Robinson worthy of national spotlight
Teammates praise Doak Walker finalist
AUSTIN — These days, Bijan Robinson's Texas teammates tend to react to questions posed about the star running back with a laugh. Because honestly, they don't really know what to say anymore.
So they just chuckle at the magnificent absurdity of what Robinson does on a football field, searching for the words to describe an ineffable talent. “I mean … I can't really describe Bijan,” mystified center Jake Majors said after Robinson ran for 243 yards and four touchdowns in two and a half quarters of a blowout win over Kansas. “I don't know. He's just ‘him.' People reference who's ‘him,' he's ‘him.'”
Well, a few weeks from now Majors and the rest of the Longhorns might have at least one new way to describe Robinson: Doak Walker Award winner.
Robinson on Tuesday was revealed as one of three finalists for an honor that's been bestowed upon the nation's top running back since 1990. Michigan's Blake Corum and Illinois' Chase Brown joined Robinson as finalists.
The announcement shouldn't have surprised anyone. Robinson has fueled 20th-ranked Texas' offense all season, topping 100 total yards in 11 of 12 games while surging to No. 4 on the program's all-time list of rushing leaders with 3,410 career yards on the ground. He's scored 20 total touchdowns, finding the end zone in all but two games while averaging 6.1 yards per carry and 6.8 yards per touch.
If Robinson claims the award during an Espn-televised awards banquet on Dec. 8, he'll join former Longhorns Ricky Williams (1997, 1998), Cedric Benson (2004) and D'onta Foreman (2016) among a distinguished list of winners.
“First, I want to give glory to God for being recognized for this award,” Robinson said. "I'm truly honored to be among this great group of finalists. It's definitely a blessing, and I'm
very thankful for that. When I think about it, words really can't describe what it means, but being considered for the Doak Walker Award is something every running back dreams of. I'm so fortunate that every time I walk into our football building, I get to see the trophy that Ricky, Cedric and D'onta earned during their time here.”
Most metrics paint Robinson as the best running back in the nation. And no one can compete with his highlight reel, which features an array of bruising runs, balletic escapes and uncanny fingertip catches.
Robinson ranks fourth nationally in rushing touchdowns (18), fifth in rushing yards (1,580) and all-purpose yards per game (157.83) and sixth in rushing yards per game
(131.7). Among the Doak finalists, Robinson leads the trio in yards per carry (6.1), broken tackles per 20
carries (6.7), and yards per attempt after contact (3.9), according to tracking data from Sports Information
Solutions.
The superstar junior finished the regular season with the nation's second-best
running (95.1) and offensive (94.4) grades, trailing only Corum (95.8 and 95.9, respectively). He also played 105 more snaps than his Wolverine counterpart while leading the nation in broken tackles (99) and ranking fourth in total yards after contact (1,041).
“He continues to do things that we probably take for granted of just what he's able to do in his style of play, to create those explosive plays for us,” Sarkisian said. “He's exactly the type of player the Doak Walker Award represents and then some. He's unique in that he's a tremendous player – with the ability to run the ball, catch the ball and block – but is also one of the better human beings you will ever meet.”
Regardless of whether Robinson becomes the fourth Longhorn to win the Doak Walker Award, his third and potentially final collegiate season will
be remembered as one of the finest in school history.
With a bowl game remaining, Robinson sits fifth in total touchdowns and 100-yard rushing yards (nine), seventh in all-purpose yards and rushing yards and eight in receiving yards by a halfback (305) on the school's single-seasons lists.
Asked about his remarkable season, Robinson was quick to deflect attention to the folks he routinely leaves speechless.
“I do need to say I wouldn't be in this position to even be considered for such a special award without my coaches and teammates,” Robinson said. “I'm up for this because of what we've accomplished, and if I'm blessed to win it, it will be because of we, not me.”