Husky Roster Review: Rosengarten Is Off to Nice Career Start, Roger That

The Colorado transplant became a starter early and stands to be one of the UW's best.
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In the middle of Autzen Stadium, University of Washington football players jumped around wildly and hugged each other enthusiastically after beating arch-rival Oregon 37-34 with a closing burst of energy and points.

No one seemed to enjoy himself more on that Saturday night in November than Roger Rosengarten, who was photographed with his head bent way back, basically howling at the moon in the Willamette Valley.

Besides beating the Ducks last November, the 6-foot-6, 303-pound sophomore offensive tackle from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, had a lot to be pleased about after three seasons in Montlake. 

Rosengarten became a full-time starter in 2022 as just a redshirt freshman in class standing, using his pandemic freebie, of course, to maintain a football fountain of youth.

He was named as a Freshman All-America selection, sharing in the near-perfect Husky pass protection that allowed just seven sacks all season.

With so much early career success, this Rocky Mountain rustler stands a chance to become one of the program's most decorated and desirable NFL offensive-line prospects. 

"I had a good season, but I want to make sure I exceed expectations coming into this season," Rosengarten said. "Every time I step on the field, I want to make sure I play my hardest."

Going down the roster from No. 0 to 99, Rosengarten, who wears No. 73 all to himself, is next up in a series of profiles about each of the Huskies' scholarship players and assorted walk-ons, summing up their spring football performances and surmising what might come next for them.


MONTLAKE GLADIATOR / Skylar Lin Visuals

Roger Rosengarten is in uniform with all of the accessories for the final spring scrimmage in April. 


DUCK CALL

Roger Rosengarten and his Husky teammates let their emotions spill out after beating Oregon 37-34 in Eugene. 


2020 CLASSMATES / Skylar Lin Visuals

Samuel Peacock and Roger Rosengarten are Husky offensive linemen who came in together in the same recruiting class.


HAPPY CAMPER / Skylar Lin Visuals

Roger Rosengarten celebrates in the end zone after a Husky touchdown in the vicinity of wide receivers Rome Odunze and Taj Davis, the latter since departed. 


SURROUNDED BY HATCHETTS / Skylar Lin Visuals

Roger Rosengarten has Hatchetts all around him, taking on Geirean in this spring drill while Landen watches from nearby.


WAYNE'S WORLD :: Stephen Brashear/USA TODAY Sports

Roger Rosengarten greets the since graduated Wayne Taulapapa in the end zone after the running back scored a touchdown, with Matteo Melo at left.


EARLY RISER / Dan Raley

Roger Rosengarten became a starter as a redshirt freshman and has a chance to be first-teamer for four UW seasons.


TOUCHDOWN PARTY / Skylar Lin Visuals

Roger Rosengarten begins to celebrate along with Taj Davis (3) and Jalen McMillan, with the ball, during their 2022 game at Husky Stadium. 


PENSIVE ROGER / Skylar Lin Visuals

Roger Rosengarten catches a break during spring practice while standing next to offensive tackle Samuel Peacock. 


IT'S A STRETCH / Skylar Lin Visuals

Roger Rosengarten helps a teammate loosen up during UW spring ball. 



When Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff took over last year, its first objective was to bring in a high-level quarterback to jumpstart the offense and this was accomplished by coaxing Indiana transfer Michael Penix Jr. out West.

The second call to action was to fix the offensive line and the Huskies turned real creative by moving senior leader Jaxson Kirkland to offensive guard from tackle, inserting Corey Luciano at center and bumping two-year starting right tackle Victor Curne from the lineup in favor of Rosengarten. 

"He's got a mindset you like from an offensive-line standpoint, where he's going to get after you," DeBoer said of his young right tackle. "He's a finisher. He's got a little bit of that bully-ness when he's playing between the lines."

Rosengarten stands to be a three- or four-year starter up front and likely will move to left tackle, the NFL money position, in 2024 after Troy Fautanu finishes up. 

He's got the right mix of size, mobility, desire and humility to be as good as the Huskies have had up front. As the accompanying photo gallery displays, he has a good time on the football field, clearly enjoying himself. Everything has gone as planned.

"As soon as I got here, I wanted to work as hard as I could in getting on the field," Rosengarten said. "I knew if I put in the work, trusted my technique and used my athleticism, I knew good things would happen."


ROGER ROSENGARTEN FILE

Service: Rosengarten has appeared in 18 Husky games and started 13, all in 2022. He could play 36 more, not counting bowl or postseason games. 

Stats: He wore No. 72 in his first two seasons, but 73 was always his number, and he traded for it.

Role: Rosengarten is one of the young stars of the Pac-12, making anything possible — conference recognition, consideration for All-America honors in due time, a lofty NFL draft pick. 


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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.