It is hard for a freshman football player to generate excitement before training in his first practice in pads. Most freshmen do not hit campus until the summer. They have been overshadowed by the standouts on campus who participated in winter conditioning and spring practice. Once most freshmen hit campus, they spend a lot of time acclimating to the strength and conditioning program. As their heads continue to spin, they are thrown into training camp and that is when it becomes obvious many will need to redshirt and learn from the sidelines in year one.
Texas freshman running back Bijan Robinson is breaking the traditional rules.
Many Longhorn observers were impressed after watching a short clip of Robinson making catches with one hand on Twitter in late June. Receivers make those catches all the time. That is not something we normally see with running backs. It was easy to dismiss that clip as a one-off and keep it moving. Of course, Robinson was featured on Texas’ official Twitter feed during practice a few weeks later, and it seemed like a trend was emerging. The Orangebloods crew discussed Robinson at length on The TicketCity Podcast. During a recent column by Ketch, he speculated how Robinson would be used this season.
I checked in with my sources and asked about Robinson this past week. The Longhorns are currently working out 20 hours a week, which includes walkthroughs, and 7-on-7 after each practice. Honestly, I was prepared for a standard reply.
The response was nothing like I expected.
Texas has big plans for Robinson.
I know what some of you are saying.
Duh?
Obviously, the Longhorn staff has a plan for Robinson. He is arguably the best recruit signed by coach Tom Herman during his tenure at Texas. Robinson is a 5-star running back, which means he has a 50-50 chance at worst of entering the NFL after three or four years. Unless Herman is interested in working at the new Tesla plant in Austin, he should have a plan for Robinson.
However, this situation seems different.
I cannot remember a freshman who excited everyone in the building like Robinson throughout Herman’s tenure. Heck, I cannot remember a freshman who has generated this kind of buzz since I arrived in Austin. I recall some enthusiasm about Shane Buechele (insert "and ain't even close" here), Sam Ehlinger, and even Caden Sterns. Nothing I heard about them matches the excitement being generated by about Robinson right now.
According to my sources, Robinson has been turning heads from the moment he stepped on campus. He has impressed players and coaches by the way he looks, runs and acts.
One person told me, “that dude looks like a man.”
Uh, have you seen our dad bods?
We are men and have never looked like that.
“Fair enough, Anwar,” I was told through laughter.
I was also told multiple players have asked staff members if Robinson is actually 18-years-old because he has the body of an NFL running back.
“Fellas, that is what a 5-star running back looks like,” was the response to their inquisitions.
I asked my sources what to expect from Robinson in year one. Is he a player they expect to compete for the No.1 position this year? Backup? Will he contribute?
The answer was interesting.
According to my sources, Herman and running backs coach Stan Drayton are planning to use Robinson the same way they utilized Ezekiel Elliott as a freshman at Ohio State in 2013.
Yes, Robinson is on the Elliott development plan.
Considering Elliott is kind of big deal, it was worth looking up his usage that season.
Elliott (former 4-star running back) rushed 30 times for 262 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman. He played on special teams in year one, and Ohio State leaned on running back Carlos Hyde, who finished that season with 208 carries for 1,521 yards and 12 touchdowns. The team’s second-leading rusher was quarterback Braxton Miller, who had 171 carries for 1,068 yards and 12 touchdowns. From a running back perspective, Jordan Hall had 81 carries for 536 yards and eight touchdowns, and Elliott was the team’s third-leading rusher.
That appears similar to the situation at Texas.
Keaontay Ingram enters this season as Herman and Drayton’s No.1 running back, finishing with 144 attempts for 853 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. Roschon Johnson is the No.2 running back, rushing 123 times for 649 yards and seven touchdowns last year. Longhorn quarterback Sam Ehlinger is utilized in the run game - clearly, he does not compare to Miller as a rusher. From what I was told, Robinson will be the third running back option this season.
However, Robinson will be given every chance to receive more playing time in 2020.
After seeing Elliott’s modest freshman numbers, I looked up the performances of every 5-star running throughout the past 10 years for perspective. Overall, only four of 32 players had over 1,000 yards rushing as a freshman. The majority of players had minor contributions in year one as they learned, which means Longhorn observers should place reasonable expectations on Robinson this season.
I know.
This is Orangebloods.
