UT BLOG: Rogers applies for sixth year

KNOXVILLE — Add Austin Rogers to the long list of college athletes applying for a sixth-year of eligibility.

Rogers, a fifth-year senior at Tennessee, tore his ACL in early July and just recently started doing light practice drills.

The Nashville-area native said his knee has felt “good” the past few weeks, but he added a sobering caveat.

“It’s feeling good, but they’re only letting me run routes against air,” Rogers said Tuesday night, in an exclusive interview with The Times Free Press. “I’m not cleared for full contact, full participation or anything like that yet. I’m just coming out here and seeing how it feels running routes and everything.”

Rogers — a 6-foot-2 target with 76 career catches for 891 yards and four touchdowns — said UT has sent a sixth-year appeal to the NCAA, but he hasn’t gotten excited about his chances of passing through the organization’s notoriously selective, secretive process.

Knowing that, Rogers sped up his ACL recovery in hopes of playing a limited role in UT’s bowl game. The Vols can secure a bowl bid by beating Vanderbilt on Saturday or winning at Kentucky seven days later.

“It’s something you don’t usually get word back on until after the (regular) season is over,” Rogers said. “We’re just waiting it out right now. They’re saying they’re not sure whether I’m getting it. Worst-case scenario, I won’t get it, so I’m trying to get back and ready to play whenever I could if I don’t get it.

“A bowl game is possible if it’s something I don’t get, so I’m just trying to get back out here and see what I can do.

Rogers likened his sixth-year chances to a coin flip.

“They said it’s pretty much 50-50 with all those cases,” Rogers said. “They never really can tell what the NCAA judges for criteria for a sixth year, so right now, all I can really do is hope they give me that year.”

Rogers hopes to run routes alongside brother Zach — a UT freshman receiver — at least once before his eligibility expires. The brothers hoped to practice and play together all season, and they’d like another chance next season.

If not, though, Austin Rogers hopes to play at least one college game with Zach, who also grew up a UT fan in Middle Tennessee.

“Yeah, (the sixth-year) is something I want,” Austin said. “But like I said, I’m trying not to get my hopes up, because they said it’s 50-50. I just don’t want to get my hopes up and then not get it. I’d hate for it to be one of those situations. If I get word that I can’t get it, maybe I can come back in a bowl game or something like that and make the most of it. I’m just trying to get ready as quickly as possible, in case I don’t get it.

“It would be really nice to get out there and play just one game with him and line up together on the field. It’s something we thought we’d be able to do all year, but it didn’t turn out that way. We’ll see. I’m hoping. That’s all I can do right now.”

Lane Kiffin did not address reporters following Wednesday night’s practice, but Austin Rogers said UT’s coaches have given him their blessing to try for the sixth year.

Read Thursday’s Times Free Press for more UT coverage.

Other contacts for Wes Rucker are www.twitter.com/wesrucker and www.facebook.com/tfpvolsbeat.