‘Da’Rick The Freak’ living up to namesake in Calhoun
Touchdown catches like this one over a Jefferson County defender last week is what has everybody abuzz about Calhoun wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers. (Special photo by Lane Bearden)
AJC Super 11 wide receiver Da’Rick Rogers of Calhoun High School may have had the biggest impact of any single player during the high school state playoffs so far.
The Georgia commitment has been a one-man wrecking crew for the Yellow Jackets, who take on Atlanta’s Lovett School in the semifinals tonight in Calhoun. All of Rogers’ considerable skills were on display this past Friday night as they pulled out a harder-than-it-looked 49-35 win over Jefferson County.
Rogers finished the game with only six catches but he scored touchdowns on four of them and racked up 216 yards receiving. One of the biggest catches came on third-and-23 from their own 5 with Calhoun holding a slim seven-point lead. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Rogers caught a pass from quarterback Nash Nance (Vanderbilt commitment), shook off a would-be tackler, and rambled 95 yards for a touchdown. He also had highlight reel catch in the end zone, out-jumping a defender who had position on him and yanking the ball away from in front of him (see photo).
This is apparently part of Rogers' routine before games, leapfrogging his teammates. Hence his nickname 'The Freak.' (Special photo by Lane Bearden)
That followed the previous week’s performance in which Rogers scored four touchdowns four different ways. Against North Oconee, he scored once on a kickoff return (he finished with 170 return yards), once on a reception (he had 140 yards on 13 catches), ran for one out of the wildcat formation and returned a fumble for a TD on defense.
Clearly, Rogers has justified all five of his stars as a recruiting prospect. Georgia fans have to be excited about the possibilities of Rogers lining up opposite A.J. Green next season.
Lovett’s task of containing Rogers and Calhoun’s high-flying offense will be one of great challenges in what has been a tremendous playoff so far.
Another great matchup will be down at Griffin where the Class AAAA top-ranked Bears (13-0) face off against Sandy Creek (12-1). The Fighting Patriots are led by arguably the best back in Atlanta in Mississippi State commitment Rajion Neal while Griffin features one of the best defensive line prospects for the Class of 2011 in Xzavier Dixon. That game will be televised by Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS) as its weekly Nissan High School Game of the Week at 7:30 p.m.
Another star-studded matchup tonight features Northside-Warner Robins at Newnan. The Cougars have been led by five-star safety prospect Alec Ogletree, a Georgia commitment, and his twin brother Zander Ogletree at linebacker. Alec Ogletree had the game-winning TD catch as a wideout and blocked a potential game-winning field goal at the end of regulation in a dramatic 9-7 win over Grayson last week. The Cougars’ defense had five shutouts in the regular season and haven’t allowed double-digit scoring in the playoffs.
Probably the most emotional playoff game of all will be played up in Gainesville tonight where Flowery Branch gets another crack at Class AAA’s top-ranked Red Elephants. Gainesville won 49-17 in the regular-season finale and quarterback Blake Sims (Alabama) and wide receiver Tai-ler Jones (Notre Dame) have proved an unstoppable offensive combination. But Flowery Branch quarterback Connor Shaw, a South Carolina commitment, has practically willed his team to victory through the playoffs, especially last week in an astonishing 35-33 win over No. 4-ranked Carver-Columbus. Carver coach Dell McGee said of Shaw’s performance, which included four rushing touchdowns and a passing TD, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
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69 comments Add your comment
We beat Vandy-- yeah!
December 4th, 2009
9:55 am
I wonder how quickly he will be arrested once he arrives in Athens!
UGA = "real" ACC Champs!
December 4th, 2009
10:00 am
And Tech got pounded by UGA! Yeah!
gtfan1951
December 4th, 2009
10:03 am
Jefferson County was robbed.
uga=prison champs
December 4th, 2009
10:04 am
Go back to beating up girls dogs another day another arrest. same old uga
JimboDawg
December 4th, 2009
10:08 am
I’m embarassed at what the UGA program has become…it aseems like there is a new player getting arrested every day. I wish CMR would punch someone in the face.
