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Marana receiver Dezmen Roebuck signed with Washington, and tackle/guard Tyler Evans, strong safety/receiver Moses Miller and cornerback/receiver Dermain Linen Jr. signed with the University of Jamestown.

“This is very special,� said Marana head coach Phillip Steward. “We started this four years ago … I was a new coach, my first year being head coach and they was willing to stay with me, I watched them grow from little boys ‘til now 18, getting ready to go to college, so this was special.�

Roebuck, the Max Preps ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Player of the Year, appreciated the signing ceremony.

“It’s definitely a blessing,� Roebuck said. “Like, a couple years ago we didn’t really have a big thing at our school and coach did a really good job of making it big thing, so younger kids in the classes coming up have something to, like, look up to.�

Roebuck followed former UA head coach Jedd Fisch to Washington.

“Everybody doesn’t get to do this and so for him to be able to sign to a big school like that, a big a Division I, that’s special, this kid was special here,� Steward said. “So now people around the world will be able to see him play on Saturdays and see what we was able to see every day.�

Linen said playing college football is something he’s always dreamed of.

The University of Jamestown is an NCAA Division II school in Jamestown, North Dakota.

“That’s one of my biggest reasons I wanted to go is because Dermain and Moses are some of my better friends,� Evans said. “So for the opportunity to keep those relationships, but also be able to build their relationships at Jamestown, super exciting.�

Marana alumni Isaiah Roebuck and Marcus Flores played for the Jimmies in 2024.

Marana’s program went from 1-9 in 2019 to undefeated in the regular season in 2024 and the top seed in the Open Division.

“I’ve been a Marana Tiger ever since I was little,� Miller said. “So seeing it going from really good then to a little bit of rough spot and as soon as Coach Stew come, back into groove, it’s really like my little self is happy again.�

Rather than just have the players sign and pose for pictures, they gave little speeches to their teammates, classmates, coaches, family and friends about things like what they are excited about and going to miss.

Steward wanted to do more than just celebrate the student-athletes moving to the next level.

“I’m from Texas and like I said, we do it big and so the way we did it was we had a pep assembly and so everybody came and I had thought ‘we gotta give something to the kids,’� Steward said. “My biggest thing is, I want this to inspire one of those younger guys that was here.