Arkansas sophomore offensive lineman Zach Rogers had plenty of options before signing with the Hogs in 2015.
Rogers, 6-1, 306 pounds of Carrollton (Texas) Hebron picked the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Texas, UCLA, Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and others.
“People all over the country were wanting him to come and he said, “No coach, I’m not going anywhere but Arkansas,” Hebron Coach Brian Brazil said.
Some schools refused to give up and kept trying to get Rogers to visit their school.
“I said ‘Hey look, I’ve already talked to him,'” Brazil said. “I said, ‘I will relay the message, but I’m just telling you he’s done.'”
The numerous trips to Arkansas during the recruiting process also won over Rogers' parents, Randy and Kellie. In addition to their home in Texas, the family has also bought a house in Winslow.
Rogers is gearing up for the season opener against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 3, but his journey didn't come without adversity. He started as a freshman and sophomore for Hebron but missed his entire junior season and most of his senior year because of injuries.
“His junior year he was becoming a monster, and then he tore his ACL in our scrimmage against Plano East,” said Brazil.
He suffered a broken leg in the third game of his senior season against Plano. Brazil didn’t think the injury was intentional but didn’t like how it happened.
“People saw how he was mauling people, so a team decided they needed to cut him at the point of the attack,” Brazil said.
Rogers’ tough luck impacted Brazil.
“As much as it hurt us not having him his junior or senior year, it just made me sick for him,” Brazil said.
The Hawks finished the season with a 2-8 record.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a team where losing a lineman had such a devastating effect on a team, but it really did,” Brazil said. “I’m not going to say we would’ve won a state championship or anything, but it definitely changed the course of our season. We were a mashing type of football team. If you’re going to mash people, you better have your main masher.”