Here is the list:
2019
Trey Sanders, Alabama – did not play due to a knee injury
2018
Zamir White, Georgia – rushed 78 times for 408 yards and three touchdowns
Lorenzo Lingard, Miami – rushed 17 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns
2017
Najee Harris, Alabama – rushed 61 times for 370 yards and three touchdowns
Cam Akers, FSU – rushed 194 times for 1,025 yards and seven touchdowns
2016
No 5-stars
2015
Damien Harris, Alabama – rushed 46 times for 157 yards and one touchdown
Derrius Guice, LSU – rushed 51 times for 436 yards and three touchdowns
Jacques Patrick, FSU – rushed 63 times for 314 yards and five touchdowns
Soso Jamabo, UCLA – rushed 66 times for 404 yards and four touchdowns
2014
Leonard Fournette, LSU – rushed 187 times for 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns
Racean “Roc” Thomas, Auburn – rushed 43 times for 214 yards and two touchdowns
Sony Michel, Georgia – rushed 64 times for 410 yards and five touchdowns
Elijah Hood, North Carolina – rushed 67 times for 259 yards and four touchdowns
Jalen Hurd, Tennessee – rushed 190 times for 899 yards and five touchdowns
2013
Derrick Green, Michigan – rushed 83 times for 270 times for two touchdowns
Thomas Tyner, Oregon – rushed 115 times for 711 yards and nine touchdowns
Greg Bryant, Notre Dame – rushed three times for 14 yards
Ty Isaac, USC – rushed 40 times for 236 yards and two touchdowns
2012
Johnathan Gray, Texas – rushed 149 times for 701 yards and three touchdowns
T.J. Yeldon, Alabama – rushed 175 times for 1,108 yards and 12 touchdowns
Trey Williams, Texas A&M – rushed 65 times for 376 yards and five touchdowns
2011
Malcolm Brown, Texas – rushed 172 times for 742 yards and five touchdowns
James Wilder Jr., FSU – rushed 35 times for 160 yards and one touchdown
Brandon Williams, Oklahoma – rushed 46 times for 219 yards
Isaiah Crowell, Georgia – rushed 185 times for 850 yards and five touchdowns
Mike Bellamy, Clemson – rushed 57 times for 343 yards and three touchdowns
2010
Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina – rushed 249 times for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns
Michael Dyer, Auburn – rushed 182 times for 1,093 yards and five touchdowns
Lache Seastrunk, Oregon – redshirted and transferred to Baylor
2009
Bryce Brown, Tennessee – rushed 101 times for 460 yards and three touchdowns
Trent Richardson, Alabama – rushed 195 times for 751 yards and 8 touchdowns
Christine Michael, Texas A&M – rushed 166 times for 844 yards and 10 touchdowns
My sources acknowledge they have not seen Robinson in a full-speed Longhorn practice. He has not absorbed a hit by Joseph Ossai or Juwan Mitchell in practice. Nobody inside the building is willing to say Robinson is “the next … “ at this moment. They are trying to cautious approach.
Nevertheless, Robinson has seized the attention of players and coaches during his short time on campus. Robinson will be given every chance to contribute right away. Ingram and Johnson are ahead of him, but Robinson is good enough to compete for touches this year. If Robinson emerges into a major asset in year one, I sense he will move up the depth chart.
It is hard for a freshman to stand out before training camp.
Robinson is breaking the traditional rules.
Texas has big plans for Robinson.
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
You are going to watch this one multiple times, trust me
Give this golfer credit for not running away from the crime scene
This had to be recorded prior to virus, but still gives you a laugh on Sunday
Sports On A Dime
1. The Big 12 Board of Directors are expected to meet on Monday, and we should finally know what this year’s football schedule will look like. According to The Athletic, there are three options being considered:
Playing nine conference games + one nonconference home game
Playing nine conference games + two nonconference games
Playing up to 12 regular season games, with nine conference games and the ability to schedule up to three nonconference games
My best guess is the Big 12 plays nine conference games and adds one nonconference home contest. The nonconference home game would give teams an opportunity to earn some sort of revenue through ticket sales, even with a reduced crowd. In addition, the schedule needs to have flexibility and allow potential postponements this season. After that, everyone needs to cross their fingers and hope for the best.
2. It has been hard to gather news from 7-on-7 workouts. However, I heard senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger has done a great job of leading behind-the-scenes. Ehlinger has organized the workouts, which occur after each practice (coaches are not allowed to attend). Ehlinger is emphasizing the new wrinkles in Mike Yurcich’s offense during those workouts. His leadership should not come as a surprise to Longhorn fans, but it was note worth sharing.
3. Speaking of Ehlinger, I hope we remember his off-the-field contributions years from now (yes, Longhorn fans, in addition to a Big 12 title this season)
4. I heard a lot of positive things about Brennan Eagles this past week. Eagles continues to display his speed in practice. There are high hopes inside the building Eagles emerges into a standout receiver this season.
5. Kenyatta Watson II does not get a ton of attention, but keep an eye on him in the future. I asked about the cornerback this week and received a lot of great feedback. One source told me Watson is “going to be GREAT.” His breakout season may not occur this year because of the guys ahead of Watson, but the redshirt freshman is expected to have an impact when he eventually starts.
6. Props to Marquise Goodwin for focusing on his family. If your significant other ever endured a miscarriage, you know how helpless of a feeling that is as a man. My oldest son’s mother had a miscarriage while I was at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. I could not catch a flight back to Detroit that night, and she went through our loss alone. It took me years to recover from the guilt of not being there. Goodwin’s wife has endured three miscarriages. I understand why he is putting football aside for one year out of concern for his child. Trust me, there are no stats you can give a family who lost multiple children that will make them feel better about risking their family’s health.
I hope we see Goodwin again in 2021.
7. Maverick fans endured enough pain on Friday night, but performances like that down the stretch just cannot happen
8. Danny Garcia is not a pushover. Errol Spence Jr. needs to be more prepared for this fight than any other bout in his career. Garcia has power in both hands, is hard to knockout, and this is Spence’s first fight since his car accident in October 2019. This is a dangerous fight for Spence.
9. Am I the only one finding it hard to get excited about boxing’s senior tour?
10. Again, I am learning about F1 racing, but here are two thoughts from this rookie after watching qualifying for the British Grand Prix on Saturday (race is on Sunday).
After Hamilton’s car spun in the second session, I was not sure how he would respond. Oh, Hamilton only made it to Q3 and set a track record. Hamilton and Mercedes are seemingly the equivalent of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
A friend suggested Carlos Sainz is looking so good, he might look great with Ferrari next year. Considering his performance in that McLaren car, it is hard to argue against that thought. What do you think?
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