Transitioning away from the Michael Penix Jr. era will be very difficult for Washington fans. The No. 8 overall pick and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy took the Huskies to heights the program hasn’t reached in a long time during his brief career but was still able to etch his name into the school record books.
That’s a very tough act for Mississippi State transfer quarterback Will Rogers to follow, but according to Jedd Fisch, he’s as well-equipped to follow in Penix’s footsteps as anyone in his final year of eligibility.
“He has 40 starts as a college football player. He’s the son of a coach. He has an incredible football mind and football acumen,” Fisch said at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. “He played in Coach [Mike] Leach’s system for three years, and then last year played in a little bit more of a pro-style system where they were able to teach him a little bit more about playing under center and playing with more tight ends.”
Leach’s system helped Rogers set SEC records, where he finished with 12,315 yards and 94 touchdowns, which rank No. 2 and No. 4 respectively in conference history. His experience on the field should be a steadying force for the Huskies, who are replacing all 11 starters on offense.
“He brought really a great leadership with him. He has a great ability to communicate the game of football. What we’ve asked our quarterbacks to do in years past is control the line of scrimmage, and I think he’ll be really good at that as well.”
As the Huskies prepare for fall camp, having a veteran leader like Rogers who can help teach the offense to some of the younger players on the roster is crucial as Fisch attempts to install his scheme.