No. 3 — Grambling State running back Dawrence Roberts
Without Dawrence Roberts the Tigers don’t win the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship in 2011.
Without Dawrence Roberts the Tigers won’t win the SWAC title in 2012.
A virtual unknown this time last year, Roberts established himself as one of the premiere backs in the league rushing for more than 110 yards per game last season.
Roberts, who is preseason Offensive Player of the Year heading into his junior season, will not have the luxury of flying under the radar.
“He came off the bench and proved to us that he had to play,” said Grambling State head coach Doug Williams. “He made us not look too smart [by not playing him early on]. With a veteran offensive line coming back, hopefully we can continue to put the ball in his hands again.”
And that is what GSU will do continuously to take the demand off true sophomore quarterback D.J. Williams, who is without playing stud wide receiver Mario Lewis, and will attempt to build a rapport with flankers Anthony McGhee, Richard Wilson and Musa Mahmud.
What to examine this season will be how Roberts performs as the No. 1 focal point of opposing defenses as they throw various schemes at him to prevent another 1,100-yard campaign.
