BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford rising senior defensive lineman Horace Roberts has embraced a couple of changes that have taken place heading into his senior season with the Bulldogs.
 
First, a new position coach was hired to coach the defensive linemen. Justin Hinds was hired in the winter to replace Victor Cabral, who left following the 2017 season. Roberts said the defensive linemen have embraced their new leader.
 
"I love our coach," Roberts said. "He came in and bonded with the guys right away. It was a great job by Coach Hatcher and all of the other coaches to bring a coach in to be able to fit right in with us."


 
The second change was that his younger brother, Jeremiah, joined the program for the spring. The younger Roberts will play running back for the Bulldogs this season. Roberts said Jeremiah is beginning to get the hang of the life of a college student-athlete.
 
"When he first got here I had to stay on him a little bit because he didn't know the real meaning of work, because where he came from, they didn't really work exactly how we work," Roberts said. "But, he's getting the hang of it and Coach Hatcher keeps telling me he's getting better. So, I stay on him about class work and being on the field, getting some extra work in. So, he's getting better as the days go on."
 
Roberts is preparing for his final season in a Samford uniform. He said he is trying to savor every moment of his final year as a Bulldog.
 
"It honestly feels exactly how all the older guys before me told me it would," Roberts said. "I feel like it's my responsibility to help the younger guys come up and get prepared for this season and get adjusted to the program because they've never had a program like this before."
 
The defensive line lost a couple of key players from last season in Xavier Forrest and Ke'Tyrus Marks. Roberts said he sees some of the younger guys stepping up to fill those roles.
 
"There are a lot of young guys that are getting better," Roberts said. "They talk to our coach after practice and before practice. They work on their hands and their hips before and after practice, so there are guys trying to get it down together, trying to learn so they can step up and fill the shoes of the guys that were here last year."
 
Samford has now gone through nine of its 15 workouts this spring. The Bulldogs will practice again Friday morning at 6 a.m. at Seibert Stadium.