***Official portal tracker thread***

[12191987]

Rocco supposedly made $1.5 million last year. Stars get money. Unproven lower rated high schooler kids aren’t getting what you think.

My assumption is a large chunk of the roster gets the $1K minimum.

My assumption is also that many recruits who get more aren’t renewed at the same level unless they pan out on campus.

These are ignorant assumptions, but it doesn’t sound crazy to think a recruit at a high dollar position could get $200k at ISU and not be as attractive as a transfer vying for the same spot in the February signing period for most P4 schools.

 

[Stormin]

That’s totally fine and I take no offense.

I’ve been a fan for over 40 years, graduated from the school, donate as much as I can, and spend a lot of weekends and vacations with my family supporting our teams. I have nothing to gain from any of this personally.

Very interesting reaction, but - like you - I guess I’ll also take with a grain of salt.

So this individual was a 2026 recruit who was planning to enroll early and committed after junior year. Has to live in a close proximity to go to a Cyclone game with a family friend and grew up a lifelong Cyclone fan. Obviously committed no more. Let’s play Guess Who?

 

[Stormin]

That’s totally fine and I take no offense.

I’ve been a fan for over 40 years, graduated from the school, donate as much as I can, and spend a lot of weekends and vacations with my family supporting our teams. I have nothing to gain from any of this personally.

Very interesting reaction, but - like you - I guess I’ll also take with a grain of salt.

This HS kid has a deal worth hundred of thousands already. Supposedly.

 

[twincyties]

This HS kid has a deal worth hundred of thousands already. Supposedly.

Dude, I don’t know anything about financial agreements. It’s not my business. But it’s safe to make some assumptions about what a college football player can make in a few years if Big 12 football.

I don’t know why you’re so upset about this.

Someone asked earlier in the thread how many of these guys were leaving on their own accord and how many were being asked to leave.

I said I know of one for certain and think the way it was handled - especially given our situation as a program - leaves a lot of questions.

I think it’s unfortunate what happened. Kid has done nothing wrong and wanted to play for the cyclones. What harm is there in that?

 

[Stormin]

Dude, I don’t know anything about financial agreements. It’s not my business. But it’s safe to make some assumptions about what a college football player can make in a few years if Big 12 football.

I don’t know why you’re so upset about this.

Someone asked earlier in the thread how many of these guys were leaving on their own accord and how many were being asked to leave.

I said I know of one for certain.

I think it’s unfortunate what happened. Kid has done nothing wrong and wanted to play for the cyclones. What harm is there in that?

Speculation and hearsay. Second hand account that Rogers told him to leave. And you claimed he had a deal worth hundreds of thousands. Now you know nothing about financial agreements. And the players still listed as commitments are reported to be wanted by Rogers.

Let’s play Guess Who.

Iowa State 2026 Football Decommits

Iowa State

247sports.com

 

[twincyties]

Speculation and hearsay. Second hand account that Rogers told him to leave. And you claimed he had a deal worth hundreds of thousands. Now you know nothing about financial agreements. And the players still listed as commitments are reported to be wanted by Rogers.

Let’s play Guess Who.

Iowa State 2026 Football Decommits

Iowa State

247sports.com

Are you seriously trying to embarrass some kid that just had this happen to him? Come on, man.

 

[Stormin]

Are you seriously trying to embarrass some kid that just had this happen to him? Come on, man.

You made an allegation that new Coach Jimmy Rogers told this kid to leave. Give up his scholarship. NIL deal worth thousands. That’s a very damaging allegation. Trying to undermine a new Coach while just starting a challenging job that is filled with uncertainty and whose roster is being raided. No. I am not trying to embarrass the kid. I am trying to determine if you are just fabricating ******** with half truths and innuendo. I don’t find your story really adding up.

 

[twincyties]

If you want my honest opinion - as a fan - it’s probably a good sign he’s got a ton of confidence in what he’s going to be able to bring in instead.

In that regard, it’s probably a good thing he’s that shrewd. We all know there is no loyalty in this. So I suppose it’s how you look at “damaging”.

There have been about a dozen other people on here that have said the same thing and they’re not wrong.

 

[Stormin]

If you want my honest opinion - as a fan - it’s probably a good sign he’s got a ton of confidence in what he’s going to be able to bring in instead.

In that regard, it’s probably a good thing he’s that shrewd. We all know there is no loyalty in this. So I suppose it’s how you look at “damaging”.

There have been about a dozen other people on here that have said the same thing and they’re not wrong.

Getting back to your allegation. You don’t really know what was said in the commit’s personal conversation with Coach Rogers. You have admitted you made assumptions concerning the commit’s NIL. So you are just speculating as to what happened.

