***Official portal tracker thread***

Other than Heacock(cause he's a legend) and maybe Clanton, we have a better staff now than we did on December 3.

I think it says a lot about his humility and leadership to bring in guys from everywhere, and not just his “yes men”. Love the different professional contacts this staff will have amongst themselves. Hopefully they can gel and work well together.
 
I would say its a pretty good guess that ISU will not be at the full 105 limit next season when were have already lost 47 players in the portal and those that are graduating.
What should have been a very good year in 2026 has now turned into a complete rebuild.
It's a complete rebuild. But it's also the ability to pull the band-aid off and bring in 105 players who fit your system.

It also creates a highly competitive culture because EVERY player is starting at ground zero.

Getting to 105 sounds tough, but I think we'll get there:
  1. 20 current roster guys (more will come back)
  2. 50 portal guys
  3. 35 HS/JUCO Recruits
A couple thinks to keep in mind:
  1. There is a 2nd HS signing date in early Feb.
  2. Players can enter the portal from Jan 2 to 14, but they don't have to pick a new school until fall camp.
ISU could intentionally leave roster spots open and be active plugging holes based on spring practice needs.
 
I’d love to hear that JFFb does the same things Ott does with teaching kids how to dress, park at the facility, great donors and alumni…act in public.

It’s very important for their development in life and instills a sense of pride and respect that will benefit them here and after ISU.
 
I think it says a lot about his humility and leadership to bring in guys from everywhere, and not just his “yes men”. Love the different professional contacts this staff will have amongst themselves. Hopefully they can gel and work well together.
This is the aspect I'm most optimistic about at this point in time. Hopefully will soon have reason for more, but I think this is a stark contrast from Campbell and should benefit us with this rebuild.
 
It's a complete rebuild. But it's also the ability to pull the band-aid off and bring in 105 players who fit your system.

It also creates a highly competitive culture because EVERY player is starting at ground zero.

Getting to 105 sounds tough, but I think we'll get there:
  1. 20 current roster guys (more will come back)
  2. 50 portal guys
  3. 35 HS/JUCO Recruits
A couple thinks to keep in mind:
  1. There is a 2nd HS signing date in early Feb.
  2. Players can enter the portal from Jan 2 to 14, but they don't have to pick a new school until fall camp.
ISU could intentionally leave roster spots open and be active plugging holes based on spring practice needs.
I think Jamie at one point said 105 likely wasn't going to happen and we would maintain 85.
 
This is the aspect I'm most optimistic about at this point in time. Hopefully will soon have reason for more, but I think this is a stark contrast from Campbell and should benefit us with this rebuild.
I think Rogers wants to do one thing. Win. I think he made his hires based on that. He had a great defensive staff and he kept them. He had a mid offensive staff so he got different ones to the point of leaving Menage's cousin behind. Rogers has a linebackers mentality.
 
Agree. I think we MUST put the money on QB... then OL, then DL... in that order.

You HAVE to have a decent QB... most important position on the field. After that, you need to protect them, and be able to push people and have a running game, so OL is next most important. Then... you have to be able to stop the run and put pressure on the opposing QB... so DL next.
I kind of agree on QB, but I'd be surprised if we are ever a school that is going to pay $3-$4M+ plus on QB. Just eats up too much of the budget.

So we might be a QB development school. So we need a system that is QB friendly. And having a really good OL and run game is critical.
 
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Wtf? Doesn’t fit? Wanted too much money?

I figured pedo state…unless it’s a smoke screen?


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Something people aren’t giving players credit for…

How many of them truly believed CMC wanted to build something special, here in Ames, and may have felt betrayed by his choice to leave?

There are guys who’ve been burned by this process who may not want to trust Campbell right now. But, the place and culture they knew here is also going to be way different. So, they’re going to get $$$ if their former coach is too. Honestly, I get it.
 
I feel pretty terrible about the future of the Big 12.
Too early to panic. Our basketball brand is fantastic and Yormark is laser-focused on making it more profitable. Texas Tech and BYU are investing appropriately in football. Let's see how Utah's private equity gamble pays off. TCU & Baylor have money. Houston is ascendent in spite of tepid fan support. Rich Rod will probably have the Mountaineers rolling again. Our bowl wins outside the playoff aren't meaningless. If the talent gap is as profound as the B1G & $EC would like to believe it is, they should be able to win those matchups regardless of who is sitting out.
 
I think Jamie at one point said 105 likely wasn't going to happen and we would maintain 85.
But that was last year when the roster had 35 walk-ons beyond the 85.

Couple things, with the 105 roster limit:
  • It's not a requirement that all 105 players be on full ride scholarships.
  • Since the House Settlement/NIL money is being allocated to FB by Jamie Pollard, do payments to players have to be cash? Or can they be a full or partial scholarship?
With 3000 kids in the portal, after all the big-dogs and second tier players get their pay-for-play cash. There's going to be players happy, very happy to just have a full cost scholarship.
 
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