Washington now has its replacement at quarterback for Heisman finalist Michael Penix.
Former Mississippi State standout quarterback Will Rogers is set to transfer to the Huskies, sources tell 247Sports.
Rogers, who received interest from other schools such as Miami after entering the transfer portal, arrived at Washington for an official visit Thursday.
The Mississippi native and former class of 2020 three-star recruit was the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback each of the last four seasons. He finished his time in Starkville with 12,315 career passing yards, which ranks as the second-most in SEC history, and 94 career passing touchdowns, which ranks as the fourth-most in conference history. Rogers accumulated 19 career 300-yard passing games for Mississippi State.
Before a tough campaign this season under now-fired head coach Zach Arnett, which included Rogers missing four games due to an upper-body injury, he threw for a combined 8,713 yards and 71 touchdowns during Mike Leach’s final two seasons as Mississippi State’s head coach in 2021 and ‘22. In 2021, he ranked second among Power Five quarterbacks with 4,739 passing yards, behind only Alabama’s Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young. Rogers then racked up 3,974 yards and 36 touchdowns last year while leading the Bulldogs to a 9-4 record.
Rogers posted 1,626 passing yards with 12 passing touchdowns and four interceptions in eight games this year. One of his top performances of the season came when he threw for a career-high 487 yards during a 37-30 loss to South Carolina Sept. 23.
What is the NCAA transfer portal?
The portal is an online database that players will enter their name into if they decide to pursue a transfer. Players notify their current school’s compliance office that they wish to put their name into the portal — typically, players’ names show up within 48 hours. Coaches have access to the database and can contact any player who has entered.
Check out 247Sports’ ranking of the top college football transfers.
When will the transfer portal open?
Technically, players can enter the portal at any time. But unless they do so within their sport’s official “windows,” they will have to sit out one season. College football has two windows: one following the regular season and one following spring practice. The fall portal window opens Dec. 3, one day after conference championship games. It will remain open for 30 days, closing at the end of the day on Jan. 2, 2024. Players who compete in a postseason contest (the CFB Playoff or a bowl game) will be given an additional five-day window to transfer after their final contest.
Prior to this school year, players had 45 days to enter their name in the portal following the end of the regular season. The NCAA amended that rule this fall, cutting down the window to 30 days.
Is a player forced to leave his school after entering the portal?
No. In fact, players sometimes withdraw their names from the portal and end up staying with their respective programs.
Oftentimes, however, the decision to enter the portal comes with some amount of displeasure on either the player’s side or the program’s side. Most players who enter the portal do not return to their previous school, and they’re often removed from the team immediately upon entering.
