George Rogers honored with a bronze statue outside Williams-Brice

COLUMBIA — Countless dignitaries, teammates and friends saluted George Rogers prior to Saturday’s Southeastern Conference game against Kentucky.

Because, after years of discussion, a project that was a passion of many became reality when a statue of the Gamecocks only Heisman Trophy winner was unveiled.

“Welcome to the Springs Brooks Plaza at Williams-Brice Stadium, new home of George Rogers,” USC Athletics Director Ray Tanner said as he opened the ceremony.

Many were thanked during the ceremony that took place on the northwest side of the stadium.

The most succinct of all those who addressed the crowd, however, was Rogers who thanked his teammates, coaches, those who contributed to the project and his family.

“I didn’t know the impact this place would have on me when I chose to come to school here,” Rogers said. “But one thing I can say for sure, I left Duluth (Georgia) to become a Gamecock and I remain one to this day.”

The statue, which is close to life size, has Rogers standing in his number 38 jersey. Connected to it is a bench with which the USC great sat on following the ceremony as he appeared to be reflecting on everything that happened.

“I want to take the privilege of looking George Rogers eyeball to eyeball and say thank you,” said Garry Harper, the Gamecocks starting quarterback when Rogers was in the backfield. “Not many guys have done what you’ve done. When you won the Heisman Trophy you brought your offensive linemen with you to New York for that celebration.

“I may have been the quarterback, but you were the leader. We love you.”

Members of the family of Rogers coach, Jim Carlen, were in attendance.

The statue has four plaques on it, one with the text of his football career, the second contains his records, the third the 1980 USC football team roster and the fourth a list of the donors to the project.

The statue was unveiled on the same day the Springs Brooks Plaza was opened to the public for the first time.

“It’s a really big honor for me,” Rogers said following the program. “This means a lot that the university would do this.

“What means even more is the fact that some many of my teammates came back to celebrate with me because, if had not been for them, none of this would have happened.”