Blindog
December 4th, 2009
10:10 am
With the changes we are making with the coaches on defence and the talent we have and the talent we are adding to our offence,the future looks very,very good for the Dawgs!
Worm
December 4th, 2009
10:10 am
He’ll be the 2nd best player in Athens the day he walks on campus!..Behind only AJ
cajdawg
December 4th, 2009
10:11 am
STFU all Tech fans.
Two names: Stephon Marbury and Reuben Houston.
Tech Campus = Drug dealers and Home Invasions
December 4th, 2009
10:12 am
We beat your @ss on the field! Get over it! Crawl back under your rock until next year when you claim Tech is going to go on “another run” of beating UGA. Until then, keep your mouth shut and enjoy an empty stadium in the Tampa consolation game of teams who were handily beat by the SEC.
uga=prison champs
December 4th, 2009
10:17 am
cajdawg had to go back a long time for those two check the rap sheet this year for twice as many dog nut lickers
Bremen Dawg
December 4th, 2009
10:18 am
We’ve got two NFL caliber quarterbacks coming up that will throw to him. AJ is gone after next year and DA Freak plays about the 3rd or 4th game of the season. Although we do have a way of ruining talent though. DA Freak wide open on a post, oh no QB didn’t see him.
calhoundawg
December 4th, 2009
10:19 am
Da’Rick won’t be 2nd best to anybody when he walks on campus… AJ is great, but this kid is unreal… Trust me. I watch him every Friday night. He’s scary
Bremen Dawg
December 4th, 2009
10:24 am
Why are we not offering Zander Ogletree?
Our Turn
December 4th, 2009
10:25 am
30-24
nuff said
clueless
December 4th, 2009
10:27 am
Glad to have this young man joining the bulldogs! We are on our way to the top!! Be glad your gonna be a part of it
L-Dawg
December 4th, 2009
10:38 am
LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING YOU IN ATHENS DA’RICK.
YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE.TECH FANS ARE JEALOUS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A COACH, QB OR RECEIVERS THAT CAN HALF WAY RESEMBLE A PASISNG GAME.
NESTLE BUTTERFINGER….. OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF DEMARYIUS THOMAS AND THE GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL PASSING GAME.
30-24
1-8
60-39-5
Saint Simons
December 4th, 2009
10:38 am
Get back to making those french fries nerds, or you Georgia boss will fire you for goofing off.
1eyedJack
December 4th, 2009
10:54 am
When you recruit good QBs you can recruit good WRs.
When you recruit good WRs you can recruit good QBs.
It’s a vicious circle.
That boy is a jumpin’ fool. I bet he could leap right over those midgets on GTs defense.
Caleb King….up the middle….untouched…….TOUCHDOWN!!!!
Rumor has it Coach Paul Johnson called up Da’Rick’s grandma and threatened to punch her lights out.
Alec and Zander Ogletree have also been sighted around the Georgia Tech athletic offices after reports surfaced that Coach Johnson allegedly threatened to punch their mama.
30-24 Poindexters!!!
Don’t like it? Well, just wait ’til my brother gets off work and we’ll come over there and punch you in the face!
Dome
December 4th, 2009
10:59 am
What is this kid thinking? I guess he wants to have a college career like A.J., but never wants to make it to the Dome.
1eyedJack
December 4th, 2009
11:04 am
It was overheard that Coach Paul Johnson has been unable to sleep since this past Saturday.
Nurse Ratchit over at the Grady Memorial Hospital psychiatric unit, who has become good friends with Coach Johnson over the past couple of days suggested that he try counting sheep.
It didn’t work though, as everytime coach would try, the sheep kept turning into Washaun Ealey and Caleb King jumping over his defensive linemen and linebackers.
When asked for comment Coach Johnson simply stated “Are you f***ing stupid? I’ll punch you in the face!!”
More from this story as the situation develops.
HS Fan
December 4th, 2009
11:08 am
Mr Yea Right – Get a clue and be a bit more responsible of what you say. You are showing your ignorance stating things like DaRick not being able to read or write…. Please ask him face to face before you run your dumba** mouth again.
