The Heartbeat Of The Offense
September 06, 2023 | Football
Will Rogers takes pride in making those around him better.
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers is back for his fourth year, and it's safe to say that he's started the season off on the right track.
Rogers was a key part of the Bulldogs' 48-7 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, going 20-for-29 passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns. The senior steadily marched his offense down the field throughout the afternoon, finding open receivers left and right to keep drives alive and tire his opponent's defense. Toward the end of the game, Rogers hit another milestone: he became the seventh all-time leading passer in the Southeastern Conference with 10,916 career yards.
As exciting as his performance was, Rogers said there's much more that goes into being a great quarterback than what he can do with his arm.
"My job as a quarterback is not just to throw for as many yards as I can, as many touchdowns as I can," Rogers said, "I think my job as a quarterback is to really motivate the other 10 in the huddle."
Rogers' desire to make those around him better has perhaps never been more valuable. The Bulldogs are switching some things up this season under head coach Zach Arnett and offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay, and that became evident on Saturday. From the new formations to the rotation of positions, the team played in a way that was different for many student-athletes who have been with the program for years. Rogers has adapted to the changes quickly, and he embraces the success that MSU is expected to have under Barbay's offensive scheme.
"Anytime you can really put stress on the defense, that's what you want to do," Rogers said. "Anytime that our coaching staff comes up with a good plan, I'm all ears and I'm all in behind it."
One new piece of Mississippi State's offense is the occasional use of multiple quarterbacks on the field. Rogers and fellow quarterback Mike Wright were together on the gridiron multiple times on Saturday, with the pair taking on different roles than in years past. Rogers lined up at receiver for the first time in his career while Wright used his quick speed to make big plays on the ground.
"It was cool, and it was definitely different for me, but obviously it was really, really explosive for our offense, so that's always a plus," Rogers said.
Is there more left to be seen? According to Rogers, Saturday's game was only a small glimpse into Barbay's explosive offense.
"That's kind of just the tip of the iceberg right there; he's got some more tricks up his sleeve," Rogers said.
Another adjustment to Mississippi State's offense this season has been an increased use of the run game, which is spearheaded by veteran running back Jo'Quavious Marks. Marks had a stellar showing against Southeastern Louisiana, rushing for 127 yards and two touchdowns while helping his quarterback out with four catches for 59 yards. It was one of the most productive games of his career, and Rogers had high praise for the teammate who has been with him from the very beginning.
"Woody's a guy that really personifies what we want to do here at Mississippi State," Rogers said. "He's a guy that really doesn't say a whole lot, he just kind of works."
With a powerful rushing attack comes the need for a strong group of linemen, and the Bulldogs have quite a few that can push their way around in the trenches. Although Rogers might not be tossing a pass or handing the ball off to any of them, he is passionate about simply getting them ready for the next big play.
"Anytime I can get the offensive line jacked up and ready to go and ready to run the ball, I think I'm doing my job just as much as if I was throwing for a bunch of yards," Rogers said.
Now, Rogers and the Bulldogs are ready to move forward, taking what they learned in their first regular season game with them. The signal caller and his first-year head coach have a strong connection and understanding of the game: something that will be beneficial as they find themselves having to make big decisions as the season continues.
"I think Coach Arnett and I kind of have a similar mindset on some things and we both can kind of feel the game and feel it out," Rogers said.
Most importantly, Rogers has the opportunity to play in front of many of his biggest fans this weekend, and for quite a few more weekends to come. The sound of ringing cowbells and cheering fans is hard to beat, and all of the players decked out in the Maroon and White cherish those moments each week.
"It's a feeling you can't really describe unless you're out there," Rogers said. "To be out there in front of those fans and out there with your teammates, it was really cool."
Up next, Mississippi State will host Arizona at Davis Wade Stadium in the first Saturday night matchup of the Zach Arnett era. Rogers will look to continue to do what he does best: guiding the Bulldogs to victory and being a leader that his offense can look up to.
