Running back Antwan Roberts ‘a big-time gain’ for Arizona’s offense

If college football players had bingo sheets, the fifth-year Arizona running back would be in contention to win.

Roberts has gone through the recruiting process from high school to college, dealt with off-the-field issues, endured a season-ending injury and went through the transfer portal process — and has played for three FBS programs and a junior college.

“I’ve faced some adversity and some challenges,” Robert said. “I got to Arizona, a really good spot. I’m very happy here and I’m working really, really hard.”

Roberts grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, and was raised by his parents, Antwan Sr. and Alondra Roberts, and graduated from Pope John Paul II, where he rushed for 1,855 yards and 25 touchdowns, along with 26 catches for 424 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Roberts averaged 162 all-purpose yards per game in high school.

As a three-star recruit, Roberts received offers from Missouri, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Vanderbilt and Memphis, but the running back signed with the Wisconsin Badgers’ 2021 recruiting class.

Roberts’ time in Madison was short-lived after the freshman running back was suspended following a fight in a UW dorm that also included Wisconsin running back Loyal Crawford, who was dismissed from the team following the incident. Roberts left the Wisconsin program in September 2021 and transferred to Independence Community College in Kansas.

Playing junior college football “was quite an experience,” Roberts said.

“There’s not as many resources like I have here,” he added. “I tried to grind it out, tried to get out there and come here to make it.”

Roberts returned to playing at the FBS level and signed with Marshall in 2023. The following season is when he met offensive coordinator Seth Doege, who became the Thundering Herd play-caller after being a tight ends coach at Purdue for a season. After his Wisconsin career didn’t turn out the way he had hoped, along with a humbling season playing junior college football, Roberts learned “just to never give up” and appreciate playing at the FBS level, he said.

“To me, my problems might seem big,” Roberts said. “But to somebody else, my problems might seem (small). We always talk about, ‘You don’t want to trade problems.’ I just try to face everything head forward and keep moving.”

Roberts redshirted in 2023 and didn’t play in 2024 due to a knee injury he suffered before the only season Doege was at Marshall. Roberts had 90 rushes for 512 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. Roberts averaged 5.7 yards per carry last season.

Roberts didn’t play for Doege, but the running back left a lasting impression in the spring of 2024.

“Up to the point of when that injury happened, I had some really big runs in practices and strung along some strong practices back-to-back-to-back to start off spring ball,” Roberts said. “The injury happened and I missed the season. I came back last season, had a pretty good year at Marshall and entered the portal. From there, we reconnected. That’s how it started back up.”

The relationship between Roberts and Doege “was built on hard work,” Roberts said.

“He worked really hard, I worked really hard,” added Roberts. “Through that, we grew and I just appreciated how he attacked every day. Coming out here (to Arizona), you see how hard he works. He never leaves the building. He’s always trying to scheme something, trying to get a step ahead. That’s how our relationship grew. Off the field, he cares about you as a person, as a player. He checks up on you and is just a really great guy.”

Doege said Roberts “was an unbelievable teammate” at Marshall.

"This guy is one of the most liked guys on the team right now,” Doege said. “I knew that. The reason I felt OK about taking him is I knew that. … He's a big back that has some athletic ability and can run.”

No egos

Roberts was added to replace leading rusher Ismail Mahdi; however, Mahdi returned to the program after a federal ruling in Colorado allowed “five-for-five” players to be grandfathered in for the 2026 season. Mahdi and linebacker Max Harris rejoined the team at the start of training camp and have been slowly reintegrated into the program’s day-to-day activities after being away since the season ended in January.

When Roberts signed with Arizona, he didn’t know Mahdi could return until the federal ruling earlier this month. Roberts said Arizona running backs coach Lyle Moevao “was really open about it and we were really welcoming with Mahdi coming back.”

“He’s been a great addition and has elevated the competition, for sure,” Roberts said of Mahdi. “He’s a great teammate, for sure.”

Before Mahdi returned, Moevao informed his unit about the addition. The following day, Mahdi returned to the group, and his first words were “FVP,” an acronym for fast, violent, physical — a mantra that stems from former UA running backs coach Alonzo Carter, who’s now the head coach at Sacramento State.

