Preston Rogers has always dreamed of one day making it to the NFL. He's not a running back or a wide receiver, yet he likely is the most recognizable, but anonymous, individual on the football field. At 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 185 pounds he can easily be seen from anywhere in Davis Wade Stadium, rushing to make sure everything is where it needs to be and that the student equipment managers are getting their jobs done.
When the Pascagoula senior arrived on campus for his freshman year, he took the first step toward his goal of working professionally in equipment management. One of his first orders of business was to meet with athletics equipment manager Phil Silva about a job. He quickly was tagged with the nickname "Stick" for his tall, lean frame when he began working with the football team. He now serves as assistant to the coaches and is responsible for making sure equipment is organized and available for practices and games.
However, his journey hasn't been without some bumps along the way. In 2005, his family lost their home to Hurricane Katrina when its roof caved in and was submerged under four feet of water.
"I would not have made it if were not for the people in athletics and what they did for me," Rogers said. "I work with a great group of guys. They are like my brothers, and I have the best boss on campus. We all love what we do. It might get hectic, but it all pays off on game day."