Washington Makes Decision On Former SEC Star Quarterback Will Rogers

One of the SEC's all-time statistical leaders will start for the Washington Huskies in Saturday's season opener against Weber State.

Fifth-year senior Will Rogers has earned the starting quarterback job under first-year Washington head coach Jedd Fisch, beating out blue-chip 2024 signee Demond Williams Jr. for the role, according to a report from Jordan Schultz on Monday.

Rogers (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) began his career at Mississippi State and served as the Bulldogs' starter under late head coach Mike Leach from 2020-2022. Following Leach's death, MSU promoted Zach Arnett to head coach and Rogers faced the challenge of learning a pro-style scheme after flourishing in Leach's infamous air-raid attack.

Rogers sits second all-time in SEC career passing yards (12,315) behind Georgia's Aaron Murray (13,166).

Rogers and the Mississippi State offense struggled mightily in 2023. Arnett was fired in November and Rogers, who was recovering from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss four games, entered the transfer portal soon after.

Rogers committed to Washington and head coach Kalen DeBoer on Dec. 15 as the Huskies prepared for the College Football Playoff. He was on the sidelines when the Huskies beat Texas to make the national championship game against Michigan.

However, a monumental change following the loss to the Wolverines almost ended Rogers' short career in Seattle.

DeBoer left for Alabama on Jan. 12 and Rogers re-entered the transfer portal on the same day. The Huskies moved swiftly in hiring Fisch from Arizona and he was able to talk Rogers in to staying put. He withdrew from the portal on Jan. 24 and participated in spring and fall camp.

Washington faces a lot of questions in 2024 with a new staff and a largely new roster. The move to the Big Ten is also daunting in its own right. But having an experienced passer like Rogers should help smooth the transition.

Kickoff between the Huskies and Weber State is slated for Aug. 31 at 11 p.m. ET (Big 10 Network).

Related: Alabama Will Face Former In-State Rival Quarterback In Week 1