ROBERSON HAS A BALL, CATCHES ON AT FRESNO.

Byline: Dave Desmond Daily News Staff Writer

It was a miserable day of practice for Fresno State's Brian Roberson.

Pass after pass was banging off the freshman receiver's hands like so many Shaquille O'Neal free-throw attempts.

With his head down as he walked off the practice field that 1993 summer day, the former Sylmar High School standout saw a football sitting on the grass.

He grabbed it and walked off with the ball gripped securely in his hands - hands that would later become the surest in a program that calls itself Wide Receiver University.

The next day, he caught every pass. Same thing the next day. The football had become Roberson's best friend.

In the three years since, it's been difficult to find Roberson without that ball. He carries it with him on road trips. Through airports. He sleeps with it the night before games.

His attachment to that football has become a running gag within the Bulldogs team.

``My teammates sometimes try to take the ball away from me,'' said Roberson, 22, who entered the week needing 29 catches to surpass current San Diego Chargers rookie Charlie Jones' school-record mark of 187 career receptions. ``I don't like to have my ball taken away from me.''

Many opponents have tried. Few have succeeded.

No longer a slippery-handed freshman, Roberson, now a senior, has moved ahead of such NFL names as Stephone Paige, Henry Ellard and Stephen Baker on Fresno State's career receptions list.

``(Roberson) is in that same category,'' said 19th-year Bulldogs coach Jim Sweeney, who announced his retirement last week. ``If he can avoid injuries, he's a can't-miss (for the NFL).''

Until this season, the 5-foot-9, 178-pound Roberson was the secondary receiver, quietly hauling in 110 passes for 1,708 yards in the shadows of future NFL receivers Jones, Jahine Arnold, Tydus Winans, David Dunn and Malcolm Floyd.

Those players all have departed, leaving only Roberson for the pro scouts - and others - to focus on.

``Every play, he's facing double- and triple-coverage, with maybe two more guys bumping and grabbing him at the line,'' Sweeney said. ``If we had one more Brian Roberson, we would have three more wins this year.''

Instead, the Bulldogs are 3-4 and facing a third straight December without a bowl invitation.

They should be grateful there is even one Brian Roberson.

After spraining his neck in a youth football game, Roberson turned his full attention to baseball, where he was a standout shortstop.

That changed, however, when Sylmar football coach Jeff Engilman heard Roberson was on his campus.

Talked into giving football another shot by Engilman, Roberson became a top receiver at a renowned running school, which is a lot like being the best ice fisherman in Cairo.

Roberson caught only 28 passes as a senior but gained attention in one game when he scored touchdowns receiving, rushing, returning a punt and running back an interception. He was named to the All-City and All-West Region teams.

Said Engilman: ``He was one of the best all-around athletes we've ever had here.''

There are busloads of ``best athletes'' in the college ranks, and the annual line of receivers outside Sweeney's door resembles a Russian bread line.

Roberson had to wait his turn. His climb up the Bulldogs' honor roll was slow in the beginning and sometimes painful.

As a redshirt freshman, his Freedom Bowl championship ring was stolen from his dorm room.

The next season, he caught only five passes and was even chased out of the huddle and off the field by then-quarterback Trent Dilfer during a game against Wyoming.

``That was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life,'' Roberson said. ``Everyone knew what was going on out there. People still remind me of it.''

His production his next two seasons helped put him in position to break the school's career receiving record.

A second-team preseason All-American this year, Roberson has caught 49 passes for 781 yards and three touchdowns through seven games and now possibly stands as the last in the departing Sweeney's long line of NFL-caliber receivers.

That will be decided on draft day.

For the time being, Roberson is more concerned with the day-to-day business of improving his game.

``Both at Sylmar and at Fresno State, I was always taught never to settle for a good game, to expect and strive for a great game,'' Roberson said. ``I'm still trying to play the perfect game. I haven't played one yet.''

But he's been pretty close, according to Sweeney.

``He just doesn't drop the ball,'' Sweeney said. ``I can only remember him dropping one ball since he got here, in games or in practice.''

Sweeney might have forgotten that summer practice in '93. But Roberson hasn't.

It changed his career.

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Photo

PHOTO (color) Brian Roberson is a wide receiver at Fresno State.

Courtesy of Todd Warshaw