Dezmen Roebuck, Washington’s true freshman starting wide receiver has only one way of doing everything: 100-percent. He practices like a coach’s son and plays inspired.
A few miles from the University of Arizona, Jedd Fisch familiarized himself with the youngster in his freshman year at Marana High School, 30 minutes northwest of the university’s campus. The Husky head coach watched him go on to becoming the State of Arizona’s Gatorade Play of the Year while rewriting the Grand Canyon State’s receiving record book.
Then he took to Fisch’s system like a fish takes to water.
“He’s never missed an opportunity to get better,” Fisch said. “He practiced every single day. Never missed a day of practice. Never missed an opportunity to meet with his coaches, never missed an opportunity to dive deep into he playbook and with the quarterbacks, stayed late after every practice and caught balls from the Juggs machine–made sure that if there was ever an opportunity to improve, he did it.”
The list went on.
“He took to coaching extremely well, came in with a ton of talent,” Fisch continued. “I saw him since he was a freshman in high school. Watching him compete in the seven-on-sevens that we had in Tucson.”
And on.
“When he got here, he hasn’t flinched. He’s taken nutrition serious. He’s taken being in the training room very serious.”
Officially listed at 5-11 and 180 pounds his precise route running and soft hands will remind the truest of Seattleites of another footballer of the exact same measurements and the ability to turn defenders inside-out: Pro Football Hall of Famer, Steve Largent.
Against the UC Davis on Saturday, on the Jet Sweep, Roebuck’s spin and cutback were something to behold. While most Jet Sweeps average between 5 and 7 yards, Roebuck did a 360-degree spin after a 3-yard gain, putting the first defender on his butt. He picked up a key block from fellow true freshman Raiden Vines-Bright, then made a devastating cutback against the defensive flow and literally put three more would-be tacklers on their backside. Although he probably didn’t need it, he was escorted by tight end Decker DeGraaf into the end zone.
He was clearly inspired, almost as if playing for something or someone greater than himself.
Height-wise he won’t ever be confused with former Arizona Wildcat recruited by Fisch, 6-4 Tetairoa McMillan, but with an expanding role in Fisch’s offense and with the injury of Rashid Williams, Roebuck could match McMillan who, as led all true freshmen nationally with 702 yards on 39 receptions and eight touchdowns.
