DeJuan Rogers Dedicates Senior Season to the Memory of His Mother

TOLEDO, OH - There are unforgettable events in everyone's life, the kind where you remember where you were and what you were doing when it happened. These moments often are universal, like Sept. 11 attacks or the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. They can also occur on a very personal level.

For Toledo All-MAC senior safety DeJuan Rogers, an event like that came very recently. July 18, 2016, to be exact. The day his mother, Etoyia Barkley, passed away at the age of 39 of congestive heart failure.

"I woke up that day around five in the morning and I saw that my dad had called me three times," recalled Rogers. "I called him back and he didn't answer. I knew something was wrong. Once I got in contact with him, he told me the news.

"The first thing I did was drive to Larimer. I found Coach Candle and I just talked to him. He was there for me."

Candle said the way Rogers has handled the loss of his mother has said a lot about his character.

"He's a model for all of us," said Candle. "There is no script. You can't prepare to lose a parent. He's held his family together through some really tough times and has been a model of consistency for his younger siblings."

Rogers' closest sibling, Tyrese Barkley, is a senior in high school and is scheduled to graduate in 2017.

"It's important that I set a good example for him," said Rogers. "I just always want to be there for him, try to talk to him every day and show him the way. He's just my little brother but he's really my best friend, too."

In addition to being supportive of his family, Rogers has had to keep focused on his school work. He is on pace to graduate this December, earning a degree in interdisciplinary studies in three-and-a-half years. Earning a college degree was something that Rogers' mother stressed to him at an early age.

"She always told me 'make sure you graduate,'" said Rogers, smiling. "My mom and my grandma were real big on academics, real big on me doing my work and getting good grades. I try to make them happy as much as I can."

Through the tough times, Rogers' maintained his academics as well his commitment to the football team. He is coming off an outstanding junior season in which he had 67 tackles, broke up 11 passes and earned third-team All-MAC honors. His teammates recognized his leadership role by voting him one of four captains on this year's squad.

"That's a tremendous honor," remarked Candle. "He's gone through some really hard times and his teammates really respect how he's handled the situation. As a team we have to continue to wrap our arms around him and pick him up when he needs it."

In Rogers' first three seasons, he always would talk to his mother after each game, whether in person or by phone. Despite the excitement of Toledo's 31-10 season opening victory over Arkansas State, Rogers admits he felt like something was missing. "It just bothers me," he said. "Stepping out there and knowing she's not watching and I can't call her afterwards, it's just real hard."

One way Rogers is handling his sense of loss is by dedicating his final season as a Rocket to his mother. He has vowed to make his last season of college football his best, with the goal of helping the Rockets win a MAC Championship.

"I try to take it one day at a time. It was really hard and it's still hard for me to this day. But I know my teammates and my coaches are always there for me."

By Stewart Sabine
UT Athletic Communications Office

DeJuan Rogers Dedicates Senior Season to the Memory of His Mother

Players Mentioned

DeJuan Rogers

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