Iowa State football names team captains for 2026 season

Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers has announced the captains for the 2026 football season.

On Aug. 15, the Cyclones revealed its six co-captains to lead a roster that features 82 newcomers in the first year of the Rogers era: quarterback Jaylen Raynor, running back Aiden Flora, offensive lineman Jake Taylor, defensive tackle Max Baloun, defensive end Isaac Terrell and cornerback David Coffey.

Raynor is entering his senior season after three years as a starter at Arkansas State. The dual-threat quarterback immediately took a leadership role upon arrival, before captains were officially named. He has a 62.9% career completion rate for 8,694 yards, 52 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He also has 1,183 career rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on 414 carries.

Flora continues his ascent on the roster. A former walk-on that broke through on special teams as an All-Big 12 second-team returner last season, Flora is primed for a larger role and will be one of the top running backs on offense this year.

Taylor was one of the Cyclones' top acquisitions through the transfer portal and a leader on the offensive line. The Oklahoma transfer has appeared in 16 games for the Sooners, including four starts in 2024, but injuries have hindered his career. Now healthy, the 6-foot-6, 310-pound tackle is getting a fresh start at Iowa State after spending four years with the Sooners.

As for the captains from the defensive side of the ball, Coffey is another holdover that has become a cornerstone player for the new-look Cyclones entering the 2026 season. Coffey played in nine games last season and made 11 tackles, as injuries took a toll on Iowa State's defense. This year, he's going to be an integral member of the Cyclones' secondary as a redshirt sophomore.

Baloun is a 6-foot-6, 293-pound defensive tackle that also served as team captain for Rogers at Washington State last season. The experienced lineman is entering his seventh year of college football. He previously played at Washington State and spent five years at South Dakota State, where he first got acquainted with Rogers. Baloun is back in action after a season-ending ACL injury derailed his 2025 campaign after four games.

As for Terrell, he is coming off of a career year at Washington State. He played in 12 games and made six starts last season, finishing with 28 tackles with team-highs of 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He was named the Pac-12 Conference Top Defensive Line Performer and is expected to be a key catalyst in the Cyclones' new four-man front.

The Cyclones open the 2026 season against Southeast Missouri on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Jack Trice Stadium.

Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at  [email protected] . Follow  him  on Twitter at  @erapay5 .

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