• You do not need to register if you are not going to pay the yearly fee to post. If you register please click here or log in go to "settings" then "my account" then "User Upgrades" and you can renew.

HuskerMax readers can save 50% on  Omaha Steaks .

RIP Paul Rogers

S

Sandhills Husker

Scout Team
10 Year Member
Paul was a special player in Big Red history, and for me personally. The first Husker game I attended was the Wyoming game in 1968, as an 8 year old, and Paul won it with a 51 yard field goal with 21 seconds left. I was a Wyoming native but was all Huskers that day. Special moment for a kid and I still have vivid memories of it. Then, in the Sun Bowl the next year, I think he kicked 4 field goals in our rout of Georgia. He had a great career as a straight-on Husker kicker. Condolences to his family.
 
Last edited:

Sandhills Husker said:
Paul was a special player in Big Red history, and for me personally. The first Husker game I attended was the Wyoming game in 1968, as an 8 year old, and Paul won it with a 51 yard field goal with 21 seconds left. Special moment for a kid. Then, in the Sun Bowl the next year, I think he kicked 4 field goals in our rout of Georgia. He had a great career as a straight-on Husker kicker. Condolences to his family.
Click to expand...
RIP Paul
 
Paul was from Rock Rapids, Iowa and was a high school legend in this part of the state. Great clutch straight-on kicker. Sandhills, I was also there for Paul's 51 yarder vs. Wyoming.
 



I saw a number of those memorable kicks that Rogers made, but the one against Wyoming saved Devaney's job, I truly believe. That's probably why he never let Rogers get on the field except to kick, although he was a good DB and wingback (of course they had Johnny Rogers at WB at that time). You didn't see a lot of 50 yard field goals in those days - it was truly memorable. By then I had lived through the Jennings, Potsy Clark, and Glassford kinds of eras at Nebraska, so the thought that Devaney might just be another one of those was a totally realistic concern at that point. I knew some of the big donors and I know it was a concern of their's. It saved his job and paved the way for the major change in NU football fortunes that followed. Current fans owe a lot to Rogers.
 
Sandhills Husker said:
Paul was a special player in Big Red history, and for me personally. The first Husker game I attended was the Wyoming game in 1968, as an 8 year old, and Paul won it with a 51 yard field goal with 21 seconds left. I was a Wyoming native but was all Huskers that day. Special moment for a kid and I still have vivid memories of it. Then, in the Sun Bowl the next year, I think he kicked 4 field goals in our rout of Georgia. He had a great career as a straight-on Husker kicker. Condolences to his family.
Click to expand...
First game of the second season I went to games. Probably my sixth game.

Besides the big FG against Wyoming, he had a huge day against Georgia in the Sun Bowl with 4 FG iin the first quarter. While you hate to trade FG for TD three were pretty long. We were up 18-0 and went to half at that. Blew the Bulldogs out in the second half, winning 45-6. That was after blowing out the Sooners in Norman. Huge harbinger for our first NC season the next year.

Of course Rogers was our kicker in 1970.

Rogers was nothing but money. I can not think of a truly better kicker until maybe Kris Brown. We did have some respectable kickers in between, but until KB, there were none better.

RIP Paul Rogers!
 




Sandhills Husker said:
Paul was a special player in Big Red history, and for me personally. The first Husker game I attended was the Wyoming game in 1968, as an 8 year old, and Paul won it with a 51 yard field goal with 21 seconds left. I was a Wyoming native but was all Huskers that day. Special moment for a kid and I still have vivid memories of it. Then, in the Sun Bowl the next year, I think he kicked 4 field goals in our rout of Georgia. He had a great career as a straight-on Husker kicker. Condolences to his family.
Click to expand...
Amen.RIP.
 



Sandhills Husker said:
Paul was a special player in Big Red history, and for me personally. The first Husker game I attended was the Wyoming game in 1968, as an 8 year old, and Paul won it with a 51 yard field goal with 21 seconds left. I was a Wyoming native but was all Huskers that day. Special moment for a kid and I still have vivid memories of it. Then, in the Sun Bowl the next year, I think he kicked 4 field goals in our rout of Georgia. He had a great career as a straight-on Husker kicker. Condolences to his family.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the memory Sandhills. I guess we're about the same age. I also saw my first Husker game as an eight year-old that year in Boulder. The first time I saw Rogers kick was the extra point he missed after the Huskers first touchdown in that game. He made a long field goal later to make up for it.

I was Interested in him because he had become my Mom's favorite player. I got my Husker fanaticism primarily from her. She always had the radio on in the kitchen tuned to the games on Saturday's in the fall. I remember how excited she got when he made he made that 51 yarder against Wyoming and again when he made his record 55 yarder the next year. His long kicks captured her imagination as I am certain they did countless others.

We have had great kickers at Nebraska but Rogers was the first. His record of 55 yards stood until 2009 when Henery kicked the 57 yarder against Colorado. (I was there for that) His 50 yarder in the Sun Bowl is still a Husker bowl record.

Rest in peace, Paul Rogers. My mom is up there and she would love to see you boot some.
 

iared said:
Paul was from Rock Rapids, Iowa and was a high school legend in this part of the state.
Click to expand...

Kickers are like golfers. It doesn't always appear that it takes the speed, strength, or natural athletic ability to be a kicker versus playing other positions. However, the better athlete you are, the better at kicking (or golf) you will likely become. Rogers was one of those guys.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

GET TICKETS


Get 50% off on Omaha Steaks

Back
Top