Photo by Nelson Chenault-US PRESSWIRE
The calendar has been flipped to 2012 for some time, but Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers hasn’t forgotten about that last day of 2011.
His junior season ended when he was pulled from the Liberty Bowl against Cincinnati in the third quarter after a lackluster 4-of-14 passing performance that resulted in 26 yards and one interception.
“It is a bad taste in your mouth,” Rodgers said. “It is something you want to forget about, but something you want to keep in the back of your mind a little bit every now and then to think about.”
After the 31-24 loss, Rodgers was visibly upset about coach James Franklin’s decision to remove him.
“Me and Jordan have probably talked 72 times since then,” Franklin said. “He wasn’t happy when he got pulled out of the game. He shouldn’t be. If he is a competitor, he shouldn’t be. But there is still a way to handle that.”
This spring, Rodgers channeled his frustration and stretched the gap with the rest of the pack in the quarterback competition. Larry Smith has graduated, but new depth has arrived with Wyoming transfer Austyn Carta-Samuels and freshman Patton Robinette, a mid-year enrollee.
Rodgers goes into fall camp as the obvious frontrunner because Carta-Samuels, who possesses a stronger arm, spent most of the spring playing catch up and learning plays.
Rodgers played in all 13 games last year and started the last seven, giving the Commodores a dual-threat option and getting them into the end zone more frequently. The 6-1, 205-pounder completed 50 percent of his passes for 1,524 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. One of the best conditioned athletes on the team, he also finished second in rushing with 420 yards and four touchdowns.
The younger brother of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Jordan possesses an obvious drive for perfection. The junior college transfer spent spring workouts fine turning his short passes, an area that plagued him often, including the Liberty Bowl.
As for mending fences, Rodgers and Franklin, a former quarterback, say they’re on the same page.
“I think there were times that me and Jordan last year bumped heads,” Franklin said.
“There is nothing wrong with that. There’s growth. I think he has a better feel for me now. He is much more open; he is much more coachable. Because of that, we’re going to be able to maximize his ability and experience here.”
