ROBERTS RULE: Torian Roberts makes an interception last fall in his junior season for the Princeton University football team. After suffering a brain hemorrhage in February 2024, Roberts has emerged as a star defensive back for the Tigers. Moving into a starring role as a sophomore in 2024, Roberts made 21 tackles and had three interceptions. Last fall, Roberts had 42 tackles and four interceptions as he earned second-team All-Ivy League honors. Tiger co-captain Roberts is looking to end his Princeton career on a high note this fall, starting this Saturday when the Tigers play at Bryant (2-1) in their season opener. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

On the afternoon of February 5, 2024, Torian Roberts was running sprints in an off-season workout for the Princeton University
football team.

But feeling light-headed and developing a pounding headache near the end of the session, Roberts was examined by Princeton trainers in the locker room and due to concerns that something serious might be going on, they decided to have him transported to the Princeton Medical Center to be further evaluated.

By that evening, Roberts was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Philadelphia as doctors were concerned that he was suffering from bleeding on his brain.

Roberts ended up being diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage and was hospitalized for 11 days.

“That experience was eye-opening — it really opens your eyes up to the idea that football can be taken away from you at any moment,” said Roberts. “The coaches and the training staff had a crazy support system. Every day I was in the hospital I had somebody there. They made sure I was ready mentally. They helped my figure out my classes. It was going to be a good load for me when I came back because I did miss two weeks. It was just get back on my feet and get rolling.”

Defensive back Roberts returned to the field for the Tigers that fall and emerged as key performer in the secondary, eventually moving into the starting lineup as he made 21 tackles and had three interceptions.

Last season, Roberts, a 5’11, 185-pound native of Orlando, Fla., blossomed into a second-team All-Ivy League performer, contributing 42 tackles and four interceptions, including a pick six in a 38-28 win over Lafayette.

Despite Roberts’ heroics, the Tigers struggled as they posted their second straight 3-7 campaign.

As Princeton started their preseason practices in late August in preparation for their season opener this Saturday at Bryant (2-1), the Tigers are determined to get back on the winning track.

“The energy this year is, put everything that is happened in the past in the past,” said Roberts, noting that he hasn’t had any medical setback since the episode in 2024. “Last season was not a reflection of who we really are. Everything has been about reestablishing our culture and bringing the young guys up.”

The team’s senior group is taking the lead in that process.

“We have a great mentor-mentee program that we are running right now during meals,” said Roberts, who was speaking at the program’s annual media day. “It is making sure that we are sitting with different young guys to get to know them and make sure they feel welcome and also remind them to show up every day and the position can be theirs.”

As Princeton looks to turn losses into wins, the focus is on attention to detail.

“It just comes down to little details, little things that we have given up, like limiting explosive plays,” said Roberts. “It just comes down to the want-to mentality, that is a big thing we have talked about this offseason. It is the want-to mentality to come out every week with the same energy, no matter the result from the week before or the seasons prior.”

In the view of Roberts, the squad’s secondary group will be bringing plenty of energy.

“I would say the secondary group is even stronger,” said Roberts. “We keep refining the details, going over our mistakes from last year. The best thing about this year has been the senior leadership in that room and bringing the younger guys up because we do have a lot of young guys who can play. We want to make sure that they feel that too.”

Getting named as a team co-captain this fall along with senior defensive back Evan Haynie, senior tight end Joey Wassler, and senior offensive lineman Oyintare Porbeni, Roberts feels a responsibility to guide the defensive group.

“I have been taking on a leadership role alongside with Evan,” said Roberts. “Our goal is to just continue to rally the guys. It is control what we can control on the defensive side of the ball and everything is going to take care of itself.”

Princeton head coach Bob Surace likens Roberts’ ability to rally the guys with his zest for the game to that of former Tiger star linebacker Jeremiah Tyler ’22.

“You would see Jeremiah play with such joy out there, that is his playground and that is Torian,” said Surace. “Since Jeremiah, he is the best I have had in raising the level of energy. It is fine now but in about nine days these guys are exhausted and you need a guy who just comes out to practice and is gung ho. Somehow it is that snowball effect and the next thing you know there are 100 guys who have got energy.”

In addition to bringing energy, Roberts is looking to sharpen his approach to preparation.

“I would say it was just the mental aspect of the game, going back and looking at myself and looking at the little mistakes I messed up on in the season prior,” said Roberts. “It is continue to refine those skills. Film study has been a big one as well and looking at the smaller stuff that I wasn’t looking at when I was younger.”

Coming into this fall, Roberts is looking to do some big things.

“This offseason I worked on getting my weight up and my strength up in the weight room,” said Roberts. “Then I just refined my skills on the field. I had to work a lot on my feet transition and stuff. I am ready for a big season, I am ready to show what I can do and what we can do as a team.”

In order for the Tigers to right the ship this fall, they will need to do a better job of keeping their heads in
the game.

“We have to come together as a team, we can’t have any busted coverages,” said Roberts. “It is going to be a really big mental year for us, we are going to have to figure it out on the mental side of the game.”

Roberts, for his part, is confident that Princeton will figure things out.

“The 2026 Tigers are coming for it all,” said Roberts. “We want the Ivy League championship and that is what we are going to do.”