Mike Leach details what separates Will Rogers' skills from other quarterbacks

Mississippi State is fresh off an upset of then-No. 17 Texas A&M en route to a 4-1 start to the season and quarterback Will Rogers‘ skills have a lot to do with that.

Over the past two weeks, Rogers has thrown nine touchdown passes and no interceptions, totaling 738 yards passing with a 73.7% completion rate. So what separates Rogers, exactly?

Standing at 6 foot 2, 210 pounds, he doesn’t have the size or stature of some of the other quarterbacks who get a bit more attention around the country, many of whom are considered high-caliber NFL Draft prospects. But Rogers has something not all of those guys do.

“He came in already knowing how to watch film and with an expectation that he was going to watch a lot of film, so I think that helped a lot,” coach Mike Leach said. “A lot of times a guy comes in and this film thing, he hadn’t heard of it or hadn’t thought of it. So he knew he was going to watch a lot of film.”

Rogers currently ranks fourth nationally in passing, averaging 343.0 yards per game. He boasts a 19-3 touchdown to interception ratio, also one of the nation’s best.

The next few weeks will afford Rogers ample opportunity to further make a name for himself. Last week’s win over the Aggies was the first in a series of games against ranked or previously ranked opponents.

Up next is Arkansas, followed by road trips to No. 13 Kentucky and No. 1 Alabama.

Will Rogers’ skills under constant refinement

Another thing Leach stressed about Rogers and one of the main factors in his success is how much the film study has translated to on-the-field work.

In other words, Rogers, the son of a coach, doesn’t just watch film. He watches film with the intention of learning from it. Once he identifies things that can be improved he wants to put them on grass.

“I think there’s a sense of timing as far as working with and developing himself and the other players,” Leach said. “So I think he really has a sense of when to work and what’s important. And I think there’s that, just because he sees what his dad does over the years and every day. So I think there’s part of that, where it’s, I think a lot of what he’s gone through and worked on, we expected and saw it coming. I think it allows him to kind of immerse himself in it a little quicker and thoroughly.”

Timing and routes, those are the kinds of things studious quarterbacks spend countless days hammering out with their receivers on the practice fields over the summer.

If Rogers’ numbers are any indication, the Bulldogs put in quite a lot of work. Enough to keep the mojo going and get on a run that might send Missisippi State into the AP Top 25 rankings?

Tune into the SEC Network Saturday at noon ET when Mississippi State hosts Arkansas to find out.