but Bobbitt’s unit didn’t skip a beat. Whether in its base defense or coming on various blitzes, several players flashed beyond the aforementioned interior spots.
One, however, stood out the most.
“A guy who showed out today was (linebacker) Tristan Exline,” Bobbitt said. “Someone (who) his tape from (Division II UT Permian Basin) has been extremely fast and explosive, but the mental side of the game needs to be there, too, before you are able to do that, and the last couple of practices that has really shown up in terms of him understanding it better and flying around.”
But soon ISU’s players will fast forward to the end of the semester, and the all-important summer workouts to follow. Spring’s a wrap, and fall’s not very far away.
“It’s very important that we’re still working out, still going over the playbook,” Raynor said. “So then when we get back this summer on May 31, we hit the ground rolling.”
