February 12, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Kevin Rogers, Syracuse’s offensive coordinator, assistant head coach and quarterback coach, has joined Bob Davie’s Notre Dame football coaching staff as Irish offensive coordinator.

Rogers replaces Jim Colletto, who earlier this week accepted a position as offensive line coach of the NFL Baltimore Ravens after two seasons as the Notre Dame offensive coordinator.

Rogers comes to Notre Dame following eight seasons overall at Syracuse under head coach Paul Pasqualoni, as director of one of the most productive offenses in the country. The Orangemen ranked third nationally in 1998 in scoring at 42.5 points per game — while also ranking 10th in the country in rushing (228.4 yards per game), 22nd in total offense (430.0) and leading the BIG EAST Conference in passing efficiency.

Rogers’ star pupil has been Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb, the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year each of the last three seasons (he shared the award in ’96). McNabb led the Orange to their third straight BIG EAST title in ’98 while also setting BIG EAST career records for passing yards (8,389), touchdown passes (77) and total offense yards (9,950). He ranked sixth nationally in passing efficiency in ’98 (158.9) as the first player in league history to win all-BIG EAST first-team honors four times. McNabb broke most all of Syracuse’s passing records held by another of Rogers’ proteges, Marvin Graves, who ranked second nationally in passing in 1992.

Rogers’ first season as Syracuse offensive coordinator in ’97 saw the Orange set school records for points (423 — reset in ’98 with 468), total offense yards (5,127) and passing yards (2,710). He first joined the Syracuse staff in 1991 as quarterback coach, was named assistant head coach in 1995, served as recruiting coordinator from 1995-97 and was named offensive coordinator in ’97.

While at Syracuse, Rogers saw the Orange finish in the final Associated Press top 25 on six occasions 11th in 1991, sixth in ’92, 19th in ’95, 21st in both ’96 and ’97 and 25th in ’98. Syracuse claimed a share of the BIG EAST Conference title in ’96 and won it outright in ’97 and ’98.

Before his tenure at Syracuse, the 47-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y., native spent eight seasons on the Navy staff coaching a variety of positions — tight ends and offensive tackles in ’83, tight ends and wide receivers in ’84-’85, defensive backs in ’86, running backs in ’87-’88 and quarterbacks in ’89-90. During his last two seasons with the Middies, he coached quarterback Alton Grizzard, Navy’s all-time total offense leader.

Rogers’ other college coaching credits include running back coach at William & Mary from 1980-82 and defensive line coach at Ohio State in 1977-78 under Woody Hayes. He also served as head coach at Mainland (Fla.) High School in 1979 and was an assistant at Bayside (Va.) High School from 1974-76.

Rogers has been involved in eight postseason bowl games as an assistant coach two Fiesta, two Gator, plus one appearance each in the Orange, Sugar, Liberty and Hall of Fame Bowls. He helped the Orangemen to postseason invitations each of the last four seasons (including a Bowl Championship Series meeting with Florida in the Orange Bowl following the ’98 campaign) and in six of his eight seasons overall in Syracuse.

A 1974 William & Mary graduate with a degree in physical education, he earned three letters as a linebacker while also competing in baseball. He earned a master’s degree in athletic administration from Ohio State in 1978. He is a graduate of Sparta (N.J.) High School.

Born Sept. 7, 1951, he and his wife Betty are parents of three children — Kevin (a quarterback at Villanova), Megan and Ryan.

The Kevin Rogers Coaching File

Year   School                              Assignment1974   Bayside (Va.) High School           Assistant Coach1975   Bayside (Va.) High School           Assistant Coach1976   Bayside (Va.) High School           Assistant Coach
1977   Ohio State (9-3, Sugar Bowl)        Defensive Line1978   Ohio State (7-4-1, Gator Bowl)      Defensive Line
1979   Mainland (Fla.) High School         Head Coach
1980   William & Mary                      Running Backs1981   William & Mary                      Running Backs1982   William & Mary                      Running Backs
1983   Navy                                Tight Ends/Offensive Tackles1984   Navy                                Tight Ends/Wide Receivers1985   Navy                                Tight Ends/Wide Receivers1986   Navy                                Defensive Backs1987   Navy                                Running Backs1988   Navy                                Running Backs1989   Navy                                Quarterbacks1990   Navy                                Quarterbacks
1991   Syracuse (10-2, Hall of Fame Bowl)  Quarterbacks1992   Syracuse (10-2, Fiesta Bowl)        Quarterbacks1993   Syracuse (6-4-1)                    Quarterbacks1994   Syracuse (7-4)                      Quarterbacks1995   Syracuse (9-3, Gator Bowl)          Asst. Head Coach, QBs, Recruiting Coord.1996   Syracuse (9-3, Liberty Bowl)        Asst. Head Coach, QBs, Recruiting Coord.1997   Syracuse (9-4, Fiesta Bowl)         Offensive Coordinator, Asst. Head Coach,                                           Quarterbacks, Recruiting Coordinator1998   Syracuse (8-4, Orange Bowl)         Offensive Coordinator, Asst. Head Coach,                                           Quarterbacks