The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lead Lion ready to meet high expectations
Robinson is high-volume RB, LB and co-captain
The phrase, “To whom much is given, much will be required,” is not lost on Jack Robinson.
In a few short weeks, Robinson and the Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin football team will embark on their 2019 season.
Robinson, an ultra-talented, highly motivated running back and linebacker, is ready to do his part — and then some.
As a junior, Robinson surpassed 1,000 yards rushing on offense and eclipsed the 100-tackle mark as a linebacker on defense.
With his senior year on the doorstep, Robinson put in extra work this offseason and preseason to live up to the talent bestowed upon him.
Expectations, he said, are high not only for him, but for his teammates.
Thus the phrase, “To whom much is given, much will be required.”
“Expectations are very high. I know that,” Robinson said during a recent workout in the Lions’ weight room.
“The coaches placed a lot of trust in me. I’m going to do everything in my power to exceed those expectations.”
Robinson had a breakout season in 2018. He showed he could be a bellcow back on offense, providing a hard-nosed running style to go with the air attack given by quarterback Nick Gattozzi.
Defensively, he didn’t take a break. He was a ballhawking linebacker who delivered hits with ferocity and tenacity.
With the bar set his following his junior year, Robinson hit the weight room and training regimen even harder this offseason.
Because of his productivity on the field, coupled with his leadership and
workout regimen, Robinson was recently named an NDCL captain for this season along with Dominic Dutton and Jimmy Mitchell.
“For a guy like Jack ... expectations are extremely high,” said NDCL coach Andrew Mooney. “We put a lot on his shoulders last year as a true two-way player. He’ll have even more of that this year, on top of that being selected a team captain.
“There’s a lot on his shoulders, but we are very confident he can handle that.”
As any good leader does, Robinson spends more time crediting the teammates around him than he does himself. He raves of the offensive line NDCL will put in front of him this year, including fellow-captain Dutton, the “big body and big expectations” of Brian Taylor, the “great footwork” of
Jeff Conforte, the intelligence of Robert Tamburrino and the strength of Danny Hoenigman.
“The run sets up the pass and the pass sets up the run,” Robinson said of the importance of a balanced offense, one which depends on the line. “It’ll be very important for us to get good running so when we do look to pass, we’ll have receivers open.”
Robinson has confidence in whoever takes over for Gattozzi at quarterback, whether it’s Jimmy Mitchell or Jon Sharp. If not at quarterback, Mitchell is part of a slick receiving group that includes one of the area’s best deep-ball threats in David Martin Kosier.
On defense side of the ball, Robinson lauds the deep, powerful defensive line in front of him that returns seven of the eight rotational players in the
trenches.
Robinson granted that his college prospects are likely on the defensive side of the ball, which is fine with him. But he does relish the opportunity to tote the rock on offense.
“I always look forward to running the ball,” he said. “I’m looking into colleges for defense. I feel I could switch inside or outside at linebacker. But I sort of like running the ball more, I’d have to say.”
Mooney considers Robinson the complete package.
“He’s a very good physical and verbal leader,” Mooney said. “You can’t really ask for a better person in that position for us.”
NDCL opens its season on Aug. 30 against South. The Lions are coming off a 7-3 season in which they missed out on the Division III, Region 9 playoffs.
But as it is with their
leader Robinson, goals are high this season for improvement.
“The drive in the offseason was hard,” Robinson said. “We know we have a tougher schedule this year. ... It’s a continuous grind. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure we’re ready.”