Pete Thamel, ESPN January 24, 2024, 10:23 am
Former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers told ESPN he will withdraw from the NCAA transfer portal and remain in Washington to play for the Huskies in 2024.
Rogers informed Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch of his decision on Tuesday and returned to classes in Washington.
Rogers transferred from Mississippi State to Washington after playing four productive seasons with the Bulldogs, during which he became the SEC's second-leading passer of all time. He entered the portal after Kalen DeBoer left Washington to become the head coach at Alabama, which happened not long after Roger arrived in Seattle.
Rogers spoke to several schools after re-entering the portal but ultimately concluded that Washington made the most sense. With a lot of attention focused on who has left the program, Rogers said the appeal of returning to Washington after jumping into the portal is seeing who else decides to stay there.
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“Some of the guys in Washington,” he said of the reason for his return. “The team went 14-1 last year. Of course, if we can pick up where we left off, it will be a difficult task. But I think that’s why you come to Washington.”
“It’s obviously a new conference and things like that. But I have a lot of trust in coach Fisch and am convinced that he will be ready to let us compete at a high level.”
Rogers said Fisch's NFL experience was another factor. Fisch is the offensive playcaller at Washington and has worked in the NFL as both an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Rogers said he hopes this season turns out to be a bridge year to get him to the NFL.
“That’s the plan,” Rogers said in a telephone interview with ESPN. “Coach Fisch told me today, 'I want to treat you like a professional football player.' I told him that this is what I want and what I want to do.
Rogers' decision represents positive news for the quarterback room in Washington. On Sunday, ESPN 300 recruit Demond Williams promised that he would follow Fisch to Washington after previously choosing him in Arizona.
Rogers will be the favorite to start the Huskies in the 2024 season. In addition to losing Michael Penix to the NFL, Washington also lost Dylan Morris to James Madison, Austin Mack to Alabama and Will Haskell to the portal. Washington's 2024 quarterback signee Dermaricus Davis also announced he would leave following Williams' decision.
Rogers immediately became one of the portal's most successful players this winter, as he racked up 12,315 passing yards during his time at Mississippi State.
When he first committed to Washington, Rogers told ESPN: “I know I have one more shot. I know I had to do what I had to do – win as many games as possible.”
Rogers' statistical resume is among the best in the sport. He completed 1,301 passes in his career, the most in SEC history. He enters the 2024 season with 38 starts and is the No. 39 NCAA passer in career yards receiving rankings. If he has another successful season in his year in Washington, he could be ranked in the top five in college football history.
Rogers said he hopes another quality season will impact scouts and general managers.
Rogers said, “I'm really excited to play under someone who has NFL experience and can teach you the ropes and prepare you for the next level.”