2008 Woodie Awards
The Daily OrangeFB | McNabb endorses Vikings assistant Rogers for SU job
By Matthew Ehalt
Posted: 12/2/08, 3:32 AM EST Section: Sports
Donovan McNabb has handed out his endorsement for Syracuse's next head coach.
In the latest edition of The Sporting News, the former Syracuse quarterback and current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback recommends Minnesota Vikings assistant coach Kevin Rogers for the Orange vacancy. Rogers was an assistant at Syracuse under former head coach Paul Pasqualoni from 1991-98.
"He's a guy who can recruit the East," McNabb told The Sporting News. "He's well known back in the East - great resume of coaching Army, William & Mary, and being my quarterback coach and coordinator at Syracuse. He could be a guy that could come in and do the right things with the offense and the defense."
Rogers has coached for 34 years, 28 of which came on the collegiate level. In that span, he coached in 13 bowl games. After leaving Syracuse, Rogers served stints as the offensive coordinator for Notre Dame and Virginia Tech before joining the Vikings. This is his third season as quarterbacks coach with Minnesota.
Rogers began his Syracuse career as quarterbacks coach in 1991. He was named the assistant head coach in 1995, and from 1995-97 he served as recruiting coordinator.
In 1997, he moved up to offensive coordinator.
Rogers' East Coast ties and recruiting experience were the paramount reasons for McNabb's reference.
"You have to be able to recruit the East," McNabb said. "You look at kind of the schools we've lost recruits to. Two that come to mind are Michigan and Rutgers. Ray Rice, we had him committed. Both of them went separate ways. We had them, but they decided to go elsewhere.
"I think it's important that we begin to win our recruits back from Rutgers, Connecticut, Pitt and Penn State. And be able to stand strong in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and then also do down south and grab some of those second-tier guys or maybe first-tier guys from Miami and Florida."
In Rogers' time at Syracuse, the Orangemen went 68-26-1 and appeared in six bowl games. SU tied for the 1996 Big East title and won the conference championships in 1997 and 1998. He also coached McNabb during that time, helping the Orange legend win three-straight Big East Offensive Player of the Year honors. McNabb was drafted No. 2 overall in the 1999 draft.
After Syracuse, Rogers worked for Notre Dame from 1999-2001 as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Rogers then spent four years at Virginia Tech from 2002-05. He guided quarterback Bryan Randall to the honor of all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns in Hokies' history. Randall also earned 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year accolades.
Virginia Tech amassed a 39-14 record in Rogers' four seasons, winning the ACC title in 2004 and advancing to bowl games in each of his four seasons.
mrehalt@syr.edu
In the latest edition of The Sporting News, the former Syracuse quarterback and current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback recommends Minnesota Vikings assistant coach Kevin Rogers for the Orange vacancy. Rogers was an assistant at Syracuse under former head coach Paul Pasqualoni from 1991-98.
"He's a guy who can recruit the East," McNabb told The Sporting News. "He's well known back in the East - great resume of coaching Army, William & Mary, and being my quarterback coach and coordinator at Syracuse. He could be a guy that could come in and do the right things with the offense and the defense."
Rogers has coached for 34 years, 28 of which came on the collegiate level. In that span, he coached in 13 bowl games. After leaving Syracuse, Rogers served stints as the offensive coordinator for Notre Dame and Virginia Tech before joining the Vikings. This is his third season as quarterbacks coach with Minnesota.
Rogers began his Syracuse career as quarterbacks coach in 1991. He was named the assistant head coach in 1995, and from 1995-97 he served as recruiting coordinator.
In 1997, he moved up to offensive coordinator.
Rogers' East Coast ties and recruiting experience were the paramount reasons for McNabb's reference.
"You have to be able to recruit the East," McNabb said. "You look at kind of the schools we've lost recruits to. Two that come to mind are Michigan and Rutgers. Ray Rice, we had him committed. Both of them went separate ways. We had them, but they decided to go elsewhere.
"I think it's important that we begin to win our recruits back from Rutgers, Connecticut, Pitt and Penn State. And be able to stand strong in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and then also do down south and grab some of those second-tier guys or maybe first-tier guys from Miami and Florida."
In Rogers' time at Syracuse, the Orangemen went 68-26-1 and appeared in six bowl games. SU tied for the 1996 Big East title and won the conference championships in 1997 and 1998. He also coached McNabb during that time, helping the Orange legend win three-straight Big East Offensive Player of the Year honors. McNabb was drafted No. 2 overall in the 1999 draft.
After Syracuse, Rogers worked for Notre Dame from 1999-2001 as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Rogers then spent four years at Virginia Tech from 2002-05. He guided quarterback Bryan Randall to the honor of all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns in Hokies' history. Randall also earned 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year accolades.
Virginia Tech amassed a 39-14 record in Rogers' four seasons, winning the ACC title in 2004 and advancing to bowl games in each of his four seasons.
mrehalt@syr.edu
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