Iowa State Cyclones Weapon Clearly on Transfer Watch

The Iowa State Cyclones are coming off of what should probably be considered their most successful football season in history, as they logged double-digit wins for the first time ever and defeated the Miami Hurricanes in the Pop Tarts Bowl.

While Iowa State's offense relied pretty heavily on an aerial attack led by quarterback Rocco Becht and wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel (both of whom are now in the NFL), we cannot ignore how effective the Cyclones' ground game was.

The duo of Carson Hansen and Abu Sama was terrific, with Hansen racking up 752 yards and 13 touchdowns and Sama finishing with 587 yards and a couple of scores.

Here's the thing, though: Sama has clearly been relegated to the role of Iowa State's No. 2 halfback with the emergence of Hansen, something Sama — who was actually better during his rookie campaign in 2023 — surely did not anticipate.

While the junior weapon is still a member of the Cyclones heading into 2025, it would not be the least bit surprising if Sama decides to enter the transfer portal to get away from Ames after next season depending on how the backfield situation unfolds.

Hansen will almost certainly be Iowa State's lead back again when the regular season begins next month, and why wouldn't he be? He flashed tremendous potential last year. And while Sama will still get his fair share of touches, it stands to reason that his carries could be trimmed even more given how much primacy was placed upon Hansen during the second half of 2024.

It's also important to remember that the Cyclones have a couple of interesting incoming freshman running backs in Jayden Jackson and Ryver Peppers, not to mention redshirt freshman Dylan Lee.

A world does exist in which Hansen dominates in 2025 and then declares for the 2026 NFL Draft, which would open the door to Sama getting the bulk of the carries again the following year. Even still, Sama may choose to look for an opportunity elsewhere if he feels he isn't being properly valued at Iowa State.

Does this mean that Sama is 100 percent going to transfer after 2025? Absolutely not. It's just a thought, but it's one that actually has a legitimate foundation.

We'll see how Matt Campbell chooses to deploy Sama in the fall and whether or not a potential dip in playing time could lead to the 5-foot-11 playmaker opting to take his talents elsewhere.

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