“As soon as he bursted through the door and said it, all the running backs started laughing,” Moevao said. “They all jumped out of their seats, welcomed him, hugged him. … It was exciting to see and fun to see the guys welcome him back with open arms.”

“Everybody laughed at him, man,” running back Kedrick Reescano said. “Izzy is known for trolling the room. That’s our guy. … The room gets uptight at times and Izzy has a way of taking it easy, making us laugh a little bit and let’s get back to it.”

Since Mahdi’s return, “there’s been some things that have been changed, tweaked, added, taken out” of Arizona’s offense, Moevao said.

“That’s the one thing about Izzy, he’s played so much football, he’s able to adapt quickly,” said Arizona’s running backs coach. “He also has (quarterback Noah Fifita) next to him, which helps anybody in the backfield. I think that’s the biggest thing for Izzy, the physical part. Besides getting into shape, he has played so much football, it’s a matter of getting out there and knowing the offense, knowing the assignment and executing from there. A majority of the things he’s asked to do are things he’s done in the past.”

With Mahdi back, Arizona returned all of its running backs from a year ago — and added Roberts, who’s in his final season of eligibility. Arizona has six scholarship running backs: Mahdi, Roberts, Reescano, Quincy Craig, Wesley Yarbrough and Cornelius Warren III. As a result of Mahdi’s return to Arizona, it’s inevitable for someone in the UA running backs room to get fewer reps in practice — and snaps in games.

“If you add an extra guy, of course there’s going to be competition, but it doesn’t change the dynamic of the room,” said Reescano, who could start for the Wildcats. “We’re all still going to be brothers at the end of the day, and we’re going to be here for one another.”

Added Roberts: “The room is ego-less. Nobody expects anything to be handed to them. Everybody works really, really hard. There’s no egos. Everybody wants to coach everybody up and push everybody to be better. It’s an easy room to be in and a really fun room to be in, too.”

Moevao is “continuing to give each one of those guys an opportunity to rotate with the ones, with the twos and truly evaluate each of their individual performance day-to-day” during training camp, he said.

“Whether it’s alignment or fundamentals, we truly evaluate who’s doing it right consistently and just keeping that competition rolling until NAU week,” Moevao said. “The competition doesn’t end until we get ready for game week.”

Even with Mahdi back in the mix, Roberts made a good first impression with Moevao during winter workouts.

“Those type of numbers that he was putting up, being in the top five of the fastest guys in whatever sprinter exercises that (strength and conditioning coach Cullen Carroll) had them do, it was exciting for me to see,” Moevao said. “But even then, you understand there’s a lot of processing going on in spring ball, being his first time in the offense and the first time going against our defense, which isn’t easy.

“You still give him a little bit of grace to get his feet underneath him and get comfortable. Now that he’s had winter workouts, spring ball, summer workouts, (player-run practices), getting into fall camp, you’re starting to see how comfortable he is and how he’s able to use his speed that we witnessed back in the winter.”

The 6-foot, 201-pound Roberts, in addition to gaining yards by running between the tackles, has also been an effective pass catcher for Arizona in training camp. Some of his receptions and run after the catch have resembled shades of former UA star running back Michael Wiley, who has the most career receiving yards by an Arizona running back.

Roberts’ “size, his speed, his elusiveness, as well as his football IQ, they’re a big-time gain in our room. With someone his size, you wouldn’t expect them to get out of the gates like he does,” Moevao said.

“It’s a great addition,” Moevao said. “You’re not sure what you’re going to get out of the portal until it actually gets on campus. You might have things on film in terms of their ability as a football player, what they’re able to do, the numbers and the production they bring to the team.

“However, the cultural piece is tough to judge when you’re going through the evaluation period of those type of guys. You do your best with the time you have with them on campus during the portal visits and then make your decision. As he got here, he started mixing in with the boys and got involved in the weight room, training room and workouts, then we got into football meetings.

“The man has excelled in every department. … He’s really being a true leader and he’s another great leader added to a group of guys we were good with already.”