Rogers Not Settling
March 31, 2022 | Football, Joel Coleman
Mississippi State’s quarterback is zeroed in on making himself and the Bulldogs better.
STARKVILLE – Practice concluded on Tuesday and Will Rogers walked to a bench just outside the back doors of the Leo Seal Jr. Football complex.
The Mississippi State quarterback took a seat and stared out at the three football fields in front of him. As Rogers began to speak, there was a maturity to his voice. Fact is, there should be.
Yes, Rogers has three years of eligibility remaining. So, there's potentially a lot of time in maroon and white still left in front of him. But a lot of proverbial water has already flowed under Rogers' bridge as well, and that's not lost on him as he goes through drills this spring.
"I almost feel like an old guy, if that makes sense," Rogers said with a smirk. "I've been here, I guess coming up on my third year. It's crazy. I feel like I've been here for a long time."
No one can blame Rogers for feeling a bit older than he really is. Here's the quick rundown of his first couple of seasons.
There was a worldwide pandemic that started. It wiped out Rogers' first spring on campus back in 2020. He then helped usher in the Mike Leach era and the Air Raid offense come that fall, getting thrust into starting duty as a true freshman.
Then came last year when Rogers used the 2021 season as his canvas to begin repainting the entire Mississippi State record book. No one could blame you if you couldn't keep up with all of Rogers' accomplishments.
Among them, he set the single-season school record for completions, passing yardage and touchdowns last year. He's currently State's leader in career completion percentage. He's set numerous single-game records as well.
The future? Well, it's incredibly promising to say the least. Remember, Rogers put up all those numbers a season ago while still basically being a wide-eyed youngster finding his way. Headed into year three, the already-confident Rogers is – as he alluded to – all grown up, and he's not the only one.
"We've been such a young team the past two years and it feels like everyone is going through their third year here this year, including the coaching staff," Rogers said. "So, I'm very excited to see where this team is headed just because it's everybody's third year. We have so many guys that have been playing for three years like [Jaden] Walley, [Jo'quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson], myself, [Lideatrick Griffin] and on the line with LaQuinston Sharp and Cole Smith. Kameron Jones. A lot of our whole offense is in the third year, so I think everybody is pretty excited for that."
Experience is always beneficial. In the Air Raid, it seems to be critical.
Leach has a track record for seeing growth at his stops from one year to the next. Mississippi State saw an initial jump from 2020 to 2021 and now, the Bulldogs are hungry for more.
This spring, with the 2022 season sitting off in the distance, Rogers can feel a tremendous difference in how far this offense has come.
"It's definitely night and day [from right now compared to two years ago] and it's come with repetition," Rogers said. "Obviously we didn't get that one spring practice [in 2020], but the reps from last year's spring ball to fall camp transitioned into the season. We got so much better from game four to game 10 last year. I think if we can just make those same strides this year [we'll be in a good place]. Not worrying about that yet. Not worrying about fall camp or the season yet. But we're just trying to get better throughout this spring and if our team does that and we really focus on that, we'll be alright."
Just alright could be an understatement. What if this offense makes the leaps forward Rogers alludes to? What if there is no settling and this group that showed so much promise at times last year realizes its full potential?
That's certainly the mindset. And it starts with the reigning QB-1.
There are numerous ways to describe Rogers. He's talented. He's smart. He's a leader.
One word that'll never be put on Rogers…complacent. There is no part of Will Rogers that will allow him to rest on past laurels or simply be satisfied with where he's at.
"I'm always competing," Rogers said. "I'm a natural competitor. I want to compete in everything that I do, whether it be against the defense on a Tuesday practice or competing with myself, trying to get better. But I'm not just competing with myself or against the guys on this team, I'm also competing with guys across the country. I want to be the best quarterback in the country. I want to have the best team in the country. Those are my goals, and I'll never settle for anything less."
In a nutshell, Rogers does absolutely whatever it takes to succeed and win. That goes for when he's on the field performing and when he's off it having conversations that improve those around him. Take, for example, Rogers' relationship with redshirt freshman quarterback Sawyer Robertson.
Robertson has been getting plenty of second-team reps this spring. One of Robertson's biggest supporters is Rogers, who loves what he sees in Robertson's development and is aiding in his progress.
"Man, he's awesome," Rogers said of Robertson. "Talk about a great football player. He's so talented. He's naturally gifted. But he's a great guy as well and carries himself the right way. He was kind of a raw guy coming in last year in fall camp and he's a guy that's really worked hard this offseason. I think the team should feel comfortable with him in there if he was needed to go. He's done a great job and I'm excited for his future here.
"I'm definitely bouncing ideas off of his head. I'll see him do something I did when I was younger and I'll just say, 'Hey, instead of this, think about that.' I'm not trying to tell him what to do or be the boss or anything like that, but I think if I'd had somebody there who'd been through this offense as much as I have now to kind of say to me, 'Hey, on this, think about this,' or things like that, it'd have been a help. I think he's appreciative of that, or at least I hope he is. And I think he'll do great things in this offense."
Of course, all quarterbacks need help from those around them in order to excel. Here's more from Rogers on where his other offensive teammates stand this spring.
Rogers on the offensive line and having to find a left and right tackle: "The whole line in general is really competitive. Obviously LaQuinston [Sharp] is solid at center. There are guys solid on the interior – Kameron Jones, guys like that. But it's always going to be competitive out here. We're always going to be competing in all that we do. No jobs are set in the offense or anything like that. Whatever guy can do their job and do it to the best of their ability is ultimately going to play. We don't know who that guy is yet, but obviously competing at the tackle spots, Percy Lewis and Albert Reese are two guys that jump to your mind when you think about that."
Rogers on MSU's receivers: "There's definitely some new faces on the outside, but I think we're about as solid on the inside as anybody in the country. We have so many guys that can go in and play and play really well. All those guys are different and do different things and contribute to the offense differently. Outside-wise, you have Rara Thomas, [Lideatrick Griffin], then Caleb Ducking has had a great few practices. We're only three practices in this spring, but he's shown flashes. Antonio Harmon. Jordan Mosely. Justin Robinson – he's done really well and he's about as pretty of a football player as it gets when you see him out there in pads. Ultimately, with the whole receiver group, what it comes down to is just reps and them and I being on the same page. If we're all on the same page, I know where they're going to be and when they're going to be there, I think that makes everyone's jobs a lot easier."
Rogers and the rest will continue to compete and hone their crafts over the course of the upcoming days. Spring ball continues through April 26, with the annual Spring Game at Davis Wade Stadium set for 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 16.
For Rogers and the Bulldogs, every practice is important. Because every one is a chance to get better in order to reap the benefits come this fall.
"At the end of the day, it's about winning games," Rogers said. "How can I get this team in the best position to win a game every Saturday? That's what it comes down to. You can look pretty and flashy and all that stuff, but at the end of the day, if you don't win the football game, it doesn't really matter. You can throw for 500 yards and six touchdowns, but if you don't have the little green 'W' beside the game, it doesn't really matter."
Old guy? Nah. But wise beyond his years? Rogers is that, indeed.
