Robinson's impact on the OSU ground game
Published: 8/18/2009 4:09 PM
Last Modified: 8/18/2009 4:09 PM
Ideally, OSU could use Zac Robinson only as a distributor of the football – passing to Dez Bryant, handing off to Kendall Hunter – and continue to get 41 points and 488 total yards per game (last year's averages).
Robinson would be spared the type of beating that he absorbed during the second half of the Holiday Bowl. His legs wouldn't be as stressed as they apparently were on Aug. 8, when he sustained a slight hamstring injury that left him mostly inactive for the next nine practice sessions. Robinson, OSU's career leader in total offense, returned to the practice field on Tuesday.
But coach Mike Gundy, responsible for the play-calling and mindful of the problems that the Cowboy quarterback run game has presented to opposing defenses, says he plans to use Robinson as a ball-carrier and option practitioner again this season.
"If the defense allows us the opportunity to run the quarterback, we will run him."
A statistical review of Robinson's impact on the Cowboy ground game:
* During the 2008 season (Zac Robinson's first full season as the starting quarterback), OSU scored 38 rushing TDs while averaging 246 rushing yards and 488 total yards.
* During the 2006 season (Bobby Reid's only full season as the starting QB), the Cowboys scored 28 rushing touchdowns while averaging 208 rushing yards and 410 total yards per game.
* In Robinson's 24 starts overall, OSU has scored 65 rushing touchdowns.
* Robinson has rushed for 1,553 yards. Last season, he ran for 700. If he matches that total this season, he would complete his OSU run at No. 12 on the school's career rushing list. Robinson needs 318 yards to supplant Brent Blackman (1971-73) as the most prolific running quarterback in school history.
-- Bill Haisten
Written by
Bill Haisten
Sports Writer
