Rogers Will Continue as Husky Starting QB for Friday's UCLA Game

UW coach Jedd Fisch made that determination in his Monday media briefing.

Huskies quarterback Will Rogers (7) drops back to pass against Penn State on Saturday at Beavers Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Taking any mystery out of how he will use his quarterbacks going forward, University of Washington coach Jedd Fisch said senior Will Rogers will remain the starter for the UCLA game on Friday night at Husky Stadium.

Rogers didn't play in the second half of last weekend's 35-6 loss at Penn State, giving way to freshman Demond Williams Jr.

A Mississippi State transfer, the 6-foot-2, 216-pound Rogers started the Huskies' first 10 games, with this past outing marking the 50th opening assignment of his college career.

"Will wil start Friday, yes," Fisch said without any hesitation at his Monday media briefing.

Rogers sat down against Penn State after he and the offense had failed to put any points on the board in five first-half drives and went in trailing 28-0 at the half.

Asked why stick with Rogers against the Bruins, Fisch said, "No. 1, he's led us all season long. He's 5-0 at home. He's done a fantastic job against Michigan and USC here, and Northwestern. He's been a fantastic leader since arriving here."

On the first offensive series against the Nittany Lions, Rogers directed the Husky offense from his own 30 to the opposing 22 before it stalled out, leading to a Grady Gross field-goal attempt that hit the right crossbar. That would the most success he would have.

He threw an interception between two drives that ended with punts and yet another series ended with the clock running out in the half. He sat down after completing 10 of 13 passes, but for just 59 yards.

Will Rogers and his UW teammates are shown after his first-half interception. / Skylar Lin Visuals

"There wasn't anything I would say that occurred on Saturday night that I would hold him solely responsible for that it would have caused us to say there's just no way we're going to win this game otherwise," the coach said.

The 5-foot-11, 187-pound Williams has appeared in every Husky game in a reserve role and is being groomed to become Rogers' replacement next season. On Saturday, he hit on 6 of 10 passes for 60 yards, ran 10 times for a team-leading 38 yards and guided the UW to its only points of the game on a pair of field goals. Yet his time as a starter will have to wait.

"I told Will we were going to win the game with him at the quarterback position," Fisch said, "and I believe the team feels the same way."

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