From National Football Foundation
The only non-FBS recipient of the Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda and a top student-athlete in NCAA Division III, Brandon Roberts established himself as one of the most ferocious tacklers in Washington University in St. Louis annals while carrying a 3.6 GPA in biomedical engineering. A two-time First-Team All-Conference selection, he starred on three consecutive Bears' defenses that ranked among the top 20 nationally while setting career school records for tackles (338) and sacks (12.5). Roberts participated in a full slate of community service, including Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the Association of Black Students. An accomplished singer, he joined the Visions Gospel Choir and volunteered with Faith House and the Wound Center at Akron General Hospital in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. Roberts graduated from Case Western Reserve University (OH) School of Medicine in 2008 and currently serves as a pediatric anesthesiologist at Dayton Children's Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.
In 30 years of the Campbell Trophy, you are the only recipient from a non-FBS school. What does that mean to you?
I am still extremely honored and humbled to have received the Campbell Trophy® and to be the only non-FBS recipient to date. Having received the Campbell Trophy® is one of the top five moments of my life thus far.
My parents and older brother always taught me to work hard because hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work. They also instilled into me to do the right thing, even when it wasn't convenient or when I thought no one was paying attention, because you never know who is watching you. It is extremely fulfilling to know that all the effort that I put forth on and off the field was noticed and appreciated.
I learned the tangible lesson that hard work really does pay off, but I also matured so much during my journey to the Campbell Trophy®. The journey is honestly just as fulfilling as the end result.
What is special about Division III football?
Division III is special simply because every athlete competing on that level is there because they love it. There is no financial incentive since D3 schools can't give athletic scholarships. There doesn't tend to be ridiculously huge fan bases where the D3 athlete will be some visible superstar. Just because it isn't visible, doesn't mean it isn't valuable though. We play because we can't envision our collegiate careers without competitive athletics.
What was your most memorable collegiate game?
My most memorable game is my last home game of my senior year. We were playing Trinity University out of San Antonio back at Wash U in St Louis. It was the sixth out of 10 games that year, but it was my last game due to injury. The game is memorable not because of the result (we lost) or because it was my last game, but because of the play before the play in which I was injured. I was blitzing as a middle linebacker, and they hit us with a well-timed RB screen pass for a really big gain. I came off my blitz and pursued the ball. I ran a really long way from the backside and tackled the running back inside the five yard line. I was really tired from the hustle and had the wind knocked out of me during the tackle. I considered pulling myself out of the game as I caught my breath. As a senior captain, I just couldn't do it though. The next play, I tore my ACL on an otherwise benign football play. The game is memorable because I went out doing what I did best: putting forth maximal effort for the sake of the team. It's a memory of which I am extremely proud.
What role did football play in preparing you for a career in medicine?
Football taught me to love challenges, to be intrigued by my mistakes while learning from them, to enjoy the effort/process, to pursue self-improvement/mastery, to be confident, and to give of myself for the sake of something bigger than me. These are all lessons that carried me throughout my medical training and medical career.
What are the challenges of being an anesthesiologist during the pandemic and what have you learned most about yourself?
The pandemic has been a challenge for us all undoubtedly. As an anesthesiologist, we are literally working in close proximity to patients who are knowingly infected yet need our expertise or are unknowingly infectious. While high risk, it is what we signed up to do and we take our responsibility seriously despite the risk.
Honestly, I've learned that there will be times where we are unable to change our situation, but we can change our attitudes. I've basically adopted the mindset that if I can't change it, I'm going to attempt to thrive in spite of it. I'm being prudent (wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, social distancing, wearing PPE routinely at work, etc.), yet not allowing fear to overtake me. I've learned that the difference between being a victim and a victor is literally the word "or." While we can't change many terrible circumstances, how we view ourselves while in these circumstance tends to be a choice. I have a victor mindset and not a victim mindset in this season of the COVID-19 pandemic. My family and I are prepared for all possible outcomes in case the virus finds its way to us.
Because of the pandemic, the football season has been anything but typical. What are you looking forward to most and what role does football play in getting our country back to normal?
While I selfishly hoped [for] a football season this fall so that we can have another outlet during this trying year of 2020, we should only proceed if there is stringent testing and planning. I have tons of ideas for how this should happen that I won't bore anyone with here but can share offline.
Nonetheless, my college and pro teams (The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns) should both be exciting to watch this season and compete for national and divisional titles respectively.
Honestly, football will allow us to take our minds off of the challenges presented in 2020, but things won't be normal until the pandemic is no longer a threat. A sense of normalcy is indeed important for our collective mental health however.
Do you have a nickname? If so, how did it start?
My nickname is "B. Rob," which is pretty self-explanatory. I have to admit that while growing up in Akron, OH, most called me "Little B. Rob" though. I have an older brother, Brian Roberts, who was a tremendous athlete in his own right and played Division I baseball at the University of Akron years ago. He was the original B. Rob. It's mine now though. Love you, big bro!
Funniest word/catch phrase used by a coach?
"Hit em hard, send em home"... Our special teams mantra in my early Wash U years. I loved saying it.
All-time favorite movie?
"Coming to America"
Last book you read?
"The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander.
Favorite travel spot?
Aruba.
Campbell Trophy Q&A Background:
Click here for more information on The William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, which has been presented every year since 1990 to the nation's top scholar-athlete from the college gridiron. In 2019, Mazda became the sponsor of the Trophy, launching their Power of Potential Platform with ESPN. The trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association, which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football.