since i'm here, apparently talking to myself, i'll continue to think out loud ...
i wonder why in a game so desperate for big plays, and with a team that has all but forsaken the run, why Tennessee sophomore wideout
Zach Rogers has seen so little of the field tonight. he was a regular in the rotation during the regular season and shined when given opportunities, but it seems that the "real" talents are getting the reps tonight. at least, that's the impression that anyone who doesn't know anything about the Volunteer roster would conclude from listening to the commentators talk about the wideouts for Tennessee.
the truth, however, is that Rogers is incredibly talented. in high school he set 6 school records in track and field, and if i read
this article correctly, then he was thetop kid in the entire state of Tennessee in the 100 meters (10.80), the 200 meters (21.48), and the long jump (23-7, and a pb of 23-8). and those times are all
authentic, automatic times not exaggerated, hand-timed stuff.
this bizarre treatment of Rogers has carried over since
fall camp before the season began. from the article:
Zach Rogers probably felt stuck in the middle. Between a proven productive duo and a trio of physically dazzling freshmen, the Tennessee sophomore receiver was in no-man's land.
those "physically dazzling" freshmen are significantly slower and less athletic than Rogers, although they are taller than his 6-feet. the only freshman comparable to Rogers athletically is Justin Hunter who actually has out-jumped him (25-3.75) but who is a hurdler rather than a pure sprinter.
regardless, it seems strange that Rogers is getting so few reps. as so many "talent scouts" often refer to, he certainly "looks the part."
maybe this post should go in the wide receivers thread ... *continues to talk to self*
