Welcome to Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood.

In this neighborhood don’t expect to see any houses, or mailmen, or big smiley guys dressing their dogs in sweaters.

There are no happy songs to be sung in this neighborhood.

There are no fish to be fed in this neighborhood.

Don’t expect to hop on a trolley to the Land of Make-believe where cats and owls can live in the same tree in perfect harmony.

It’s a beautiful neighborhood—a 100 yard stretch of green. But it isn’t the friendliest one around.

One thing the people in this neighborhood definitely don’t like is visitors in their territory.

Neighbors become angry when their territory is invaded. They do their best to try to stop them in the meanest ways.

Mr. Rodgers doesn’t believe that’s right.

He insists on making a visit every time he gets a kickoff.

Steve Rodgers visited Wolfpack territory a couple of times with returns of 58 and 68 yards when the Huskies triumphed 46-42 this week in Reno.

Rodgers returned a total of four kicks for 160 yards, including his two show stoppers in the second quarter to help the Huskies pull within one point at the half, 28-27.

The senior split end returned just eight kicks in 1992 averaging 16.9 yards per return.

With Larry Wynn around, Rodgers did not have the chance to return too many kicks. He was called on for punts more often, returning 11 for 118 yards last year.

Before Saturday, Rodgers returned only four kickoffs for 78 yards for the year. He was also sharing the spotlight with split end Otha Brooks, who was injured late in the fourth quarter of the Indiana game.

Now that Brooks is out, Rodgers will take most of the responsibility of the return man.

As far as punts go, Rodgers has caught all 11 for 84 yards for the Huskies this year.

No, he didn’t win Big West Offensive Player of the Week after the Huskies 46-42 beating of the Wolfpack Saturday. That honor went to quarterback Scott Crabtree who threw for 340 yards and five TD’s. But Rodgers is definitely an unsung hero, putting the Huskies into good field position and ultimately keeping the game alive.

Rodgers is just part of Charlie Sadler’s secret weapon arsenal that was kept quiet over the summer.

With all the well-deserved fuss over senior tailback LeShon Johnson, some people didn’t give the rest of the Huskies a good look.

Along with Crabtree, receivers Sean Allgood, Vaurice Patterson, and Raymond Roberts and linebacker Steve Wild,we can add Steve Rodgers.

Saturday’s game, which could have been the most crucial conference game of the year, proved that the Huskies not only have an outstanding player in LeShon Johnson, but have an offensive attack that can put points on the board if he doesn’t have a 150 yard game.

After outstanding performances by Crabtree and Rodgers on Saturday and the constant threat of Johnson, the Huskies have the defenses of the Big West shaking in their pads.