Leach: Rogers will start spring practice at quarterback
After three quarterbacks decommitted at one time or another during the 2016 recruiting cycle, Mike Leach decided to accept what he already had and try again for 2017.
Early enrollee Justus Rogers is the lone prospect on the Cougars’ list of signees with the letters “QB” next to his name. Yet the former Bellevue standout is capable of playing other positions (hence the “Athlete” label) and eventually could wind up lining up at multiple positions.
However, Rogers’ first spring practice snaps will come at quarterback, Leach said during his annual National Signing Day press conference.
“We’d love to see what he can do (at quarterback), and that’s where we’re going to start him out at and see how he does,” Leach said. “He is a great athlete. Guys like Justus always make it (where they will play) a complicated question because they have the ability to do a variety of things.
“Some guys can only do one thing, so it’s pretty cut and dried. I normally don’t get the question are we going to play him at quarterback or are we play him at DB. Justus has the skills to play any of the four DB spots to a degree depending on how he grows or at linebacker. He could also be a receiver. The biggest priority is getting him on the field as quickly as we can.”
If Rogers stays at quarterback, he will be one of four scholarship signal callers on the 2016 roster as Luke Falk, Peyton Bender and Tyler Hilinski all return to the Cougars.
As the only scholarship quarterback in the signing class, Rogers’s chances of getting on the field in 2016 are increased. Certainly, he will benefit from more practice reps.
Leach’s recruiting strategy concerning quarterbacks has typically been to sign one every year and complement the group with quality walk-ons.
“I have fewer quarterbacks than a lot of teams,” Leach said. “Some teams will have as many as nine quarterbacks. I always try to keep it around four scholarship guys and two walk-ons. That’s what I’ve always shot for. There comes a point when if you want them to play well, you have to have the time to work with them. You have to make sure you can develop them.”
When the third quarterback decommitted from the class (Quentin Davis from St. John Bosco HS signed with Fresno State), Leach decided to wait until the 2017 recruiting cycle before signing another scholarship quarterback.
“We looked at our priorities,” Leach said. “Plus, we had Justus and we have a young group of quarterbacks (Falk is a rising junior). We just felt like we had other needs elsewhere. Pretty soon, a receiver or defensive end popped up. We would have (signed a QB) if a really good one had popped up. But our other priorities overrode it.”
