Chandler Rogers got his first taste of professional football Saturday night, and Louisville Kings coach Chris Redman couldn't have been more confident in his rookie quarterback despite a 19-9 loss to Orlando Storm. The Kings dropped to 0-2, but Redman's message was clear: this team isn't giving up, especially with an immediate chance at redemption next week.
"I thought for his first time Chandler did great," Redman said after the game. "I got all the confidence in the world. He shows it to us every day in practice. So I know exactly what he's going to do."
Rookie Ready for the Moment
Rogers entered the game in the third series as planned, making his professional debut at Inter&Co Stadium. The transition from college to the UFL has been smooth thanks to the veteran coaching staff around him.
"Just making the transition, playing pro football, it's been really great for me being around great coaches, great teammates," Rogers said. "They've made this transition very easy for me. And just learning the system that Coach Logan has and as well as just getting thoughts and feedback from Coach Redman as well as Coach Banks, you know, two guys who played professional football at the highest level possible for many, many years."
Logan told Rogers early in the week to expect significant playing time. The rookie was ready for the moment, even if the results didn't show on the scoreboard.
Offensive Struggles Sink Louisville
The Kings couldn't get anything going on offense, particularly in the running game that has been a focal point all week. Louisville managed just 227 total yards and couldn't punch it in for a touchdown despite moving the ball at times.
"Obviously, not scoring points on offense was a big challenge and running the ball was a big challenge for us tonight," Redman said. Red zone penalties killed several scoring opportunities as the Kings finished with nine penalties for more than 45 yards.
"Operationally, we had too many penalties, especially in the red zone," Rogers noted. "We had opportunities to score. So just operationally getting that better, getting that really clean because we didn't have that issue. We'd never had the issue in camp."
Defense Keeps Kings Competitive
Louisville's defense under coordinator Jamie Sharper kept the team in the game for most of the night. Orlando didn't find the end zone until a big play late in the first half, and the Kings defense forced the Storm into several third-down situations.
"It gives me a lot of confidence," Redman said of the defensive performance. "Jamie Sharper on the defensive side really gets those guys in a good position. We gave up that one big play there in the first half, but other than that, they really played a great, with great effort."
The defense was on the field too long due to offensive struggles, but Redman praised their heart and effort against a talented Orlando squad.
Immediate Redemption Opportunity
The Kings get something rare in football: an immediate chance to even the score. Louisville faces Orlando again next week, giving them a quick opportunity to show improvement and get their first win.
"We get an opportunity to go up against the same team next week and even the score a little bit," Redman said. "So, you know, we're not gonna ever quit and the guys are playing really hard and giving a lot of effort and I've got all the confidence in the world in these guys."
With Rogers getting valuable experience and the defense showing it can compete, the Kings believe they're building something despite the 0-2 start. Next week's rematch will be the perfect test of that growth.