There’s no point in mincing words – Roman Wilson is balling this season.
Through the first five games, the 6-foot senior from Kihei, Hawaii has hauled in eight (!!!) touchdowns from his quarterback, JJ McCarthy. In fact, until true freshman Semaj Morgan recorded the first TD of his college career in Week 4 against Rutgers, Wilson was the only pass catcher with any endzone trips – he had six at the time.
Early in the first quarter of last week’s 45-7 win over Nebraska, Wilson set social media ablaze with a ridiculous circus catch. With Huskers defensive back Isaac Gifford starring him down in the endzone, Wilson elevated at the same time the DB came in for his tackle – the pass from McCarthy placed the catch at the back of Gifford’s helmet. The rest is simple, if you’re the Wolverines’ No. 1 on offense: make the catch, maintain control through the contact and behind the helmet of the defender as you come down.
“It’s a historic number, and it’s a lot of pressure,” Roman Wilson said of wearing the No. 1 jersey this year. “But that’s what I want. I want a lot of pressure on me. I want pressure on my back.” (Tony Patroske/The Pit Media)
The most remarkable part might be just how pedestrian Wilson made it look.
“Love the way he’s playing,” coach Jim Harbaugh shared in response to Wilson’s highlight reel catch, and equally highlight reel-level season. “He’s getting a lot of attention now, and he’s still winning. Still finishing plays.”
During the preseason, the Hawaii native was approached by his head coach about whether he wanted to don the No. 1 jersey for Michigan heading into his senior year. For Wilson, the opportunity to set a high bar for what this season could be was a natural fit.
“I remember the day coach Harbaugh came into my room and asked me if I want to wear it,” Wilson said, after recording 3 touchdown catches in the season opener against East Carolina. “It’s a historic number, and it’s a lot of pressure. But that’s what I want. I want a lot of pressure on me. I want pressure on my back.”
A month before the season began, Wilson spoke about the tragedy that affected many of his friends, loved ones and the community he grew up in – the Maui wildfires. In an interview with Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press, he shared:
“People I grew up with, their homes are gone. Your car’s gone, your house is gone, all your belongings, everything they owned, it’s gone. A place that I grew up, I can’t go back and visit. Like, it’s just gone. There’s nothing there.”
Through the unspeakable loss, Wilson also made it known that he’s driven to find a way to give back to his native home.
“People are asking me like, ‘What can I do to help? Like, what do they need?’ They need everything. Hopefully, I can do something to help out. I’m gonna try to put something together to help my hometown. They need everything they can get.”
The resilience and focus that Roman Wilson has displayed in his four years at Michigan speaks to the character and talent of a young man capable of greatness. It would be fitting, then, if the Wolverines’ latest playmaker to wear #1 is far from done doing big things – both on and off the field.
