Roberson relishes being a Packer once again

Jun. 15—MOULTRIE — When Quin Roberson was a youngster, he would be home with his grandmother when the Colquitt County football team played and he would enjoy listening to Durwood Dominy, Darrell Strange and Jim Turner calling the game on the radio.

On Saturday mornings, he would head to Oxley's to buy The Moultrie Observer to read the recap of the previous night's game.

It wasn't long before Roberson himself was one of the Packers his grandmother heard about and read about.

He was an outstanding receiver and kick returner and was an All-State selection after helping lead Colquitt County on an improbable run to the state semifinals in 2009.

Roberson had an outstanding freshman season at Samford and in 2012 was a member of the Valdosta State University team that won a national championship.

His grandmother died just a month before the Blazers won its national championship and she certainly would have been proud.

She would be equally proud to know that her grandson has returned to live in Moultrie and is one of the new members of the 2022 Packers' coaching staff.

Roberson went on to earn his degree in history at the University of Central Florida in 2018 and after coaching stops in Ocoee, Fla., and, last season, at Thomas County Central, he was thrilled to get a chance to return home after Sean Calhoun was named the Packers head coach in January.

"Coach Calhoun wanted to bring back people who had loved the program and done well in the program and in the community and were passionate about the program," Roberson said.

Roberson joins Kiel Pollard, Bryce Giddens and Bull Barge as former successful Packers who Calhoun has been able to bring back to Moultrie as pillars of his first coaching staff.

Like many who have starred on Friday nights for the Packers, Roberson got his start in the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation program, playing football for another ex-Packer, Donald Key.

He appeared destined to be a quarterback until he was moved to receiver when he reached the varsity.

He began to bloom when Rush Propst became the Packers head coach in 2008.

The Propst offense that would take advantage of a score of talented performers over his 11-year tenure was quickly put on display.

In the 2008 season-opener, quarterback John Michael Harrison threw for a school-record six touchdowns against Randolph-Clay.

Roberson caught two of them and went on to catch 40 passes for 612 yards and five touchdowns and was named to the All-Region first team.

The Packers exploded on the state football scene the next season, going 11-3 and reaching the state semifinals.

"The culture of the football program changed that year," Roberson remembered. "We bought in to what the coaches wanted us to do and we had gained some confidence in the off-season.

"We began to believe we could win every game. And the community got behind us about halfway through the season and that helped pull us through."

Roberson and junior quarterback Tyler Brown became one of the state's top passer-receiver combinations that season.

"Tyler sometimes doesn't get the recognition he deserves as one of the best Packers ever," Roberson said.

Their chemistry was especially on display in the 2009 game against Valdosta.

With just over three minutes remaining and the score tied 7-7, Brown just overshot Roberson, who was running a post pattern.

Roberson ran the same pattern on the next play and Brown put the ball on his receiver's fingertips for a 44-yard touchdown gave the Packers a 14-7 win.

Earlier in the season, in a 31-21 win over Coffee in Douglas, Roberson had seven catches for 146 yards and a touchdown, returned three punts for 110 yards, returned a kickoff 35 yards and rushed the football five times, scoring twice.

Roberson gives Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Hammond kudos for helping him develop into an outstanding player.

"I give coach Hammond the credit for helping me be the best receiver I could be," Roberson said.

"He challenged me every day to not only be the best athlete, but to be technically sound, to be a complete receiver and a great teammate."

Packers fans also were treated to Roberson's abilities as a kick returner.

His skills were especially on display in Colquitt County's 22-21 victory over No. 5-ranked Stephenson in the second round of the playoffs.

Roberson returned four kickoffs for 198 yards in the game, including a 70-yarder and an 86-yarder in the fourth quarter that set up a pair of Rich Tyndall field goals, including the game-winner with 2:28 remaining.

Colquitt County finished No. 4 in the final Associated Press poll that season.

Roberson was selected as the Region 1-AAAAA Offensive Player of the year after catching 58 passes and scoring 20 touchdowns.

He and Packers teammate Cameron Erving were named to the All-State team.

Roberson finished his Packers career with an even 100 receptions for 1,537 yards and 13 touchdowns and earned a scholarship to Samford.

He played for Samford just one season, but led the team with 41 pass receptions for 474 yards and three touchdowns and was named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team.

A bit homesick, Roberson transferred to Valdosta State and in 2011 caught 31 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns and also returned a punt for a touchdown for the Blazers.

He also was a key component in the Valdosta State offense when the Blazers won the Division II national championship in 2012.

That team also included four other former Packers: Davis Durham, D'Amonte Ridley, Amel Magwood and Tyrell Wright.

"One of best things about playing at Valdosta State was that I could go see the Colquitt County game on Friday nights," Roberson said. "I still wanted to be around the Packers program. That was huge."

Losing his grandmother that November was difficult for him, Roberson said.

"I took it hard and I sort of had to find my way," he said.

He finally made his way to Orlando, where he got his degree in history from Central Florida and coached the receivers for three seasons at Ocoee High School.

"That was a great experience for me," he said. "The kids there have tough lives. There was gang culture, gun violence. They didn't have support resources like we have here.

"That was when I realized that this is what God wants me to be doing: being around young athletes from all walks of life."

In addition to Propst and Hammond, Roberson credits former VSU offensive coordinator and former Miami Dolphins quarterbacks coach Robby Brown with having a large impact on his career.

"He is still my mentor," he said.

Roberson wanted eventually to get back to Colquitt County and when former Valdosta State teammate Ashley Henderson, then the head coach at Thomas County Central, offered him a job coaching the Yellow Jackets receivers in 2021, he accepted.

"My goal was always to get back here at some point," he said.

He and his growing family moved to Moultrie and he commuted to Thomasville last season, before getting the opportunity to don the black-and-gold again.

He and his wife, the former Tayler Yost, have two children: 2-year-old daughter Naomi, named after his late grandmother, and 11-month-old son Justus.

Now, Roberson is concentrating on making the Packers inside receivers a productive part of the offense and he is especially impressed with rising junior Zay Williams.

"He is going to be the dark horse of the offense," Roberson said. "He is going to have an opportunity to make some plays for us."

Also in his group are Eli Meads, Ja'Boris Fuller, Markese Wilson and Jakari Haynes.

"These kids are very respectful, they work hard and they want to be coached," Roberson said.