NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Southern Connecticut State University community is mourning the loss of former Director of Athletics Darryl Rogers, who passed away earlier this week. Rogers served as the Owls' AD in the 1990's and early 2000's, a stretch in which the department won numerous NCAA national team and individual titles.

The Owls won four national titles in team sports and several in individual events during Rogers' SCSU tenure. Southern also joined the Northeast-10 Conference, in large part due to Rogers' work in helping to form the Eastern Football Conference. The Owls also opened a new baseball field under Rogers.

A graduate of Fresno State University, Rogers brought national prominence to programs as the head football coach at Fresno State, San Jose State, Michigan State and Arizona State. His overall Division I record was 126-77-7. He was named Sporting News coach of the year at Michigan State in 1978, when he led the Spartans to a share of the Big Ten title and a No. 12 ranking nationally. Rogers was coach and director of football operations for the Detroit Lions from 1985-88, and later was head coach and director of football for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (1991-92). 

He has been a nominee several times for the College Football Hall of Fame. He was honored with the Distinguished American Award by the Casey-O'Brien NFF chapter in 2004.

""During his time as Director of Athletics, Darryl Rogers played a pivotal role in elevating the Southern Connecticut State University athletic department to new heights," said current Owls' Director of Athletics Jay Moran. "On behalf of the entire athletic department and campus community, we offer our deepest condolences."