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Iowa State football 2026 roster outlook, special teams

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Iowa State football 2026 roster outlook, special teams


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Special teams remain an important phase of the game for Iowa State football. While Kyle Konrardy drew plenty of excitement on social media for his commitment to the team, the Cyclones will have new specialists at the top of the depth chart at long snapper and punter this season.

Here is a look at Iowa State’s specialists for 2026. How will new kickers, punters and long snappers fit in on the Cyclones’ roster?

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Long snapper

Transfer newcomers:

  • Caleb Schmidt, 6-3, 240 (Minot State, Div. II)

Returners: Jacob Lyftogt, Gavin Schieler

The search for a new long snapper has begun, after Drew Clausen opted to transfer out following two seasons with the Cyclones.

Clausen has since committed to newly crowned national champion Indiana.

Caleb Schmidt had the distinction of being Jimmy Rogers’ first transfer commitment since taking the Iowa State head coaching job.

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Interestingly, Schmidt received recruiting interest from Matt Campbell’s coaching staff, but with special teams coordinator Rob Grande remaining on staff for the Rogers era, that may have helped keep Iowa State an appealing destination.

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Iowa State AD Jamie Pollard on what to expect from coach Jimmy Rogers

Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard discussed what to expect from new football coach Jimmy Rogers.

Kicker

Transfer newcomers:

  • Adlai Lounsbury, R-Fr., 6-4, 183 (Washington State)

Returners: Kyle Konrardy, Chase Smith

Kyle Konrardy undoubtedly will have the starting job locked down for the remainder of his career, but it’s amazing how timing and circumstance opened the opportunity for Adlai Lounsbury to come to Ames and potentially be the starting kicker of the future.

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Lounsbury, a Van Meter native, grew up a Cyclone fan. However, his kicking career took him to Washington State. With the coaching change and roster shakeup, it gave Lounsbury an opportunity to follow Rogers and return to his home state.

He didn’t appear in any games in 2025 and will have all four years of eligibility remaining.

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Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers on building competitive team

Iowa State football coach Jimmy Rogers on his thoughts for building a competitive team for 2026 and beyond.

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Punter

Transfer newcomers: None

Returners: Jonah DuPont

High school commits:

  • Ethan Gurney, 6-3, 195, 3-star P

It wouldn’t be surprising if there are some walk-ons to fill out roster depth once the summer arrives, but for now it’s a two-man race for the starting punter job.

Iowa State recently celebrated the graduation of Tyler Perkins, who statistically had one of the greatest careers as a punter in Cyclone history. Perkins, a two-time All-Big 12 honorable mention, was the starting punter for the last four years.

Jonah DuPont redshirted last season, but he was previously the punter for junior college power Iowa Western. He was named a Division I junior college All-American second-team punter.

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As for Ethan Gurney, the 6-foot-3 Aussie is a three-star prospect and the No. 11 overall punter in the country, according to 247 Sports.

Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.





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Groundbreaking held for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 16th Woman Build

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Groundbreaking held for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 16th Woman Build


IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) — Volunteers broke ground Saturday for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 16th Woman Build, honoring a retired University of Iowa nursing professor.

Liz Swanson, a retired nursing professor, was chosen as this year’s honoree for her decades of impact. The Women Build program focuses on including women in every step of home construction.

While the home is built in Swanson’s honor, it will go to a fellow nurse and mother of three. The family applied through the affordable housing program.

Swanson said she’s proud to be part of a project that directly connects to her nursing legacy.

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“It’s very special to have the unique opportunity to help the nurse who is working nights,” Swanson said.

Swanson said stable housing gives families the security to plan for the future.

“It means security for families. We talked briefly to the children and they said, ‘we’re gonna have our own bedroom,’” Swanson said.

Volunteers are set to begin work on the home in August. Those interested in volunteering can find more information here.

Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.

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Iowa Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Midday results for May 8, 2026

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The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.

Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, May 8, 2026, winning numbers for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing

37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 8 drawing

Midday: 0-5-8

Evening: 9-9-2

Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 8 drawing

Midday: 0-2-7-3

Evening: 0-7-0-6

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Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing

14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
  • Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Iowa SNAP restrictions raise concerns over confusion, impact on summer food aid

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Iowa SNAP restrictions raise concerns over confusion, impact on summer food aid


Iowa’s new restrictions on SNAP benefits are drawing concern from advocates who say the changes could make it harder for families to buy food and could put future summer assistance for children at risk.

The state’s SNAP waiver took effect January 1, 2026, limiting what items can be purchased based on Iowa’s taxable food list. While that includes widely discussed restrictions on soda and candy, the policy also affects certain prepared foods, creating confusion for shoppers.

“Something as small as whether or not a utensil is included in a food item actually impacts whether or not you can continue to purchase that item using your SNAP benefits,” Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for the Save the Children Action Network, said.

Advocates say the rules can be difficult to navigate, especially for people relying on quick meals. Items like prepackaged salads or sandwiches may or may not qualify depending on how they are packaged.

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At the same time, new legislation slated for the next session at the statehouse could make those restrictions more permanent by requiring Iowa to continue seeking federal approval for the waiver.

That’s raising additional concerns about the future of Summer EBT, also known as “Sun Bucks,” which provides food assistance to children when school is out.

“This makes that food assistance dependent on a decision made in Washington, D.C. that is just arbitrary and not really dependent on the needs of Iowans and Iowa children,” Chickering said.

The program is expected to help around 220,000 children in Iowa during the summer months. Advocates worry leaving it up to federal approval of the waiver could jeopardize that support if policies change. They also point out that SNAP plays a major role in addressing hunger compared to other resources.

“We know that for every one meal provided by an emergency feeding organization, SNAP provides nine,” Chickering said.

Advocates say they support improving nutrition but argue there are more effective, evidence based ways to do that without limiting food choices.

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For now, organizations across Iowa are working to help families understand the new rules, while also pushing lawmakers to reconsider how the policy could impact food access moving forward.



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