High school football: Marana HS receiver Dezmen Roebuck closes in on state receptions record

Marana senior receiver Dezmen Roebuck routinely shakes defensive backs trying to cover him. Avoiding the ongoing talk about another state record isn’t quite so easy.

After setting the state record for receptions (121) in a single season in 2023, Roebuck is now closing in on the state’s mark for catches in a career.

Marana head coach Phillip Steward said Roebuck wants to hurry and break the record so he can go back to focusing on the team.

“I know he’s got that record sitting on his head, and I know sometimes it plays in his head,” Steward said. “I told him ‘hey you can do something special around here.’ I always tell him ‘just play the game. It’s gonna happen for you.’

“I don’t want him thinking about it but everybody else keep coming to him about it so he wants to just break it to get it out of the way.”

With 278 career receptions, he’s just behind current freshman Arizona Wildcat Brandon Phelps. Playing for ALA — Gilbert North, Phelps holds the current mark with 282.

“It’s just a blessing, man. I couldn’t have done it without my coaches, my teammates, my parents, just for putting me in this position,” Roebuck said. “So it just feels great.”

Numbers would say Roebuck is likely to break the record Friday at 7 p.m. when Marana (2-0) hosts back-to-back defending 5A state champion Gilbert Higley (2-0). He’s averaging 10.5 catches per game so far this season.

Higley is again one of the top teams in the state, but Roebuck has shown he can play against top teams; he had 15 catches against Salpointe Catholic in a season-opening Marana win.

“I’m just doing whatever I need to do to help this team win,” Roebuck said. “If that’s catching that amount of passes, I’m gonna do that. If it’s me being a decoy all season to get my other guys open, that’s what it’s gonna be. But it’s just a blessing to hopefully break that record (this) week.”

Against Salpointe, Roebuck had 120 receiving yards with a long of 31. He also had 45 yards of kick return yardage and an interception.

Then, last week at Tucson High, he had six catches for 101 yards and three touchdowns with a long of 73 yards. He also had interception on defense.

In July, Roebuck committed to Washington in no small part due to former UA head coach Jedd Fisch and wide receivers coach Kevin Cummings, who are both in the same roles in Seattle.

“Really, just the coaching staff — Jedd Fisch and coach K.C.,” Roebuck said of his commitment. “They recruited me my freshman year, so I just had a really good connection with them and the campus, the field and the fans,. It’s just great.”

In addition to setting the single-season record last year, Roebuck’s 92 catches as a sophomore in 2022 is tied for the 17th most in state history.

He was 19th in career receiving yards going into this season with 3,108. Phelps is first with 4,971.

“He’s a really good kid — yes sir, no sir, yes ma’am, no ma’am,” Steward said. “His mom and dad did a really good job of raising him, and he’s a hell of a guy. You don’t see a lot of guys like that. Usually you kinda see ‘oh he’s a good athlete but his grades are average’ — you know what I’m saying?

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“So seeing a kid that takes care of business on and off the field, it’s no wonder why he’s so special when he comes out here.”

The Roebuck family is especially busy on the football field his season. His brother, sophomore receiver/quarterback Sean Roebuck, is on varsity this season and passed for a touchdown against Tucson High.

“It’s awesome,” Dezmen said about playing with Sean. “I’ve just been seeing how much he’s grown over the years, I’ve been playing with him since birth almost, so he just it’s just really cool to see.”

And it’s not just on Friday nights that the Roebucks are shining for Marana football. Junior receiver Malaysia Roebuck was first-team All-6A last season for the flag football team.

“My sister’s a different breed,” Dezmen Roebuck said. “She just does what she does.”

The flag Tigers open their season Sept. 17 when they host Mesa Desert Ridge at 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, the tackle Tigers have eight more regular season games in Southern Arizona before Dezmen goes to the Pacific Northwest.

“I tell people all the time ‘he’s special,’” Steward said. “I don’t think people really realize that, and we have a kid like that in our own backyard.

“You gotta come watch him.”