The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 61 ❱ IN MEMORIAM moved to Austin, Texas," the Go- Fu n d Me pa ge sa i d . " T h e re , C ra i g started working for various tech start- ups while building an online defensive line coaching football business. More importantly, he and Chelsea started their family in September 2021, when Craig became a father to their son, Max, now 2½ years old and already showing the athletic prowess of his father." Roh committed to Michigan in the fall of 2008 during head coach Rich Rodri- guez's first season on the job after earn- ing scholarship offers from the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Nebraska, Stanford, UCLA, USC and others. Mul- tiple outlets had him as a top-100 pros- pect and four-star recruit. During his time at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Roh helped lead his team to the Arizona Class 4A-1 state championship game and was the 2008-09 Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona. His senior stats saw him put up 140 tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, 1 interception and 2 fumble recoveries. Roh was also a star in the classroom with a 4.3 grade point av- erage, earning a 2009 Scholar Athlete Award from the College Football Hall of Fame. Roh played in the 2009 Under Ar- mour All-America Game before enroll- ing at Michigan in the summer of that year. He was high school teammates with Taylor Lewan, a fellow future U-M standout, who shared a lengthy tribute on social media to his former peer. "Craig and I had a very unique rela- tionship, and we didn't have the best friendship at times," Lewan wrote. "We were polar opposites, Craig was more soft-spoken, mature and focused when we met, and I was a loud loose cannon with zero situational awareness. "A lot of times when people pass there are a lot of messages about how someone changed their life, and in this case it's more true than most. When I was at Cactus Shadows High School I played nose tackle and wasn't very good. My dad made me transfer to Chaparral because there was this kid who had 20 offers from major Power 5 schools and the idea was if I went there then when the scouts came they would see me too and maybe I had a chance to play in college. "The first time I met Craig I was sitting in the weight room in Chapar- ral and Craig walked up to me. Before even introducing himself, he gave me a hug and thanked me for coming to the school. His words were 'We are gonna make each other so much better,' and he was right. "When we first got to school Craig and I were roommates and fought con- stantly but like brothers. We would be in a shoving match one minute and the next like nothing ever happened. I've told this story before but Craig would always be in his Bible and writing at the end of the night and one night I decided when he wasn't there to snoop at what he was always writing about. I found pages of notes and in his Bible a sticky pad that doubled as a book marker. On it read 'people to pray for.' There were 3 or 4 people on there with an explana- tion for all of them and the last name on the list was mine with no explana- tion at all. "Without Craig I would never have the opportunity to live the life I do now. I would never make it to college, never go to the NFL, and would never be sit- ting in the position I am today. "So, Craig Roh really and truly did change my life for the better. I'm heart- broken for his wife Chelsea and their young son who now has to grow up without his father. Anyone who knew Craig knew at his core he was a good person who always tried his best re- gardless of the circumstances." Several other teammates and col- leagues shared their tributes and con- dolences via social media. Others in the community, including current football head coach Sherrone Moore, released a statement on Roh's passing. "I am saddened to hear about the passing of former defensive end Craig Roh, our program's all-time leader in [consecutive] career starts," Moore said. "My heart goes out to his family during this difficult time. The entire Roh fam- ily is in my thoughts and prayers, and we hope for peace and comfort for all who knew this great Wolverine." Former U-M teammate Jordan Ko- vacs, now a secondary/safeties coach with the Cincinnati Bengals, said: "We lost a good one today. Craig was one of the best teammates and friends I could have ever asked for. Kind and funny, he was always a joy to be around. I think I'll play a little Super Smash [Bros] and eat 3 Chipotle burritos to celebrate his wonderful life. He was a gem! RIP, brother!" A memorial service was held for Roh at Camelback Bible Church in Para- dise Valley, Ariz., on March 16. The Go- FundMe page surpassed the $240,000 mark on the day the service was held with a goal set for $300,000. ❑ Roh is survived by his wife, Chelsea, and their son, Max. Those interested in helping his family are encouraged to contribute to his GoFundMe account. PHOTO COURTESY ROH FAMILY