Standing bronze and tall, a statue of the Gamecock’s most heralded running back, George Rogers, was unveiled the Saturday before the Kentucky game. South Carolina glorified the running back, winner of the 1980 Heisman trophy and South Carolina’s all-time leader in rushing yards, with a statue.
While he never got to see Rogers play in person, University President Harris Pastides is excited to finally have something to commemorate what Rogers has done for South Carolina.
“I can tell you, when I go to many great other universities and other university stadiums that have a Heisman trophy winner, they had statues outside of their university or outside of their stadium,” Pastides said. “We have people visit year, after year, after year, saying, ‘Didn’t Carolina, somewhere back there, have a Heisman trophy winner?’ And I say, ‘Yes, George Rogers, and he is always carrying the trophy with him.’ But after today, we will never have that question asked again.”
Rogers wanted to focus mostly on the people who got him to where he was. He thanked a platoon of family members, friends and teammates, all of whom, he said, made an impact on his life.
“When you think about me, I want you to think about the other guys that played with me, because those were the guys who made me good,” Rogers said.
Rogers was selected first overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1981 NFL draft.
The statue was made possible with donations made by former South Carolina cheerleader and avid Gamecock fan, Patti Shelley.