Chandler Rogers will lead Louisiana-Monroe football at quarterback in game one vs Texas
After much debate and plenty of back and forth since spring ball, Louisiana-Monroe football coach Terry Bowden selected Chandler Rogers over Jiya Wright for the starting quarterback position to open the season, the University announced Tuesday.
The Warhawks open the 2022 season , the second under Bowden, against Texas on Sept. 3 ( 7 p.m., Longhorn Network). The first home game is get for Sept. 10 (7 p.m., ESPN3) against Nicholls before heading to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama on Sept. 17 ( 3 p.m., SEC Network).
Bowden said both quarterbacks posses similar skill sets, which made the decision to name a starting quarterback more difficult, but as a coach who believes in a one-quarterback system the decision was needed.
Rogers "has a little more game experience under his belt, and perhaps, in the end, that was the difference because he showed a little more veteran poise in the pocket," Bowden said.
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Rogers, a 6-foot, 194-pound sophomore, played in all 12 games last season. He passed for 1,311 yards with nine touchdowns. He completed 112 of 179 passes with three interceptions for a 137.33 quarterback rating. He also rushed for 530 yards with one touchdown.
When the Mansfield, Texas, native arrived to Louisiana-Monroe out of the transfer portal ahead of the 2021 season, his time to prepare for the season and learn the offense under the former coordinator, Rich Rodriguez, was cut short. Heading into his second season with the Warhawks, Rogers has had spring and preseason practices to learn offensive coordinator Matt Kubik's scheme.
"I feel 10 times more confident because I had the opportunity to learn the system, play in it during the spring, the summer and now at camp," Rogers said. " I'm excited about this season."
Wright also joined the Warhawks late last summer. He played in four games, throwing for 164 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for 151 yards with a TD. Bowden said Wright's lack of game experience was the slim difference between the quarterbacks.
“I really respect the way those guys competed against each other and pushed each other really since spring practice,” Bowden said. “They truly brought out the best in each other. If something happened to (Rogers), we would have all the confidence in the world with (Wright) moving under center. We’re fortunate to have two talented, dual-threat quarterbacks with very similar skill sets.”
This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: ULM football picks Chandler Rogers as quarterback for opener vs Texas
