The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 13, 2005, Page B2, Image 18
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HIKE SRERRN
(Top) The George Rogers mural stood on the side of Booker T. Washington High school until its demolition for the construction of East
Quad. (Left) Rogers led the NFL in rushing in 1981 after being selected as the New Orleans Saints’ No. 1 pick.
GREATS •OnTIRUED PROA) Bt*
out of reach in the third quarter.
Pittsburgh won, 39-7.
Honors continued to roll in for
Rogers even after the bowl loss, as
he was named to the Hula Bowl
and Senior Bowl teams.
Rogers left the Gamecock
football program as its most
successful running back ever, and
many of his records have remained
untouched since 1980. His 3,204
yards is still the highest career total
by any Gamecock running back,
while his 31 rushing touchdowns is
tied with Harold Green for first.
He is second on the all-time points
scored list with 202 and owns 24
games with more than 100 yards
rushing.
While the college honors were
numerous, Rogers got one of the
ultimate honors in football, as the
New Orleans Saints selected him as
first pick in the 1981 NFL draft.
“I enjoyed New Orleans. That
was probably one of my favorite
places to play," Rogers said. “A lot
of running. I played at Carolina,
and we didn’t pass very much.
Then going to New Orleans, and
they didn’t throw very much. It
was like all I did was run for a long
-1
time."
His running abilities brought
the ‘Ain’ts back from cellar dwellers
to a respectable record. Rogers
earned the NFL Rookie of the Year
Honors for 1981 and a trip to the
Pro Bowl after leading the league
in rushing with 1,647 yards,
setting a high for rookies at the
time. He did have the chance to
play alongside two of the game’s
legends, as Archie Manning was
the Saints quarterback and Earl
Campbell was brought in during
his final year with New Orleans.
With Campbell on the team, a
change of scenery quickly became
an option for Rogers, who wound
up in Washington playing for the
Redskins.
“1 went to the Redskins, and it
was the best choice I could’ve ever
made," Rogers said.
In Washington, Rogers found
himself surrounded by some of the
biggest names to ever play or coach
the game. Hall of Fame running
back John Riggins was ending his
professional career, while coach Joe
Gibbs was ready to bring the
Redskins back to glory. Rogers had
some of his biggest professional
success in Washington, including
another trip to the Pro Bowl and a
Super Bowl title in 1987.
“My last year with the
Washington Redskins, we won the
Super Bowl, which is probably the
highlight of my career," Rogers
said. “1 got a Super Bowl ring, a
Heisman Ring and I led the league
in rushing, and I even made the
Pro Bowl a couple of years. I’ve
done a lot of things in football I’m
proud of. But I wish I would have
played a little bit longer."
When he left the NFL in 1987,
Rogers had totaled 7,176 yards
with 54 touchdowns in a mere
seven seasons.
With football behind him,
Rogers returned to Columbia
where he finished earning his
degree and began working for the
university. Today he can be found
working at the Blatt PE Center.
“I’m glad that the university
gave me the opportunity to come
back and get my degree. Cause
certainly if I didn’t have that, I
would be working here," Rogers
said. “They do not hire nobody
without a degree."
Rogers also started the George
Rogers Foundation, which works
to provide scholarships to kids in
need who are planning to attend
USC. The foundation, which is
--
celebrating its 13th anniversary,
gives out more than $15,000 in
scholarships each year.
In 1992, Rogers was named to
the All-Century Team at USC. He
also holds membership in the
USC Hall of Fame, the South
Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame,
the Georgia Athletic Hall of Fame
and the New Orleans Saints Hall
of Fame. In 1997 he received the
honor of being inducted into the
National - Football Foundation
Hall of Fame.
Twenty-five years after his
Heisman Trophy season, Rogers
has his retired number 38 proudly
displayed inside Williams-Brice
Stadium, a reminder of what
greatness can be achieved.
“I’d rather them have the team
than my number," Rogers said.
“I’m more of a team guy. If they
would have ‘George Rogers and his
offensive line’ or something like
that, that would be more worth
while than just number 38 up
there. Those guys worked just as
hard as I did, and they deserve
most of the credit that I got. ”
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
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