There were many reasons for Centennial DT Dylan Roberts to commit to a Power Five program early in the summer before his senior season started, particularly a university with an academic reputation like Northwestern.
But one of the major motivating factors for Roberts' May 15 verbal commitment to the Wildcats was that senior season in Peoria.
Roberts started to get into football and watch the Coyotes in junior high, and Centennial won back-to-back 5A state titles when he was a seventh and eighth grader. As a freshman and a sophomore - with Roberts joining the starting lineup in that 2020 season - Centennial qualified for the first two Open Division playoffs in Arizona history.
Last year, the Coyotes spiraled to a 3-8 season, the program's first losing record since 1999. Roberts and the rest of the Class of 2023 started working on the restoration project as fall turned to winter.
“Last year was a disappointment,” Roberts said. “As soon as we started working out, it was behind us and officially this season. Redemption is going to drive us this year. Our offense is beginning to develop their full potential and our defense is doing great. The secondary is great, after last year we were riddled with injuries. Our secondary is healthy. I’m confident that we’re going to be solid and we’re well bonded.”
The 6-3, 285-pound tackle is the heart of a defense leading the revival. Centennial is 3-1 and the defense clamped down in three straight wins, as the Coyotes outscored opponents 111-28.
Even the 38-14 opening loss at Hamilton looks better for the team in context. Two Huskies touchdowns were pick sixes and a third came on the kickoff return to open the second half. Coach Richard Taylor said he believes The Coyotes from the lesson that game provided, in tgerms of penalties and turnovers
This year, Roberts is flanked by more lethal pass rushers in senior Salehe Koonooka and junior Noah Carter and complemented by senior fire plug defensive tackle Jessie Garcia.
“Salehe at end has gotten so much better. I can absolutely rely on him and know that he’s going to be quicker and get there every time. Our entire d-line is pretty solid. There’s really not a weak spot. Jesse has good size and is fast. I’d say he’s faster than me. Our entire line is pretty quick and strong," Roberts said. "At Hamilton we allowed 15 rushing yards the entire game … and lost. We had a glimpse of what could be.”
Roberts and the rest of the Class of 2023 were probably the last big time Centennial freshman class to stick together on the freshman team.
“Watching him on the freshman team, it looked like a man playing against boys. I really don’t like freshmen playing on varsity. I think that it’s important that they bond with their group. And most freshmen are not psychologically, emotionally or socially ready to do that. Dylan probably was and today, you almost have to do that because kids are being promised, ‘If you come here, you’ll play on varsity as a freshman.’ If it were today, Dylan probably would have been on varsity the whole year as a freshman,” Taylor said.
Following a COVID-19 compromised offseason in 2020, Roberts went straight into the fire as a sophomore starter on varsity.
“I remember my first varsity scrimmage I went out and was so nervous. I was more nervous about my scrimmage than I was my first game. But I ended up going out and performed. A guy I used to train with, Gavin Broscious at Desert Edge, we were competing. And I figured I could play on varsity if I could compete with him,” Roberts said.
Along with tying up blockers inside, Roberts contributed 20 solo tackles and 5.5 sacks in that nine-game 2020 season. Liberty knocked off Centennial 25-24 with a late two-point conversion in an Open Division quarterfinal.
While Roberts continued his upward trajectory as a junior with 34 solo tackles and four sacks in 10 games, it was not a season to rebember for him - or any of the other Coyotes.
Returning players took out their frustrations in the weight room. Taylor said that only five Coyotes could bench more than 300 pounds last year. Now 24 can. Roberts set the tone with a personal record of 450 pounds in August.
“Dylan and all the seniors took last year personal, as well as the coaches. When you have a season like that it’s humbling, it’s embarrassing and it’s hurtful,” Taylor said. “The guys that went through that last year … it just leaves a terrible taste in your mouth. And you don’t want that to happen again. They’ve all been working really hard. That defense doesn’t have a weak spot that you can run at."
Roberts joined fellow local 2023 targets Alex Doost and Cole Shivers in a visit to Northwestern's Evanston campus - just north of Chicago - in mid-May.
He said he always wanted to commit early to get it out of the way and focus on this season. Also, to him, a late commitment is usually a sign that a player wasn’t sure about the school or football program.
“The visit was awesome. I kind of narrowed it down to Cal and Northwestern because of the academics while also having good football teams,” Roberts said. “I went with Alex and Cole Shivers. It was basically just the three of us. I remember at one point on the visit I told Alex, ‘If you commit, I commit.’ He said, ‘Dylan, if you’re here, I’m here.’ I committed the night before I left to come home and he committed the next morning. I was happy.”
Shivers then committed to the Wildcats a couple days later.
Roberts said the recruiting process was very stressful for the months before his commitment, and he's happy and relieved to have it behind him. He's looking forward to joining a program with two Big Ten title game appearances in the last four years.
“I think they’re a great program, and this 23 class they’ve got coming in is the best class they’ve ever gotten,” Roberts said.
He said he plans to study in one of the degree programs offered by Northwestern's school of business.
Taylor said, like with any verbal commitment, he's happy when the player is happy with their decision and not playing their senior year wondering where will they go.
“Dylan is the total package. He’s a smart kid. You don’t have to tell him twice. Often times when you’re about to tell him something, he already knows what he did wrong,” Taylor said. "He brings a real unique problems to offenses. They have to double him, because if they don’t he’s going to win. Even if they do double him, there’s still a good chance he’s going to win. If I were preparing for us, he would be the first question I would try to get answered. What are we going to do about him?’”
Roberts can look forward to a new look Desert Valley region this season with foes closer to home like Boulder Creek, O'Connor and Mountain Ridge - though he and the Coyotes are gunning for revenge against the Mountain Lions at home Oct. 28.
The next week, though, is a key to restoring Centennial's reputation in the West Valley. On Nov. 4 the Coyotes travel to Liberty, the new dominant power west of I-17.
“I can just focus on my senior year and this season, being with the guys and enjoying time in high school,” Roberts said. “Competing with the Westside is always good. We like to maintain our reputation and right now it’s Liberty. I will accept that. I won’t even lie to you. Liberty is those guys right now and we’re looking forward to that game.”
