Bijan Robinson was seven years old when he first played football.
Robinson suited up for the Tucson Hawks of the National Youth Sports (NYS) league and soon found the 100-yard field with dashed lines, two field goal posts and end zones would be his sanctuary. He scored six touchdowns in his first-ever football game.
“It was quick, and that’s when I knew this is what I want to do,” said Robinson. “Football was my love before, but when I put on the pads, it was clear.”
Robinson’s football career has taken him from the Hawks to the Tucson Youth Football Broncos, Salpointe Catholic High School — and, soon, to college. Robinson, one of the most sought after recruits in recent Tucson prep sports history, will make the most difficult decision of his life Friday afternoon. Ohio State or Texas? Austin or Columbus? Big Ten or Big 12?
The 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound Robinson is rated as a five-star prospect and the third-best running back in the 2020 recruiting class, per 247sports.com.
Both of the schools Robinson is considering are known for producing running backs.
Texas produced Ricky Williams and Earl Campbell, both of whom won Heisman trophies before moving on to the NFL, where they combined to gain 19,416 yards. The Longhorns also developed running backs Cedric Benson, Jamaal Charles and Eric Metcalf, all of whom had successful college and NFL careers.
Ohio State isn’t much different. Four of the Buckeyes’ Heisman winners were running backs, including Archie Griffin — the only player to win it twice — and Eddie George.
The current regimes at both schools know what makes a running back great.
Tom Herman’s Texas staff features running backs coach Stan Drayton, a former Ohio State assistant who mentored Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott in Columbus. Drayton also coached former All-Pro running back Arian Foster at Tennessee and Matt Forte with the Chicago Bears. Ohio State’s current running backs coach, Tony Alford, replaced Drayton in 2015 and had Elliott for one season.
The coaching staffs are “similar in a lot of ways,” Robinson said. “The coaching is similar because they all came from big places. The Texas coaches were at Ohio State and won a championship so they have a lot of experience. They’re both football towns. They bleed football and that’s what they come to see.”
Robinson has weighed the nerve-wracking decision ever since he narrowed his list down earlier this summer. Sometimes a Tucson kid can feel the pressure from locals who want to watch an uber-talented player thrive in their hometown. Robinson said he never felt pressured during the recruiting process — even when his phone consistently had over 1,000 unread text messages from coaches, recruiting coordinators and peers.
Instead, he focused on his family.
“It all started when I first played football. They were at every game, and even if some couldn’t make it, there were still a lot there,” Robinson said.
“Ever since I was with the Broncos in Pop Warner, they always came strong and always came to support. You can hear them from a mile away, especially my grandma. She always says, ‘That’s my grandson!’ I love that support for every game because it shows that I have family that supports me through everything.”
Robinson’s decision could put Tucson on the radar for some of the best programs in college football. Just last year, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh — khaki pants and all — visited Salpointe Catholic’s campus to recruit Robinson and teammate Lathan Ransom.LSU, USC, Washington, Nebraska, Florida, Auburn and Notre Dame wanted Robinson. Alabama did, too, offering him a scholarship just as Robinson was about ready to devour a lemon-mango-strawbeery Eeegee and french fries.
How often does that happen?
“To get coaches from Ohio State, Texas, Alabama — they have our area now,” Robinson said. “They’ll look at Tucson kids more now, and it gives Tucson kids more confidence to be great and want to do big things.”
So what’ll it be, Mr. Robinson?
