Report: Former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers named Washington starter

Former Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers has reportedly won the quarterback competition in Washington, according to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz. The news was confirmed by On3’s Pete Nakos.

In doing so, the former SEC star beat out top prospect Demond Williams Jr. for the gig. However, Schultz noted that he wouldn’t be surprised if the true freshman quarterback got some burn in 2024, as well.

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Some college football news: @UW_Football is naming Will Rogers as their starting QB, per sources.

I’m also told “don’t be surprised” if true freshman QB and blue-chipper Demond Williams Jr plays this season as well. pic.twitter.com/E1AcPUgSet

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 26, 2024

“Some college football news: @UW_Football is naming Will Rogers as their starting QB, per sources,” Schultz wrote. “I’m also told ‘don’t be surprised’ if true freshman QB and blue-chipper Demond Williams Jr plays this season as well.”

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During his time in the SEC, which was highlighted by two seasons as Mike Leach’s starting quarterback at Mississippi State, Rogers flourished in the Air Raid offense. He threw for 4,739 yards in 2021 and 3,974 in 2022 while averaging nearly 647 passing attempts over those two seasons.

Following Leach’s sudden death, Rogers had to adjust to a pro-style scheme in less than a season under Zach Arnett in 2023. He then entered the transfer portal and committed to Washington, where he stuck around after Jedd Fisch took over for Kalen DeBoer.

It will once again be a pro-style system in Seattle, but Fisch called it one made for a quarterback. That was part of his pitch to Rogers after he took over.

“When I talk to quarterbacks, I talk to them all the same way,” Fisch said during a breakout session with reporters. “I say to them, ‘Why would you not want to play in this offense?’ I know it’s arrogant and I know it’s not necessarily what everybody wants to hear.

“But if you’re a quarterback, you should want to play in this offense. We throw the ball about 58-60% of the time, we’ve been in the top five in throwing offense every year. … There’s a lot of good evidence about playing quarterback in this offense that if there’s one position you should want to play, it’s that.”

The scheme won’t be the Air Raid, though. That’s why Fisch said Rogers will have some adjustments to make – particularly when it comes to play-action.

“We don’t throw it the same way. We’re not really Air Raid,” Fisch said. “We have, probably, more under center, play-actions, some of the things that they don’t do over there. He’s gonna have to learn how to turn his back to the defense and flip his head around. That’s a little bit unique for guys that played in that Air Raid. The third-down package, the drop-back package.

“I think Will’s ability to just throw the ball 50 times a game, we’re not gonna do that. We’ll throw it about 38 times a game, 40 times a game, max. Hopefully less. We’d love to be about a 32-run, 38-pass team. We’ll see if that fits him. But I think it will.”

Alas, Rogers is sure to be the focal point, bringing plenty of experience to the quarterback position. But when it comes to how many times he has to throw, Fisch said he hopes it doesn’t reach the numbers from Mississippi State. However, in college football, nothing is a certainty.

“Well, he’s certainly done that,” Fisch said when asked about Rogers’ volume of pass attempts. “Throwing the ball is not an issue for Will. His arm is one that’s accustomed to a lot of attempts. I don’t think we’ll have to attempt it that much. I would hope we don’t attempt it that much, but you never know.”

On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this article.