Robinson chosen AP All-American

[Total Red]

James Robinson was selected as an AP FCS All-American last week. He was on the 3rd team but his yards per carry were better than anyone on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd teams. It appears they were largely chosen by total yards. Robinson had 5.7 ypc in '17 and I said he should set his sights on the 6.1 ypc Coprich had in both '14 and '15. Robinson reached that numer and surpassed it with 6.3 yards per carry this past season. His rushing total of 1290 yards was very good and it could have been better if he had been given more carries but with Markel Smith also cranking out 6.0 ypc it wasn't necessary.

Lots of things make Robinson a great runner. He has a nice burst, he can power through tacklers and he can make people miss which could lead to a future in burlesque theatre because he can show you a leg and take it away before you can get there.

All good, but I think his best attribute is patience. He doesn't go full speed all the time. He'll chug along behind his blockers while looking for the cutback and if it's there he'll find it and then take off.

Not all backs do that. For most of his career here Jamal Towns didn't do it. He had speed and he just ran really hard in the direction the hole was supposed to be. He didn't play a lot until he was a senior so he was probably afraid to run less than full speed for fear of being pulled for another back. Finally the last half of his senior year he started reading the blocking and looking for the cutback and Towns played his best ball.

Robinson doesn't have to worry about getting carries and he plays like a back that has had a 1,000 of them. He's loaded with experience and he knows he doesn't have to do it all on one carry. His vision and instincts tell him when to speed up and slow down because you can't make a good cut going full tilt.

Robinson will be back and his offensive line might be even better. That could lead to a crazy good season and put an end to these 3rd team insults.

 

[MadBird]

Yes to all of that.

And one more thing - people sometimes fuss about recruits from "small schools", and here's a guy who played at a pretty small high school (350 or so students?). And he didn't jump out of the box and overwhelm, but it didn't take him long to shine. It's about what's inside not where you played.

Looking forward to next year.

 

[fourthandshort]

ironically, he was so good in HS, he got here and was out of shape. Then had an injury mid-year of his true FR season. then came back too early for UCA playoff game, but we lost so it didn't matter. My point is ... think where he could be if not for that .. say if he would have redshirted. I've 2nd guessed some other decisions to not redshirt certain guys .. Coprich no less should have been redshirted without doubt, He had 15 carries and was our KR, and a very average KR ... but I also get that some FR demand to play. So they knew Coprich was a good one and maybe gave into is demand to play.

Back to Robinson .. he was physically ready, even if his conditioning was not there yet. But the dude can flat out run, so he played. So I'm just saying, imagine him if he came here in shape, or didn't get injured, or had gotten redshirted ... imagine what he could have done his true FR or RS FR years. I think his trajectory as an all american would have been a full year sooner. As it is, he made 1st team all conference as a SO and 3rd team all american as JR.

Conclusion, next year shoule be better than this year .. especially if we figure out pass game this offseason.

p.s. and I hope Markel Smith stays out of Spack's doghouse. We need him and Robinson if we're going to make a playoff run. Robinson is at times better than Coprich, but we can't run him as much as we did Coprich .. Coprich was special in that regard. So we need Robinson and Smith both productive (67/33 split works for me !!) ... look no further than NDSU for the model .. they're going to Frisco for 7th time in 8 years.

Come on Markel ... figure it out, we need you too !!!!

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

ironically, he was so good in HS, he got here and was out of shape. Then had an injury mid-year of his true FR season. then came back too early for UCA playoff game, but we lost so it didn't matter. My point is ... think where he could be if not for that .. say if he would have redshirted. I've 2nd guessed some other decisions to not redshirt certain guys .. Coprich no less should have been redshirted without doubt, He had 15 carries and was our KR, and a very average KR ... but I also get that some FR demand to play. So they knew Coprich was a good one and maybe gave into is demand to play.

Back to Robinson .. he was physically ready, even if his conditioning was not there yet. But the dude can flat out run, so he played. So I'm just saying, imagine him if he came here in shape, or didn't get injured, or had gotten redshirted ... imagine what he could have done his true FR or RS FR years. I think his trajectory as an all american would have been a full year sooner. As it is, he made 1st team all conference as a SO and 3rd team all american as JR.

Conclusion, next year shoule be better than this year .. especially if we figure out pass game this offseason.

p.s. and I hope Markel Smith stays out of Spack's doghouse. We need him and Robinson if we're going to make a playoff run. Robinson is at times better than Coprich, but we can't run him as much as we did Coprich .. Coprich was special in that regard. So we need Robinson and Smith both productive (67/33 split works for me !!) ... look no further than NDSU for the model .. they're going to Frisco for 7th time in 8 years.

Come on Markel ... figure it out, we need you too !!!!

Got here and was out of shape...OK what about our strength and conditioning program?...does not say much for these coaches if he was still out of shape come game time.

Robinson is a very good back. No doubt he was best in MVC, at least in my mind.

 

[fourthandshort]

Eh .. as true FR all you have is OTAs until August camp starts with coaches. My info led me to believe he was at least 10 lbs overweight his FR year .. maybe more. He has since toned things up considerably under our strength program ... hard to do that in one summer as FR I'd you show up over weight. Cant just take off 10 or 15 lbs in that little time and still have energy to survive camp. When your that talented, you can get away with it to some extent.