By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
Sept. 9, 2002
OXFORD If you have seen an Ole Miss football game in the last two years then chances are you have seen former Lamar standout Lee Rogers getting his kicks.
Rogers, who was redshirted in 1999, is in his third year as a kicker at Ole Miss. He handles the kickoffs for the Rebels and has become a player Ole Miss can count on to kick the ball deep.
According to Rogers, hard work and training on campus has made a big difference in his career.
Rogers was named All-Conference at kicker as well as receiver and defensive back at Lamar High School. He also was an excellent baseball player and an All-State soccer player for the Raiders.
It seems he made a good choice when he decided to walk-on at Ole Miss three years ago. He doesn't get any athletic scholarships this season, but has greatly improved in his time with the Rebels.
Rogers saw action in all 12 games during the 2000 season with the Rebels, including playing in the Music City Bowl. He had eight touchbacks in 51 kicks and his average kick went to the four-yard line.
The stats continued to improve in 2001. Rogers handled the kickoff duties in all 11 games of the season and recorded a touchback on 19 of 59 kickoffs. His average was the
three-yard line.
Rogers also connected on his first college field goal in 2001. He hit a 37-yarder in the first half of a game against Georgia. He was also named Quarterback Club Special Teams Player of the Week for his game against Auburn.
This season Rogers is also off to a good start, recording four touchbacks in Ole Miss' victory over Memphis on Saturday.
This season, Rogers is competing with Jonathan Nichols for place-kicking duties. Nichols has been kicking for the Rebels, but Rogers continues to work hard on place-kicking.
Rogers may be a kicker now days, but sometimes the defensive back in him must kick in on the kickoff coverage.
To go along with the leg, Rogers is majoring in Business Studies and made the U.M.A.A. Honor Roll in the Spring of 2002.