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Caleb Rogers hit the hole. Photo by Keith Smith -
Caleb Rogers signs with Wabash College as his parents Jimmie and Tita watch on.
Rogers played both sides of the ball for Head Coach Brian Burgemeir. He totaled 368 rushing yards and four touchdowns on offense. Defensively he racked up 64 total touchdowns. A jack of all trades and a leader in the locker room for the Wildcats the past two seasons, Rogers will bring an versatility and strong intangibles to Wabash.
“Caleb’s work ethic, commitment, and football IQ will set him apart. There won’t be another player that knows the playbook better than he will,” said Burgemeir. “He brings a certain toughness when he’s on the field. His nose for the ball is something that will help any defense. And I’m sure Wabash College will appreciate his leadership. I expect big things out of Caleb at the next level and I’m confident he’ll make Wildcat football proud!”
For Rogers, this moment feels more like a dream come reality. Rogers spent a year vigorously emailing college coaches and putting out feelers online. After putting in the work on and off the field, the emails eventually paid off. Rogers had received interest from more than 11 colleges. It was a thorough recruiting process; however, it did provide uniques obstacles due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I didn’t get the typical senior season due to Covid. We weren’t able to do things like father jersey night, training camp, max outs,” said Rogers. “All of those things are something you look forward to when you’re a senior. They’re some of the best experiences. We also were on edge every week because we didn’t know if we were going to get shut down or not.”
After receiving advice from Coaches & family and taking a moment to think about which was the right school, Rogers came to his conclusion.
“Wabash is the only school out of all of my offers that checked all the boxes for me. I have a great relationship with the coaches already, they have everything in academics i’m looking for, such as small class size,” said Rogers. “Even though it’s two hours away, when I was on campus it felt like I was at home.
“Wabash is the only school to be ranked seven different times in the Princeton Review. So I felt like Wabash was the best thing for my future.”
Rogers’ positional versatility and work ethic gives Wabash plenty of options on how to use him. In high school, he has experience playing fullback, linebacker and quarterback. Rogers is strong and tough-nosed, making him a valuable asset on any football team.