College football roundup
Throughout the football season, I will keep News-Times readers updated on how former county players are performing on the college gridiron.
Hopefully, I will have plenty of good news to write about. Here's a look at a trio of former county standouts to watch this fall.
Eugene Rogers (Fr. - Liberty University)
6-foot-1, 165-pound Receiver No. 81 (Greenbrier)
Rogers should have an immediate impact at Liberty.
The Flames are coached by former NFL quarterback Ken Karcher. Karcher loves to put the ball in the air, and while all three starting receivers return this season, Rogers will press them for playing time.
Liberty's leading pass catcher gathered in only 29 passes and only two wide outs caught more than 15 passes. The Flames open their 2005 campaign on Sept. 3 against Concord University and square off with Connecticut on Sept. 10.
Liberty has a great Web site, so you can follow Rogers all season long at www.libertyflames.com.
Steven Rogers (Soph. - East Carolina)
6-foot-1, 172-pound Receiver No. 83 (Evans/Lakeside)
Rogers was one of the most prolific receivers to ever play in the county (and the entire CSRA for that matter). He now enters his red-shirt sophomore season for the Pirates as a reserve receiver.
His playing time will be limited as he enters the fall as East Carolina's third-string receiver.
He will play for a new coach this fall with former South Carolina offensive coordinator Skip Holtz taking over. East Carolina has a very challenging schedule. They open with Duke on Sept. 3, but also face Wake Forest, West Virginia, Southern Miss and Marshall.
Travis Clark (Red-shirt-Fr. Southern Miss)
6-foot, 219-pound Quarterback, No. 11 (Evans/Lincoln Co.)
Clark surprised the coaching staff last season. He was not a highly regarded recruit coming out of high school, but he was mentioned by many as the Eagles quarterback of the future after last season.
He will have to wait his turn however, as three-year starter Dustin Almond returns for his senior campaign this fall.
There also are a total of six quarterbacks on Southern Miss' roster, but Clark is definitely in the hunt to be one of the top backups. Five of Southern Miss' games will be televised this season on ESPN, ESPN2 and CSTV.
Their opponents include an opener with Tulane on Sept. 4. They also face Alabama and N.C. State.
This is a look at just three former county players. I will cover each Columbia County product who is playing on the college level this fall. If you have someone you'd like to recommend for an upcoming column, send me an e-mail to ab@wrdwam.com.