Tennessee’s Da’Rick Rogers is used to attention.
As one of the top high school receivers to come out of Georgia, he has seen plenty of it in his career.
It’s not about to stop.
Justin Hunter will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, meaning opposing defenses will shift most of their focus to Rogers, who had teamed with Hunter to give the Volunteers one of the top receiving duos in the SEC.
“I just have to work that much harder, to beat off double teams and those types of things,” said Rogers, a sophomore from Calhoun High School, who set a state record with 1,647 receiving yards in 2009 (It was broken by M.L. King’s Demarco Robinson in 2010). “From a maturity standpoint — I can’t worry about Justin’s injury, and I have to put it behind me and work hard. So everyone knows that if I am out there working hard, that’s what they have to do.”
Rogers has 20 catches for 262 yards in three games and leads the SEC with an average of 6.7 receptions per game. Hunter had 17 for 314 yards before he was injured on Tennessee’s fourth play in a 33-23 loss to Florida on Sept. 17.
Both had 10 catches in a win over Cincinnati on Sept. 10, the first time two Volunteers have done that in the same game.
“The defenses might shade me a little more, but I have to come out and work hard,” Rogers said. “I have to show the other guys that is how you have to play the game, because you are only a play away.”
Tennessee was off Saturday, giving the coaching staff time to attempt to plug the hole left by Hunter’s absence.
Zach Rogers likely will start opposite Da’Rick Rogers against Buffalo on Saturday, but freshman DeAnthony Arnett had eight receptions against Florida and Rajion Neal (Sandy Creek) used the off week to continue his transition from running back to receiver.
In focus
Vanderbilt coach James Franklin called senior cornerback Casey Hayward “one of the best in the nation” before the season started.
Hayward, who was an all-state defensive back at Perry High School, even though he played mostly quarterback, has the resume and statistics to prove him right.
He was selected second-team All-SEC with six interceptions in 2010 and already has four this season for the Commodores, who have 14 in four games.
“I want an interception every time,” Hayward said earlier this year. “Deflections aren’t bad, either. A deflection means you were just a step too slow to get the interception, or you dropped it.”
He hasn’t missed many opportunities this season.
Hayward, who is 5-foot-11, 188 pounds, twice picked off South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia on Saturday — the 11th and 12th interceptions of his career to move into a tie for fifth in program history. Hayward’s presence has forced teams to test fellow corner Trey Wilson, who has responded with three interceptions, two of which he has returned for touchdowns.
Hayward also returned one 50 yards for a touchdown to help the Commodores defeat Connecticut 24-21 on Sept. 10.
Burning question
Will Connor Shaw (Flowery Branch) become South Carolina’s starting quarterback this season?
That’s unlikely.
At least that’s the word Steve Spurrier used this week to describe his thoughts on whether Shaw, a sophomore, will supplant the erratic Garcia, who has seven interceptions and only three touchdown passes this season for the Gamecocks.
Shaw started and played the first quarter of the opener against East Carolina after Garcia was suspended from the team in the offseason. However, Shaw missed his first three pass attempts, was sacked on his fourth and then lost a fumble to end the drive inside East Carolina’s 20-yard line.
He finished 3-for-9 for 21 yards and rushed for 26 yards before Garcia took over to lead the Gamecocks to a 56-37 victory.
Garcia threw four picks in Saturday’s victory over Vanderbilt, leading Spurrier to replace him with Shaw in the fourth quarter with the Gamecocks leading 21-3.
Etc.
Alabama cornerback DeQuan Menzie (Carver-Columbus) returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown in a win over Arkansas. ... Florida running back Mack Brown (M.L. King) has 12 carries for 42 yards this season. ... Vanderbilt receiver Jonathan Krause (South Gwinnett) had a career-high nine catches for 55 yards in the loss to South Carolina. ... Tennessee freshman cornerback Justin Coleman (Brunswick) has been replaced in the starting lineup by Izauea Lanier.
Quotable
“What’s a Padawan? I watched ‘Star Wars,’ and after that I watched ‘The Empire Strikes Back,’ and that’s it. I ain’t seen nothing after that. I don’t know what a Padawan is. You didn’t call me a bad name, did you? I don’t speak French, either.” — Florida coach Will Muschamp’s answer to a question referring to his relationship with Alabama coach Nick Saban.
“Will, probably, of all the guys that we have had on our staff through the years, probably worked the hardest, did the best job, had the most passion, was probably as well liked by the players as anyone.” — Saban on Muschamp, one of his former assistants
By the numbers
3 Punts returned 80 yards or more for TDs on Saturday, the first time in the history of the SEC. Alabama’s Marquis Maze (83 yards), Mississippi State’s Chad Bumphis (82 yards) and Mississippi’s Nick Brassell (81 yards) combined for the milestone.
29 Perfect kicks by Florida’s Caleb Sturgis this season. He’s 18-for-18 on PATs and 11-for-11 on field-goal attempts.
Schedule
Saturday
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas, noon (ESPN)*
Mississippi State at Georgia, noon (SPSO)
Kentucky at LSU, 12:21 p.m. (WPCH)
Buffalo at Tennessee, 12:30 p.m. (CSS)
Auburn at South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Alabama at Florida, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Mississippi at Fresno State, 9:15 p.m. (ESPN2)
* at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
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