Roberson, Simpson to continue football careers at OBU, UCA
FOUNTAIN LAKE — Two Fountain Lake standouts will continue their football careers on the collegiate level after signing letters of intent Wednesday at Irvin J. Bass Gymnasium-Sammy Lambert Court.
Senior Cobras Andrew Roberson and Colson Simpson were joined by their parents and coaches on the court as they were recognized for their past achievements.
“We are very fortunate today to have two of our young male athletes committing to go to school and play athletics in the game of football,” Fountain Lake Athletic Director Marc Davis said. “I want to thank the coaching staff for everything that they did for these men and their teammates.”
Roberson, a three-time All-Garland County honoree, inked his name to a letter to play at Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia.
“I had a friend go there when I was younger,” he said. “I heard nothing but great things about it.
“I went there on a visit, and the coaches were just amazing. I know that I can go there and fit in perfectly, especially due to the culture that we have at Fountain Lake.”
The multi-position athlete tallied 1,021 yards on 171 carries this season while averaging 102.1 yards per game. He recorded six century games and scored six touchdowns this season.
Roberson compiled 3,194 rushing yards over three seasons for the Cobras with 29 touchdowns and 17 games with over 100 yards. He also had 20 catches for 228 yards over his career.
On defense, Roberson averaged 3.1 tackles per game this season with 11 solo and 20 assisted
tackles, and he had three interceptions for 60 yards this season as well as one caused fumble and recovery.
“It’s been a long ride, for sure,” he said. “I’ve worked and worked. No matter what, I haven’t got tired of it yet. I really do love the game, and I’m grateful I can get another four years at it.”
Roberson said the Tigers’ coaching staff is looking for him to play at outside linebacker.
J.D. Plumlee, who coached the Cobras the past two years before taking the head coaching position at Malvern in December, praised Roberson’s work ethic.
“Andrew is a special individual,” he said. “I was blessed to get to know him as a young man and then be even more blessed to coach him for two years and watch him grow over those two years. He just matured into a leader, on and off the field. He’s not a real vocal guy, but he just shows up every day and works 110 percent.”
Plumlee said he feels the best is yet to come for Roberson.
“He’s just one of those guys that you had to kind to lean on to try to get him as many touches as possible and just let him do his thing because he worked at it and he is athletic enough to make things happen,” he said. “I think the sky is still the limit. I think Andrew’s best football is ahead of him.
“I’m thrilled to death that OBU gave him the opportunity and that he’s going to be playing there because he’s close to home. I can still go watch, and I think OBU is probably the best Division II football program in the state of Arkansas right now.”
Simpson will continue his football career playing for the Central Arkansas Bears in Conway.
“I had three great colleges looking at me,” he said. “I took that last little visit to UCA last Saturday. I got to meet some of the coaches that I hadn’t really gotten to know.
“I also got to look at the classes aspect. That’s a big part for me because I’m wanting to get a degree there. It’s not just football, even though I love to play the game.”
The three-time All-Garland County honoree had 87 carries for 447 yards and
12 touchdowns this season, and he had two receptions for 25 yards. He reeled in nine catches for 114 yards over his three-year career, averaging 12.7 yards per reception.
Simpson excelled at linebacker and was named The Sentinel-Record’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Garland County, along with teammate Joe Murphy. Simpson recorded 120 tackles in his senior campaign, 56 solo and 64 assisted, and he picked off three passes for
29 yards. He had a total of 332 tackles in his career for an average of 10.7 per game.
“Definitely, my whole life, I’ve watched football,” he said. “I’ve played other sports, but football really clicked for me. As I was getting older, Dad always pushed me, and he always made it fun.
“That’s the main thing — football is a game. Everybody says it’s really serious, but you have to think of it as a game. You have to have fun with it. … As my senior year passed, my fun wasn’t over yet, and I really wanted to play on the collegiate level.”
Simpson is expected to play outside linebacker for the Bears.
Plumlee also praised Simpson’s hard work on the field.
“He’s a hard-nosed football player,” Plumlee said. “To be able to do what he did over two years in the 4A-7 with over 100 tackles each year, and this past year being able to run the ball and really, really, really benefit us offensively at the fullback position. He was awesome. He’s fun to be around every day.”
Simpson is the type of player that would stay on the field as long as he could, Plumlee said.
“I told him, ‘If you need a break, we’ll get you off on special teams;’ he never would ask to come out,” he said. “There were a couple of games — I looked back at Harmony Grove on senior night, and I don’t know if he came off the field. I think he may have played in 150 snaps. That’s just how tough he is. He didn’t want to come off the field.”
The former Cobras head coach said Roberson and Simpson were special pieces of Fountain Lake’s football program.
“Those two guys right there — they approached every day with the mentality that they get to play football,” he said. “They didn’t have to play football, and when people approach things like that, it’s just fun. … Those guys are just fun to be around. They impose their legacy in programs.”