Thanks
Just Noticing
December 4th, 2009
11:16 am
Looks like everything is back to normal. We continue to dominate tech on the field and their only comeback is how dumb our players are and how they stay in trouble. Anyone notice that team south of us is winning national championships and having several players to get arrested at the same time. Evidently Tech fans want to have the smartest most well behaved kids on the field but honestly as a fan I care about winning football games. Great academics doesn’t sell season tickets.
Les W. Moore
December 4th, 2009
11:17 am
Just another great high school all-american who will underachieve at UGA. This list gets longer and longer with every passing season/class. Joe Cox is the most recent addition.
Georgia will allways dominate GT!!!
December 4th, 2009
11:21 am
Tell us more about this guy calhoundawg………
SuperB
December 4th, 2009
11:21 am
Having a great QB like Aaron Murray throw to A. J. (the best receiver in college FB,) and Da’Rick– is exciting!!! Go Dawgs!!!
SuperB
December 4th, 2009
11:24 am
Les. W. Moore: One can only guess that his “Moore” is short for “MORON.” Look at the receivers Georgia has in the NFL, incuding future HOFamer Hines Ward. Les probably really menas “Less,” as in……. Hell, so many ways. One thing he is not less at: jealousy.
Simply a dawg
December 4th, 2009
11:25 am
Good things ahead for the dawgs. Bring in a quality DC, give him these new players combined with the talent on board.. UGA back to the top.
Let me point out Dawgs beat Tech 30-24 as comments like these will soon be pointless as beating Tech is so common place for the Dawgs…..
45-42 was a fluke.. Once every 10 years….
Welcome aboard Da’Rick and lets hope we get Zander too
ugaaccountant
December 4th, 2009
11:35 am
Less W. Moore – You seem clueless as to the expectation for players. Perhaps you should go to rivals.com and actually read what the numerical ratings mean. Joe Cox for instance was not a “high school all-american”.
Joe Cox achieved his expected level of contribution. He was expected to be Matt Staffords backup for 3 years and then go 8-4 in his senior year. Considering the referees gave away our LSU victory, Joe was right at expectations, he just got there in a frustrating way.
Da’Rick is proving why he is a 5 star recruit, the kind you could call a high school all-american. That term is thrown around as an insult all the time by Tech fans, but for the players it actually applies to we have actually seen them do extremely well at UGA if healthy.
Fortunately, when people look back at this season, we’ll remember that we were 2-2 in our rivalry games so for a rebuilding year not too bad.
Honestly
December 4th, 2009
11:39 am
Really…. Things are back to normal…. Good things are ahead??? Have you just watched the season you had… Bad does not begat good… It leads to more bad…. It’s 11:30 and your all are already drunk…
Dandy Don
December 4th, 2009
11:43 am
da- freak is freakin awesome. I agree with the above comment, good receivers, good QBs. I like our offense, The “Get Smart” defensive scheme should roll out the dough, and get Kirby from the laundry detergent neighbors to the West.. Go DAWGS 30-24 gotta love it. Tech a famous quote from Batman “Why so sad”!
the real Old Gold
December 4th, 2009
11:59 am
He is real good and I hope he has a huge game tonight and in the Dome next week. That being said, next year I hope he forgets how to catch.
WHAAAA
December 4th, 2009
12:35 pm
You only ever talk about 4 or 5 guys on here. I mean he is good and all, and I am glad he will be a Dawg, but I know that every time I click on the sports page, I have a 1 in 5 chance of guessing the name that will appear on you blog heading. That said, Calhoun loses to Lovett and Buford gets waxed by Fitz. Fitz beats Lovett for all the marbles at the dome. And does anyone else think the new regions SUCK??
Dude
December 4th, 2009
12:46 pm
It sucks for him that UGA is “FIVE STAR GRAVEYARD.” Roll TIDE!!!
hotbobby
December 4th, 2009
1:07 pm
Three of this years commits are as good as gone-
brick
December 4th, 2009
1:10 pm
Why are Tech fans still out of their caves, you lost this year after your once in a decade or so wins over us. Who outside of CU and GT care if you are playing for the ACC championship, I will help you out with the answer, no one. ACC is on par with the MAC.
bigdawg88
December 4th, 2009
1:23 pm
Whew! For a second there I thought I was looking at one of R. Kelly’s high school pics. Does anybody really have the scoop on this kid’s grades/scores?
