Saraland Quarterback Jamison Roberts Leads Spartans to Brink of Championship Game
SARALAND, Ala. – Jamison Roberts threw for 353 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 94 yards and two more scores last week against Pike Road, propelling Saraland to within one win of another Class 6A championship game appearance.
Roberts, a senior quarterback, completed 20 of 24 passes in the Spartans’ dominant performance. He credits his development to time spent as the backup to current University of Texas quarterback KJ Lacey. “Being his backup was probably the best thing that could have happened to me,” Roberts said. “KJ is a phenomenal player. He’s going to do great things at Texas.Those two years I sat behind him I was just doing my best to soak up anything that was going to help me be great and become a better quarterback.”
This season, Roberts focused on ”incremental growth and getting better every game,” after a slow start. He attributes his improved success to film study. “What has improved my completion percentage and accuracy is just studying the Xs and Os and knowing where to attack every coverage and knowing every opponent like the back of your hand.” Roberts is listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, a size he built through offseason training. ”Over the summer I spent a lot of my time getting stronger, bigger and faster so I could take those hits and be able to run the ball effectively.”
Saraland coach Todd Kelly praised Roberts’ consistency. ”Jamison has played extremely solid all year. his consistency and accuracy have put us in a good situation every Friday Night. He studies and works hard during the week and then goes out there under the lights and leads our offense.”
Beyond athletics, Roberts maintains a 4.3 grade point average while taking honors classes since sixth grade, viewing academic challenges as character-building. “I really see it as a challenge. When you get an A in that class you know you’re taking the harder route and you’re accomplishing more. It really builds character and mental toughness.”
Roberts’ performance has drawn attention from college recruiters, recently receiving an offer from the University of Oklahoma after a visit last weekend. He intends to focus on maximizing his potential at Saraland under kelly’s guidance. “Coach Kelly is the best of the best,” Roberts said. “he’s not just a good coach he’s a good role model. All the life lessons he’s taught me have literally changed my life.”
