KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee's receiving corps features potential first-round draft picks Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson, but a lesser-known player arguably has emerged as the Volunteers' most reliable pass catcher.
Zach Rogers caught six passes for 107 yards and tied a single-game school record with three touchdown receptions Saturday in a 38-35 loss at South Carolina. That continued a remarkable season for Rogers, a senior who had reached the end zone just twice his entire career before this fall.
As a senior, Rogers already is approaching or has surpassed his previous career totals in every major category. Rogers has caught 23 passes for 391 yards and five touchdowns this season. In his first three years at Tennessee, he had totaled 31 receptions for 415 yards and two touchdowns. Said head coach Derek Dooley, "Zach has the greatest consistency of all in how he practices. It reminds me of how Wes Welker was when I was with the Dolphins. He practices so fast that the quarterback knew exactly where he was going to be on all his routes." Added Rogers,"That's a high expectation to live up to. He's a great player. He's a guy that I model my game after. That's the highest compliment I can get right now."
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
