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Jan. 10—PULLMAN — Jimmy Rogers knew he was inheriting an isolated former Power Five program with a laundry list of challenges when he accepted the Washington State head football coach job about two weeks ago.
He just didn’t know how familiar Pullman would feel.
“I didn’t know how ‘midwest’ this was, because this is midwest,” said Rogers, who spent 19 of his 20 years of college football at South Dakota State. “This place is beautiful. The Palouse is beautiful and we’re excited to raise our family here and do it with a coaching staff and a bunch of players who are inspired for greatness.”
Rogers’ vision
In his introductory news conference on Thursday, Rogers laid out a vision for a program that recruits the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest, an offense that attacks the width of the field and runs the ball, a defense that rotates its linemen and a team that will build on the spirit of the players already in the building.
He also was not afraid to utter the words “national contender.”
“I didn’t come here to lose and nor did this coaching staff. I believe in this. I believe in this,” Rogers said. “We’re going to do everything that we can to get on the top of college football. Just happened last year with a conference opponent (Boise State) making the college playoff.
“I told the team last night, ‘Don’t think it can’t be you. If you can’t envision yourself winning the national championship, it will never happen.’ … I’ll catch grief, but I don’t care. I’ve been a winner. I’ve been a part of a winner my whole life, and I don’t plan to stop.”
Rogers succeeds former coach Jake Dickert, who left WSU for Wake Forest in December after leading the Cougars to a 23-20 combined record through three-and-a-half seasons as the team’s coach.
In two years as South Dakota State’s coach, Rogers was 27-3 and won the 2023 Football Championship…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/winner-whole-life-rogers-aims-141100256.html
Author : Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Moscow, Idaho
Publish date : 2025-01-10 14:11:00
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