Defensive End Jamichael Rogers Set To Make His UAB Debut Tonight Against Akron
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - September 13, 2025
Patience didn’t come easily for UAB defensive end JaMicheal Rogers over the first two weeks of his first Division I college football season. But the former Miles College standout, who made the short move to UAB earlier this year, had no other choice.
“It's been hard, you know, just sitting back watching everything, sitting back just watching football, knowing you can’t be part of it,” Rogers said. “But coming back now, it feels good, it feels real good.”
Rogers, who added that he is 100 percent healthy, is set to make his debut on Saturday against Akron in a non-conference game that will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Protective Stadium. His debut was supposed to come two weeks ago in the season-opening win over visiting Alabama State. Rogers sat on top of the depth chart at one of the defensive end spots heading into that game and was on his way to starting in his first game with the Blazers. However, that plan changed early in the final week of preparation for the Hornets.
“Yeah, I got hurt my Achilles like three or four days before we played Alabama State,” Rogers said. “I was devastated. Once I went down, I instantly grabbed my ankle. I kind of had an idea of what it was. I thought it might be the end but thankfully it wasn’t. Once I went and got my MRI, my X-rays, they told me everything was good.”
An Achille tendon tear would have ended his season before it started. A strained Achilles kept him out of the win over Alabama State and the loss at Navy. J’Quan Mason, who is listed as No. 2 on the depth chart behind Rogers, also missed both games because of an injury. Amorie Morrison started on one side, as expected, in both games and Ezra Odinjor joined him in the starting lineup. Both have played well thus far and Chris Burge took advantage of extended playing time in the first two weeks. Burge, a redshirt freshman, had nine tackles, and one of the team’s two sacks in the first two weeks.
Rogers and Mason will help stabilize the position if they both return to the field on Saturday.
The 6-foot, 250-pound Rogers was one of UAB’s top defensive players in the spring and carried that over into fall camp. It was the continuation of a compelling story for the Bessemer native, who went to work at the Ashley Furniture warehouse after graduating from Bessemer City High in 2019. He was an all-state player as a senior but got lost in the recruiting shuffle, partly because of Covid-19 restrictions. He went to work after graduation.
“I just worked at Ashley Furniture, man,” Rogers said in an interview after the UAB Spring Showcase. “I was at the warehouse, you know, slinging couches.”
After a year doing that, he got the opportunity to play at Miles College. He spent four seasons in the Division II program, capping it off with 53 tackles, eight sacks, 18.5 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble in 2024. Miles lost its first two game of the 2024 season before winning the final nine regular season contests and the school’s first Division II playoff victory. The season ended with a second round playoff loss to eventual national runner-up Valdosta State but the Golden Bears still won a school-record 10 games.
It didn’t take Rogers long to show that he belonged after taking the step up in competition.
“I feel like after my second or third week, once I fully understood the concept of everything, how everything works at the Division I level, was when I realized I (was ready,)” Rogers said.
If things go as expected, Saturday will mark the first time he can show that to people outside of the program.
“I'm glad it's a home game, not an away game, so all my family can come see me,” Rogers said. “I have a lot of people coming out on Saturday. People are calling me, asking me if I’m playing. Finally, I’m able to tell them I’m playing.”