KNOXVILLE — Everyone knows his name is spelled “Da’Rick.”
Oh so few know how to pronounce it, though.
“It’s DAY-rick,” University of Tennessee freshman wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers said Wednesday afternoon. “DAY-rick.”
The former Calhoun High School All-American has gotten used to people mispronouncing his name, but more performances like Saturday at Memphis could correct the issue.
Rogers caught his first career touchdown in the second quarter of UT’s 50-14 Bluff City Blowout.
“It felt amazing,” Rogers said of the score. “It really felt like all the hard work is finally starting to pay off, so it was big. My confidence is at its all-time high so far since I’ve been in college.”
Not that confidence has ever been an issue. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound prospect is big, fast, strong and has good hands. And he knows it.
But, as he’s quickly learning, he’s far from the only top-shelf talent in the Southeastern Conference.
Rogers has 129 yards and one touchdown on 16 offensive touches. Justin Hunter, UT’s other tall, talented, true freshman wideout, has 278 yards and three touchdowns on 11 offensive touches.
“Oh it definitely tested my patience,” Rogers said with a smile when asked about Hunter’s hotter start. “Justin had a great camp. That kid’s electrifying. I mean, he goes up and gets the ball, snatches it out the air. You have to respect that. But, you know, it takes us a little bit to get used to it, because in high school, you know, you’re used to being that man right from the get-go. Now you have other great players, [and] you have to work into a system.
“And they have to work on getting everybody the ball so we have to work out right.”
First-year UT head coach Derek Dooley, offensive coordinator Jim Chaney and wide receivers coach Charlie Baggett praised Rogers’ attitude while working through that adjustment.
“His playing time has never been an issue,” Dooley said. “I think he’s been phenomenal as it relates to wanting to learn, not expecting more than he deserves. He wants to go out there and earn the right to get the ball, earn the right to make plays, and I think week after week after week, he’s shown that. We haven’t had any issues with his stardom. Now, certainly, just like all freshmen, there’s a level of maturity that you go through. There’s adjustments emotionally, adjustments academically, and that’s a challenge with every freshmen.
“We think he’s doing great. We’re proud of the way he’s handling himself and getting better.”
But, as the coaches noted — and Rogers agreed with — the freshman has much to learn about a complicated college offense.
Small details, like lining up one foot to the right or left, can make a huge difference. And the playbook is an encyclopedia.
The physical grind isn’t easy, either.
“Probably after camp, after so many full-pad practices, and now we are in season and still having full-pad practice, I was like, ‘Man, this is serious,'” Rogers said.
But he’s a serious talent, and one that coaches certainly don’t mind nurturing.
“I would say that yes, without question, he’s right on track, right where we thought he’d be right now,” Chaney said. “I’m sure he’d like to be catching more balls and everything, but there’s a couple of seniors playing pretty solid in front of these kids right now. But I think his development is right on schedule for him to exceed every goal he ever sets for himself.”
“[Physically], he’s exceptional. He’s big, fast, strong, competitive. No reason in the world why he shouldn’t be a good football player.”
Coaches agree with Rogers’ stance that “it’ll all come into place” once the player learns to line up properly and run better routes.
“He’s very talented,” said Baggett, who has coached double-digit, 1,000-yard NFL wide receivers. “He reminds me a lot of Terrell [Owens]. I’ve never coached Terrell, but I coached against him in the league for a number of years, and Da’Rick has that same stature — thick, muscular, strong, strong hands, little bit faster than you think he is.
“Da’Rick’s attributes will lend to him being a pro one day if he continues to develop and do what he’s supposed to do.”
SMITH PLEADS GUILTY
True freshman defensive end Jacques Smith, a former Ooltewah High star, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning in Knox County general sessions court to a simple assault charge stemming from an Oct. 31 incident at a Knoxville night club.
Smith, already a significant contributor to the Vols, will have the charged removed from his record in one year if he complies with his judicial diversion, a pretrial diversion set aside for some genuine first-time offenders.
The incident, according to Smith, Knoxville Police Department records and witnesses, started when Smith saw a female friend dancing with another man — 21-year-old Brandon Allen — at New Amsterdam on campus-area Cumberland Avenue, more commonly called “The Strip.” Smith, according to police records, punched Allen from behind and continued assaulting him after he fell to the ground.
Smith’s punishment included payments of court costs and Allen’s medical expenses — the victim reportedly sustained a concussion and needed stitches on his left hand — as well as promises to attend anger management classes and take voluntary drug and alcohol tests.
Smith was not made available to the media Wednesday afternoon, but Dooley said the player’s status hasn’t changed. He played last week at Memphis, and he’ll play Saturday against Ole Miss.
“From what I understand, Jacques handled it the way he should have handled it — professionally, with humility, with remorse — and I believe the way he handled it was genuine,” Dooley said. “I know he learned a lesson from it, and I’m just glad to see that the case is resolved and won’t really affect him on his record.
“Nothing’s changed. We’re handling it internally.”
ARNETT COMMITS
The Vols added a big recruiting piece Wednesday night with the commitment of DeAnthony Arnett.
Arnett, a 6-foot, 170-pound wide receiver, is Rivals.com’s No. 6 wide receiver nationally and the No. 60 overall prospect. ESPN.com considers him the nation’s No. 55 overall prospect, and Scout ranks him No. 57 overall. He chose the Vols over Michigan State, Michigan, Southern California and dozens of the nation’s other biggest programs.
UT coaches are thrilled to add Arnett — a quick slot receiver — to tall true freshman talents like Rogers and Justin Hunter.