QB Rogers aware of fine line he navigates
Bie-play Rebel realizes his health key to success
For UNLV to reach the postseason for the first time in six years, junior starting quarterback Armani Rogers must stay healthy.
That’s not exactly breaking news.
The news, instead, is that experience is thin behind Rogers because junior backup Max Gilliam is out until September with a foot injury sustained in offseason conditioning. Liberty High School’s Kenyon Oblad, a redshirt freshman, will be the backup.
“(Gilliam) and Oblad had a pretty good competition for the No. 2 this spring,” UNLV coach Tony Sanchez said Tuesday at Mountain West football media days at Green Valley Ranch Resort. “It may be a blessing in disguise, because now you’re going to invest all that time into (Oblad) getting the reps.”
The injury to Gilliam wasn’t the only personnel news. Offensive lineman
Zack Singer, who went to Bishop Gorman, was denied a request by the NCAA for a medical redshirt waiver and will not play again for the Rebels.
Rogers heads into training camp on Aug. 2 intent on improving and alos helping with the development of the younger quarterbacks. Along with Oblad, sophomore Marckell Grayson, a Desert Pines product, will get additional repetitions.
“… We all have to learn the material,” Rogers said. “If one person is feeling left behind and doesn’t feel like he LB — Mykal Walker, Sr., Fresno State
LB — Kyahva Tezino, Sr., San Diego State LB — David Woodward, Jr., Utah State DB — Jeremy Fejedelem, Sr., Air Force DB — Juju Hughes, Sr., Fresno State
DB — Tariq Thompson, Jr., San Diego State DB — DJ Williams, So., Utah State
P — Ryan Stonehouse, Jr., Colorado State PK — Cooper Rothe, Sr., Wyoming
KR/PR — Savon Scarver, Jr., Utah State Player awards
Offensive Player of the Year:
Defensive Player of the Year: Special Teams Player of the Year: knows the offense, I feel like I can help him or they can come to me instead of coming to the coaches.”
Being that kind of leader is expected. But Rogers knows he needs to be on the field to exert his greatest level of influence. A toe injury cost him seven starts last season, and UNLV went 1-6 in those games. The Rebels were 3-2 with Rogers starting.
In two seasons, he has missed 10 starts. Two years ago, a concussion took away three starts.
When Rogers is on the field, he’s a dynamic athlete capable of opening up the offense, a 6-foot-5-inch, 225-pound player with the potential to rush for 1,000 yards. His arm strength is undeniable, though he needs to improve his 49.3 percent career accuracy.
“What makes him special is that ability to be that dual-threat athlete,” Sanchezsaid.
There’s a fine line he must navigate. Coaches don’t want to take away his big-play capability; they also don’t want him taking unnecessary hits.
“Every situation is going to be different,” Rogers said. “If it’s third and short and I know we have to get the first down so we don’t have to punt …
, I know I’m going to have to get a little more physical.”
Rogers’ injury last season, however, didn’t come on a big hit. He injured a toe on a tackle from behind Sept. 22 at Arkansas State that initially did not appear serious.
“That’s how most injuries happen,” Rogers said, “off a freak accident.”
Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com.