Cuz
December 4th, 2009
1:24 pm
Surely this kid cannot be this good? What do they feed him. Send it to the UGA Athelete’s cafeteria.
bigdawg88
December 4th, 2009
1:30 pm
Just wondering, but it seems like we have a boatload of receivers that are over 6 foot. Since they ALL aren’t going to get playing time, what’s the chances on one or more of them converting to cornerback? Seems like receivers keep getting bigger, but the corners are still so small, especially ours. That’s partly why we don’t play much bump and run. The little guys can’t jam the receivers and usually get pushed out of the way.
We need to get some bigger corners. Speed is great, but if you just get pushed around, or jumped over (see above pic) it just doesn’t do you any good.
I RUN THIS STATE
December 4th, 2009
1:33 pm
((((((((((30-24)))))))))))))
FUNNY ALABAMA FANS
December 4th, 2009
1:39 pm
ALA fans, let me remind you that you have won NOTHING this century (sounds better than decade). While UGA is 3-1 against the Tide, with 2-SEC Championships, Alabama is sitting here facing FLA, and if you lose (again) tomorrow night, you will probably drop your bowl game (again) too. Pitiful. Just for a tip: DO IT, THEN BRAG ABOUT IT. Now, chew on that bone.
Knuckle Sandwich
December 4th, 2009
1:43 pm
Bill Goldberg for DC
TybeeDawg
December 4th, 2009
1:50 pm
Dude, Speaking of “5-star graveyards, Bama buried Julio long ago…..
Pugnacious Paul
December 4th, 2009
2:11 pm
Boy that smacking them in the mouth talk is surley getting them thugs in trouble in Athens! I wonder if water girl smacks ole Markie boy around?
BuzztheKiller
December 4th, 2009
2:28 pm
Notice it takes Rogers being a Yellow Jacket first to make a Bulldog!
Calhoundog- you must enjoy cheering the Jackets every Friday night!
See in the dome next week, hopefully get some payback against Buford for last year….
Jefferson
December 4th, 2009
2:32 pm
The Freak is all they say …
Every year an unranked team underdog with a so so record will win against a top 10 team. In the end they are still an unranked team with a so so record with one more win. Good win for UGA, they needed it. Disappointing for GT, loss hurts the pride but GT’s season continues and they can win 2 more.
No need to bad talk this young man, he’s just getting started.
MATT
December 4th, 2009
2:38 pm
He has to redshirt doesn’t he???? We’ll AJ Green, Rontavius Wooten, Marlon Brown, Orson Charles, Caleb King, and Washaun on offense next year? How are we going to get him the ball??? Not to mention Brandon Smith is going to get 2-3 touches a game.
FUNNY
December 4th, 2009
2:46 pm
UGAG’ers what has your team done LATELY, except to loose to the KY Wildcats at home,loose to a sorry VOLS team, you all talk that trash about this century and crap, but MATTER OF FACTLY what has the UGAG’ers done LATELY? UGAG has done NOTHING but thump their chest about a second level, second tier football program that can’t & won’t win their own division.
HS Fan
December 4th, 2009
2:46 pm
I have seen a lot of great high school players through the years and this kid is as good as I’ve seen. His strength, speed and ability to break tackles is unbelievable. His 40 is 4.3, vertical is 42+, and he is 6-3 210+lbs and very strong. An x-NFL guy who has coached him said he is physically ready for the NFL. Of course he will need to improve his “football skills” but physically he is a monster
mike
December 4th, 2009
2:57 pm
Funny, funny as in gay? I’m sure. No GA hasn’t done much lately, thats the nature of college football. Nobody wins it all every year, not even Florida. You can count on one thing though, our turn at sucking is about over. We will be back within two years.
FUNNY
December 4th, 2009
3:01 pm
Yea right,,,in 2 years you’ll still be behind Florida and by that time Auburn too!!! Your team sucks this year, next year and the years to come. You’re dreaming 2 years,,,yea right. You won’t ever beat “THE MAN URBAN MEYERS”, you duds!!!