December 15, 2012. That was the last time Malik Roberson played on a football field as he celebrated Serra winning the CIF Division 2 state championship.
Twenty months later, Roberson will take the field for the first time since tearing his ACL in May 2013, and the words of his mother will ring in his head
“Never second guess yourself.”
As Serra prepares to open its season against Lakewood on Friday, Roberson could only wait anxiously as the countdown for his comeback neared its conclusion.
“Every Friday, there’s jitters, but this time, I can’t wait for the clock to wind down,” he said, “That first play is going to be nerve-wracking, but right after that, I’ll be back in game mode.”
Confidence is a key part of what makes Roberson’s return one of the most anticipated in the South Bay. It’s not just about playing again, he said, it’s about exceeding what he did two years ago as an All-CIF running back.
After replacing injured starter Anterio Bateman, he rushed for over 100 yards in five of the team’s last 11 games in 2012. In the playoffs he had a career-high 237 yards against Santa Monica and followed it with 197 yards against Lompoc.
Against Chaminade in the CIF-SS Western Division final, he ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the win, which bookended his 156-yard performance against the Eagles earlier that season.
He finished the season with 1,506 yards and 13 touchdowns. When track and field started in the spring, his profile grew as he set a divisional record of 10.46 seconds in the CIF-SS Division 4 100-meter final.
But at the Masters Meet the following week, everything changed when Roberson took off in the long jump competition and landed awkwardly on his right leg.
“I just had a feeling that I’m not OK. I knew there was something really wrong and I had to respect that,” he said.
He ended up tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, and suddenly his promising career was on hold as his junior season was over before it started.
“I wanted to come back that year, but I knew after my surgery, I realized that I needed to make my knee stronger for my senior year,” Roberson said.
The rehabilitation process involved water therapy as well as teaching his mind to trust his knee again. During the time off, he became a greater student of the game by watching more film and offering tips to Adoree Jackson and Darrion Naylor as they took over tailback duties.
“He’s a selfless kid who knew that those guys needed help, so that’s what he did,” Serra coach Scott Altenberg said.
Roberson also soaked up encouragement from his mother Dishawn, whom he calls his No. 1 fan, and drew inspiration from Marcus Lattimore, who suffered two similar knee injuries in 2011 and 2012 at South Carolina and yet was still drafted by the San Francisco 49ers.
“If he could fight through it and still get drafted, then I have no reason to not still get the offers that I worked hard for,” Roberson said.
During his junior year, he also became Coach Red Bull, a constant presence on the sidelines who picked up his teammates or encouraged them after a big play.
“Injuries are never good, but as far as revealing character, it has for him,” Altenberg said. “He’s one of our leaders and the kids love him.”
There have already been hints that Roberson is regaining his form. He competed in the 4x100 at the Penn Relays in April and called it a sign of gratitude for those who supported him.
In the summer, a photo of him dunking a basketball made the rounds on social media. Despite being only 5-foot-7, he leaped high and slammed the ball off a pass from teammate Caleb Wilson.
“I had been dunking before I got hurt, so it was another sign that I was back to where I was,” he said.
The only thing left is to complete the final step, which is taking his first handoff against Lakewood and beginning the journey back to where he was two years ago and beyond.
“I want to have the senior season that everyone dreams of,” he said. “Hurt or not, I still have that dream, and I don’t think an injury should stop me from being the best.”