Brian Robinson Jr. Shines on Senior Day
Tuscaloosa native Brian Robinson Jr. had patiently waited his turn behind a number of NFL running backs to become the bell cow in Alabama’s offense and his decision to return to school for his fifth season has certainly payed off.
On a day where the seniors were honored inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, Robinson gave one last great performance in front of his hometown crowd. He carried the ball 27 times for 122 yards, but it wasn’t about the yardage and more so about how he carried the ball. At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, Robinson ran with a physical nature, punishing any Arkansas defenders in his path. He also ran with great vision and balance and played an essential role in extending drives for Alabama.
With injuries slowly decimating Alabama’s running back room, Robinson talked this past week about carrying a heavier workload. "Whatever is necessary," Robinson said. "I feel like I'm preparing myself. I'm ready for whatever it is I need to do to help this team and be effective to this offense. If it's 20 carries, 30 carries, I'm ready for whatever."
On the season, Robinson has rushed for 945 yards on 191 carries for an SEC-best 14 touchdowns. He has also caught 26 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. With an abundance of running backs in the NFL from the University of Alabama, Robinson is next in line to be carrying the rock on Sundays.
The Crimson Tide will return to action next Saturday to face the Auburn Tigers in the annual Iron Bowl. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and will air on CBS.