The spring session for the Iowa State Cyclones was marred by injuries, some more serious than others.
Unfortunately, two players who were expected to be key contributors are not going to be able to help the team in 2026. First, it was safety Braden Awls , a transfer from the Toledo Rockets, who was set to take over as a starter in Jesse Bobbit's defense.
He suffered a season-ending injury during workouts, and head coach Jimmy Rogers recently revealed another transfer will not be taking the field this fall. Running back Salahadin Allah has suffered an Achilles injury that will keep him out until next spring.
A transfer from the Oregon State Beavers , he was expected to handle a significant role in the backfield along with Cameron Pettaway, a transfer from the Bowling Green Falcons, and Aiden Flora, a holdover from the 2025 roster.
Sep 13, 2025; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Oregon State Beavers running back Salahadin Allah (26) rushes against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
Allah spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career with the Beavers, appearing in 19 games. He carried the ball 74 times for 329 yards and one touchdown, adding five receptions for 32 yards.
His loss is a significant one. He is the second running back who was trending toward being a big part of the game plan in the backfield who will not be contributing to the team this upcoming fall, but at least he remains on the roster.
The same cannot be said about Jayden Jackson. Arguably, the player who benefited the most from Allah missing time during the spring session, he shockingly left the program despite being one of the spring showcase standout performers.
That's two players who were likely in the top four of the depth chart no longer available for the 2026 season. Pressure will be on Pettaway and Flora to do a lot of the heavy lifting with Ryver Peppers recovering from a season-ending injury he suffered on his first snap in 2025.
Freshmen Caleb Francois and Gabriel Wilson are going to have a legitimate shot at carving out a role as soon as they get on campus this summer.
The injury to Allah is also the main reason Iowa State is back in the transfer portal looking for some help. They have been connected to JUCO All-American running back Markellus Bass and hosted Arnold Barnes III for a visit on May 18 .
The former Tulane Green Wave running back would bring much-needed experience and production to the running back room, especially with Allah sidelined. In three seasons with the Green Wave, he appeared in 34 games, carrying the ball 161 times for 757 yards with six touchdowns.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Iowa State Football Running Back Suffers Season-Ending Injury .
