As a star running back at Wylie High School in Abilene, Texas, Cameron Rogers was not the most demonstrative player in the world. In fact, there were some who thought he was almost uninterested in any attention or recognition that was headed his way.

“When I scored a touchdown, I wouldn’t show any emotion,” Rogers said. “I’d turn and hand the ball to the official. That was it.”

Cameron Rogers is expected to start at inside linebacker ... three years after finishing his high school career as a star running back and safety (photo by Travis Johnston).

Rogers said his coach, Hugh Sandifer, encouraged him to be a little more expressive after big plays.

“He would ask me, ‘did you even enjoy scoring a touchdown?’” Rogers said. “He said he couldn’t tell.”

Rogers might not have been a showboating player with a “look at me” attitude, but what he was doing was effective. As a standout running back and safety, he earned first-team All-District 7-3A honors and was named the district’s Most Valuable Player.

But the multi-sport athlete — he also competed on Wylie’s basketball and track teams — drew little recruiting interest from colleges. Texas Tech, Baylor and Abilene Christian invited him to join their teams as a preferred walk-on. When Rogers chose SMU over his other three options, he had a surprise waiting for him: a new position.

“(SMU defensive coordinator) Coach (Tom) Mason said he wanted me to play linebacker,” Rogers said. “(Running backs) Coach (Wes) Suan said he wanted me to play running back. Coach Mason won, I guess.”

Rogers redshirted in 2008, and spent the past two seasons backing up Pete Fleps, the starter at the “Buck” linebacker spot in Mason’s defensive system. Mason said Rogers accepted his role, learning from Fleps, but added that with Fleps’ graduation, Rogers is the leader to take over the position, and already is becoming more assertive as the Mustangs approach spring workouts, which start Monday.

Mason said the “Buck” linebacker job is Rogers’ to lose. He called Rogers a student of the game, and said he has grown into the role as he has grown into his body. Rogers arrived in Dallas weighing about 195 pounds; three years later, he takes over the starting spot as a solid 230-pounder.

The Mustangs’ defense is designed to funnel plays toward the inside linebackers, particularly the “Mike” position occupied by Taylor Reed. Not coincidentally, Reed led the Mustangs last year with 145 tackles; Fleps was second with 123.

Now Rogers steps in beside Reed in the middle of the defense, where the two will share making defensive calls for the Ponies, and said he anticipates a smooth transition.

“We have played together for a couple of years, I think we play well together, and that’s only going to get better,” Rogers said. “We get along really well, but we also understand each other, so I don’t think it will take any time to gel.”

Rogers did allow that his transformation into a more vocal leader will take some effort, but said he doesn’t anticipate that being an issue as he becomes one of the key starters in the 2011 defense.

“I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to be a real ‘rah-rah’ guy,” Rogers said. “I prefer to let my actions speak for me. I know I have got to get a little more vocal, but that will come.”

If Mason calls Rogers a “student of the game,” he couldn’t have a better predecessor than Fleps, who was similarly meticulous in his preparation. Rogers said the two didn’t specifically have a mentor-mentee kind of relationship, but admitted that he learned a great deal from the graduating senior.

“I learned from Pete about everything I need to do,” he said. “I learned you can’t take a play off; he went hard on every single play. I also have seen how he prepared himself — it’s not just in practice, or even during the season. I have tried to push myself hard in the weight room this offseason, because I don’t want to get injured. I know if I have my body ready to play, I’ll be more confident out there.”

Rogers’ performance on the field — in games and in practice — and in the weight room that the SMU coaches put the former walk-on on scholarship last spring.

In order to handle the rigors of playing linebacker, Rogers has spent numerous hours in the weight room, going from 195 pounds as a freshman to his current weight of 230 (photo by Webmaster).

A year ago at this time, the Mustangs were addressing how to restock a defense that lost several starters to graduation, including linebacker Chase Kennemer, cornerback Bryan McCann, safeties Rock Dennis and Bryce Hudman, and nose tackle Chris Parham. But in 2010, despite losing so many key players from the previous season’s defense and generating almost 50 percent fewer takeaways, the Mustangs’ defense improved, jumping from 84th to 40th among Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in total defense. This year, the Ponies are replacing three starters on defense: Fleps, linebacker Youri Yenga and cornerback Sterling Moore. Rogers said there is optimism among players and the coaching staff that the defense can make a similar improvement again in 2011.

“Coach Mason said he thinks next year’s defense has a chance to be pretty special,” Rogers said. “That always gets you excited, when your defensive coordinator talks about how confident he is in you, how much he believes in you. It’s not like he’s trying to pump us up, either — Coach Mason will tell you like it is. If he doesn’t think you’re going to be any good, he’ll tell you. He’s definitely honest when it comes to stuff like that.

“I agree with him. I think we can be pretty good. Everything starts up front, and our defensive line was pretty good last year, and now those guys — Taylor Thompson, Marquis Frazier, Margus Hunt and the rest of them — they’re a year older and stronger and more experienced.

“We know what they can do up front. Now it’s up to us to do our jobs behind them.”