FAU’s Robison must ‘keep improving, handle success’
Freshman threw for program-record 471 yards, 3 TDs Saturday.
BOCARATON — Saturday wasworth the wait for Chris Robison.
Only a week after struggling in his first college start in a 63-14 loss to No. 7 Oklahoma, Robison showcased the talent that made him a four-star recruit out of high school. Making his FAU Stadium debut hoping to extend a seven-game home winning streak, Robison threw for a program-record 471 yards and three touchdowns Saturday as Florida Atlantic (1-1) escaped with a 33-27 win
over Air Force.
“You go from (Oklahoma) and the magnitude of that place to this game and at home, you’re more comfortable anyway,” FAU coach Lane Kiffin said. “I thought this guy was pretty good all along. He showed it today and now, he’s gonna have to keep improving and handle success.”
Robison became the first freshman to start a home opener since FAU Stadium opened in 2011. Rob-
ison beat out graduate student Rafe Peavey (SMU) and De’Andre Johnson for the starting quarterback job, but was not guaranteed the start against Air Force (1-1) until late last week.
And if there were any doubts about how Robison could fare at this level, let Saturday potentially be a sign of things to come. The 471 passing yards were eight more than Rusty Smith’s 463 in a 42-39 win over Minnesota on Sept. 15, 2007. Robison’s 82.5 completion percentage was the highest single-game mark in program history, barely passing the 82.4 percent Jason Driskel had in last November’s 48-23 win over Louisiana Tech. Driskel was 14 of 17 that day.
Robison’s 33 completions were second-most in program history, two behind Smith’s 35 in a 33-30 loss to Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 27, 2007. Many of Robison’s completions were flflips or shovel tosses to wide receivers that are defifined as receptions. But Robison still showed a brilliant deep arm on Saturday afternoon, hitting former West Virginia wide receiver Jovon Durante for a 48-yard touchdown early in the third quarter.
“Once we ran that play once, we saw we kept getting positive yards,” Durante said. “Coaches just kept it in the game plan and kept running it.”
Kiffin announced on his Sunday teleconference that Robison will start for the third straight week against Bethune-Cookman (1-1) when the Wildcats come to FAU Stadium on Saturday.
Team rules prohibit Robison, a redshirt freshman, from speaking to the media, though his play against Air Force said plenty. No FAU quarterback had completed 30 passes in a game since Jaquez Johnson was 31 of 50 in a 42-35 loss to Middle Tennessee on Sept .21,2013. Ki ffi ff i ff iffi ff if fin won his fifinal game at Southern Cal that day, taking down Utah State 17-14 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Robison also became the first FAU quarter back to throw at least 40 times in a game since Johnson was 19 of 42 in a 38-10 loss to Florida International on Oct. 2, 2014.
“He took it to (another) level today,” said sophomore Willie Wright, who caught two of Robison’s three touchdown passes. “Coaches put pressure on the receivers to make plays and they made plays. Guess you saw the results.”
Robison’s 462 yards of total offense (471 passing yards and -9 rushing yards) are the most by any FAU quarterback and his 11.7 average gain per play is fourth all-time. No FAU freshman quarterback – not even Smith, who was the last freshman to start a season opener prior to Robison – had thrown three touchdowns in a game before Robison accomplished the feat Saturday.
Wide receiver Tavaris Harrison had a career-high seven receptions and 138 yards in his second straight start. The redshirt junior praised Robison’s confifidence and leadership ability.
“He tells us just go out there and run it,” Harrison said.
Robison is still raw and prone to mistakes. He was nearly intercepted at one point when he tried hitting Durante on a deep ball instead of throwing to a wide-open Wright near the sideline.