Penn State takes on Washington this November at Beaver Stadium, and it looks like we have our answer as to who Washington’s QB will be that Saturday since he’s no longer in the transfer portal.
Soon after former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer left to succeed the great Nick Saban at Alabama, Will Rogers, who committed to Washington from Mississippi State out of the portal, re-entered.
Two days after word got out that DeBoer was going to Alabama, Washington hired former Arizona coach and renowned offensive mind Jedd Fisch as his successor. Now, Fisch and Washington are keeping Rogers in the fold.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported the news Tuesday evening.
Here’s our ESPN story Will Rogers, who tells ESPN he’s exiting the transfer portal and will stay at Washington. He’s the No. 2 passer in SEC history and is excited to learn from UW coach Jedd Fisch, who has extensive NFL experience as an OC and QB coach. https://t.co/hLFbYQG9j8
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 24, 2024
The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder was a four-year starter at Mississippi State. Rogers’ best season came in 2021. He completed nearly 74 percent of his passes, throwing for 36 touchdowns, nine interceptions and 4,739 yards. This past season, Rogers started all eight games he played in, missing time due to injury.
The last time Penn State and Washington played was before the transfer portal was prevalent. It was 2017 Fiesta Bowl, a 35-28 Penn State win. It was Saquon Barkley’s last dance at Penn State, and he delivered. Barkley ended the day with 137 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries (7.6 YPC), the most notable run being a 92-yard touchdown that put Penn State ahead by three scores in the second quarter. Washington hung around, cutting the deficit to a score on a 69-yard touchdown by Myles Gaskin with 6:52 left in the game. But that’s as close as Washington got. Penn State beat Washington for coach James Franklin’s first New Year’s Six Bowl win.
This season will be Penn State and Washington’s first regular season since 1921 and only the second one ever.