 

[twincyties]

Getting back to your allegation. You don’t really know what was said in the commit’s personal conversation with Coach Rogers. You have admitted you made assumptions concerning the commit’s NIL. So you are just speculating as to what happened.

I have no fist hand knowledge of NIL terms. Not my business. What I was told is that Rogers did not deliver the news. I know he was committed and was asked not to be. I don’t know what’s “speculating” about that.

It’s pretty straight forward. If he wanted to reopen his commitment he would have simply done so. That is extremely common for these kids to do. A good portion of the class appears to have done it.

It makes zero sense to make up some story to your family and friends about this when it would have been way more convenient to just say “I wanted to play for Campbell and he’s gone so I’m going to go look at other schools”.

I still don’t follow the conspiracy here.

 

[Stormin]

You said he was an early commitment to Campbell and the Cyclones. The loyal Campbell probably has an offer to him at double the NIL money to come to Penn State. Maybe Rogers pulled a TJ and decided he didn’t fit. He was brutally honest to all players.

 

[twincyties]

You said he was an early commitment to Campbell and the Cyclones. The loyal Campbell probably has an offer to him at double the NIL money to come to Penn State. Maybe Rogers pulled a TJ and decided he didn’t fit. He was brutally honest to all players.

Sounds like that’s exactly what happened. As others have pointed out, I’m sure this isn’t the first time it will happen nor will it be the last.

God willing these kids find themselves in good situations going forward and we fill out our roster will talented kids that are excited about playing here.

 

[ripvdub]

I’ve heard the same from people really plugged into the FCS scene - particularly in the Dakotas. I take with a grain of salt, of course.

The fact that the GM made this call and not Rogers is what irks me personally. I know the guy is busy as f**k right now and maybe I’m just “old school”, but I’m very much a “pick up the phone and make the call yourself” kind of guy.

It’s not as though there were a hundred kids to call.

I thinks that's the GMs job. But i bet Rogers was part of the conversation about the decision

 

[CloneLawman]

I'm not disappointed, I'll support the Cyclones and the guys who are here. Once you transfer away then I wish you failure.

 

[Nor'MidWester]

This is a unfortunately a pro sport now, we need player contracts to protect the players and the teams. We invest millions into a roster and they can just decide to leave with no stipulations or benefits. That's crazy, no other pro sport allows that. The AD should get paid when we develop a 3 star into a 5 star and they leave for a blue blood lol

 

[MTCyclone43]

Transferring to Iowa or a Big 12 school would be worse. Yes.

But I don’t fault these kids for leaving after their coach bailed on them.

I would love for a Rocco to transfer to Iowa, then we could turn the new defensive scheme on him. I am ready for all of the non- Cyclone faithful players be jettisoned so we can get on with business of rebuilding Iowa State football. "If you are not with us- you are against us."

 

[nhclone]

This is how it's always worked. I get its frustrating for some, especially if you know the player(s) involved. When CMC started he and that staff just flat ghosted a few recruits they didn't want hoping they would take the hint and move on. They weren't signed since there was no early period then, but personally I would prefer the staff at least telling me to go find a new home over that.

 

[xr4ticlone]

This is an unfortunately a pro sport now, we need player contracts to protect the players and the teams. We invest millions into a roster and they can just decide to leave with no stipulations or benefits. That's crazy, no other pro sport allows that. The AD should get paid when we develop a 3 star into a 5 star and they leave for a blue blood lol

And they need to repay 1/2 or more of their NIL money for not playing in bowl games, as well as some type of buyout like coaches have.

We also need to end where everyone they know plays ‘agent’. And there needs to be contracts written & money in escrow for these deals.

I think NIL is often the $450 an acre rent…gleefully promised in the spring…rarely seen in the landlord’s bank account in the fall.

 

[MTCyclone43]

That sux. I think the new Coach would be better off honoring previous commitments just for optics. Plus, you just never know who you might be turning away. I feel for that kid.

Maybe the new coach does not like some of the players on the roster that he is looking at? Should Coach Rogers pay some guy that may not be as good as what is in the portal just because he already on the roster? I am going to trust Coach Rogers and his staff to evaluate the roster and weed out chaff.

 

[Yaz]

That sux. I think the new Coach would be better off honoring previous commitments just for optics. Plus, you just never know who you might be turning away. I feel for that kid.

Maybe he has, and in this particular case, can't. Maybe the kid is a db and we are needing to build and spend on d lineman?

It's unfortunate, but we'd all be upset if he didnt do this and we sucked because of it. Unfair to the kid too.