'One of one': Dezmen Roebuck's early impact is no surprise in Marana, Ariz.
Ahead of his first college start, a look at Roebuck's Marana roots, and why his first college touchdown meant so much to a grieving family.
The gloves were sized extra large, from Phillip Steward’s days as a linebacker at the University of Houston. The colors went with Dezmen Roebuck’s 7-on-7 uniform, so Steward, the head coach at Marana High outside Tucson, Ariz., gave them to the kid.
They didn’t fit. Too small.
Roebuck was 14.
“Big ol’ hands,” Steward said. “He was born to catch the ball.”
It’s hard to argue, right?
Roebuck left Marana with more receptions than any player in Arizona prep history (352), with the second-most receiving yards in state history (4,239), with Gatorade Player of the Year honors in his state, and with the prestigious Ed Doherty Award, given annually to the top high-school player in Arizona, and never before given to a player from Marana High.
On Saturday, in his third college game, Roebuck will start at receiver for the Washington Huskies in the Apple Cup, replacing the injured Rashid Williams at the outside “Z” receiver position.
It might be surprising when any 5-foot-11, 180-pound freshman cracks the starting lineup for a Big Ten program before October. For those who watched Roebuck in high school, though, his early impact at UW is merely a continuation of his Marana legend.
“He’s one of one,” Steward said. “Seeing him on Saturdays is exactly what we thought he was.”