North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack's Roberts is Unselfish Warrior
11/15/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Tony Haynes
If you don't arrive to an NC State football game early enough to hear the starting line-ups announced, chances are you won't hear Derek Roberts' name for the rest of the day. After all, when was the last time you heard a PA announcer say, "lead block thrown by Roberts" or "blitz pick-up by Roberts?"Roberts, a fullback by trade, essentially plays a role normally reserved for offensive linemen. Just like the big guys up front, Roberts remains virtually anonymous even when he's doing his job properly.
In most cases, the closest the fifth year senior gets to the ball is when he's standing next to one of the ball boys on the sideline. In approximately 300 offensive plays this season, Roberts has exactly zero carries. We're talking donuts, goose eggs and any other object that's round with a hole in it.
"It's not a problem," Roberts said with a giggle. "It's been more of a joke amongst us than anything else. I don't know how many catches I have, but that's as good as carrying the ball."
In fairness, Roberts has been used in the passing game this season and, in fact, scored the first-and only-touchdown of his career when he hauled in a 12-yard scoring pass from quarterback Philip Rivers against Indiana on September 9. Overall, Roberts has 15 receptions this year.
While Philip Rivers, Ray Robinson and Koren Robinson are acknowledged as the glamour boys in NC State's big-play offense, it's people like Derek Roberts who do the little things that make plays work.
When Ray Robinson bolts through a big hole on a running play, guess who often throws the crushing lead block that spells the difference between a two-yard gain and a 10-yard gain? Or when Rivers needs an extra half-second to get off a pass against a blitz, guess who often picks off a blitzing linebacker or safety?
Derek Roberts, that's who.
"If it means me not carrying the ball this season and we finish 8-3, that's fine with me," said Roberts, who started his NC State career as a linebacker. "My thing ever since I've been here is to do whatever it takes to win the game. If it means blocking for 80 plays a game or catching however many passes, it doesn't really matter. It's been exciting for me to contribute to the offense."
Roberts' "team first" attitude fits in with the type of approach first year coach Chuck Amato hopes will become contagious in his program.
"From the first off-season program to now, he's really bought into what we're trying to accomplish here," Amato said. "He's really become a silent leader, I think. He lost weight and re-did his body this summer, he worked his butt off academically and he's just a blue-collar worker like the rest of them. He's unselfish; we've got a bunch of unselfish people. We tell them there's only one football and we can only give it to one person."
Though it has gone unnoticed in most circles, Roberts has been a key component in some of the Wolfpack's most crucial plays this season. When Rivers connected with Koren Robinson on a decisive 47-yard touchdown pass at Indiana, it was Roberts who picked up a Hoosiers' defensive lineman who had come clean off the line of scrimmage. He also threw the key block on linebacker Brandon Spoon that allowed Cotra Jackson to score the clinching points at North Carolina.
"The way I look at it, my carries are going to Ray (Robinson) right now," Roberts said. "Every time he touches the ball, I'm thinking I'm carrying the ball and I need to open up the holes for him. It's not about Derek Roberts and how many times I can carry it. When he touches the ball, I need to do my job to make sure he does what he's got to do."
Derek Roberts has been doing his job very well. Maybe we should all take notice.
