By Robert Wilson
Tyler Peterson, who was Will Rogers’ head coach at Brandon High, wasn’t surprised the Mississippi State junior quarterback set yet another SEC passing record Saturday.
Rogers set his fifth SEC passing record when he passed Aaron Murray of Georgia’s completion mark (921 from 2010-2013) and now has 946 completions after going 31 of 48 for 395 yards and three touchdowns in MSU’s 40-17 victory over Arkansas at Starkville. Murray did it in 52 games. It took Rogers only 28 games.
“My dad (Wyatt Rogers, who was Will’s offensive coordinator at Brandon) told me about the record last week after the game,” Rogers said. “I didn’t know about it until then. I really wasn’t thinking about it during the game until it came up on the big screen. I thought it was pretty cool happening at Davis-Wade (Stadium) where I’ve been watching games since the second grade.”
Rogers also has SEC records for most completions in a season (505 last season), most attempts in a season (683 last season), most completions in a game (50 against Memphis last season) and best completion percentage in a game with at least 30 completions (92.3 percent, 36 of 39 against Kentucky last season) and shares the most attempts in a game (67 against Memphis last season) with Tim Couch (of Kentucky against Arkansas in 1998).
Rogers – who was the PriorityOne Bank Metro Jackson Football Player of the Year in 2019 – has always been working hard towards records like these.
“Will’s accuracy and his decision making have always been top notch,” said Peterson, who is now the offensive coordinator at Clinton High. “You can ask anyone on our staff when Will was there and none of them are surprised at the success he is having. He is a once in a lifetime kid. Will is mature beyond his years. He is talented and driven. Will is never satisfied and always works hard to get better. That’s who he is.”
Rogers has completed 71.6 percent of his passes (202 of 282) for 2,110 yards and 22 TDs this season for No. 17 MSU, 5-1. He ranks first in the country in passing yards and completions, second in TD passes, third in attempts and ninth in completion percentage.
Rogers has passed for 8,825 yards and 69 TDs in his career. If he continues this pace, he will break Murray’s SEC record for career passing yards of 13,166. Rogers is currently in seventh place.
Rogers passed for 9,093 yards and 79 TD passes in his career at Brandon. As a senior, he passed for 3,572 yards and 38 TDs with only three interceptions.
