Bijan Robinson's Heisman Trophy campaign lacks wins
D’Onta Foreman won the Doak Walker Award in 2016 after a year in which he tallied 2028 yards and 15 touchdowns. He racked up 100 rushing yards in all 11 games he played, including a 341-yard, three-touchdown performance versus Texas Tech that helped the Longhorns top Patrick Mahomes’ Red Raiders.
It was one of the most prolific years ever produced by a Longhorn running back, a lofty description considering the greats who have donned burnt orange and white, and placed Foreman in the elite company of Texas tailbacks honored as the nation’s best.
[Subscribe to Inside Texas and get 50% off an annual or monthly membership!]
But Texas finished the 2016 season with a 5-7 record, and Foreman finished eighth in Heisman voting. Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson took home the honor for the best player in college football with Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield finishing second and third, respectively.
Foreman had his moment; the massive performance against Texas Tech. He had his stats; only Ricky Williams has topped 2000 yards while wearing a Texas uniform. His team lacked the wins needed to solidify a Heisman campaign, and Foreman finished the 2016 season without a trip to New York City.
Texas tailback Bijan Robinson arguably has his “Heisman moment” in 2021, even though it came in a stunning defeat. With ESPN’s Chris Fowler on the television call in front of a national audience, Robinson eluded almost every Oklahoma Sooner defender who came near him. Fowler exclaimed Robinson was “looking like Reggie Bush” as he sprinted toward the end zone.
Robinson is on track for an objectively great year, statistically speaking. His per game average through seven contests has him on pace for 1584 rushing yards, 17 rushing touchdowns, and 354 receiving yards. Though that falls well short of stats produced by the last three running backs to take home the award for college football’s most outstanding player (Alabama’s Derrick Henry rushed 395 times for 2219 yards and 28 touchdowns during his Hesiman season), a handful of wins — say, four or five — likely would be the result of well-played games by Robinson.
Those well-played games paired with Longhorn victories would propel Robinson from “Heisman candidate” into the stratosphere of “Heisman favorite.”
But he’s not there right now. According to BetOnline.ag, Robinson has 20-to-1 odds to take home the honor. Those numbers place him behind Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett, Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, and Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
It isn’t just the oddsmakers who have a hard time seeing Robinson flying north in December.
On3’s Matt Zenitz included Robinson in his most recent Heisman hot board, but Charles Power left the former five-star from Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic off his six-man list. Power included Alabama linebacker Will Anderson in his selection, who does not even carry 100-to-1 odds on BetOnline.ag.
Anderson’s inclusion, plus discussion in some college football circles about campaigns for Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum and Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis, does present an intriguing attribute about this year’s Heisman race as October comes to a close; there is no clear-cut, slam-dunk, for-sure favorite.
Oklahoma’s Caleb Williams entered the discussion with his play versus Texas and TCU, indicating how paltry the list of strong candidates was. He replaced preseason favorite Spencer Rattler in more ways than one.
Ole Miss is 6-1 thanks to the play of quarterback Matt Corral, but still has difficult matchups with Auburn, Texas A&M, and Mississippi State left on the schedule.
Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker is on a similar statistical plane as Robinson, but his Spartans still have matchups against Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State remaining.
Speaking of the Buckeyes, quarterback CJ Stroud has found a groove following some early struggles, including 14 touchdowns in his last three games. Of course, they have the Spartans, Penn State, and heated rival Michigan remaining on the schedule.
The inclusion of some of those names, particularly Williams and Stroud, tell another truth about the Heisman Trophy. In many respects, it can be a ‘what have you done for me lately’ award.
In 2005, Vince Young had a weak close to the regular season versus Texas A&M, amassing 181 total yards and throwing an interception. Who knows what a good game versus the Aggies would have done, as Reggie Bush may have already run away with the honor like he ran away from Fresno State (Young’s Heisman moment came a few weeks after the award was given to Bush).
Colt McCoy finished second to Sooner quarterback Sam Bradford in 2008 despite McCoy and the Longhorns topping OU, 45-35. Bradford had gaudier stats than McCoy, a similar record, and an equal amount of moments on an 11-win team.
Ricky Williams is the best evidence Texas has as far has requiring stats, wins, and a moment. His finish to 1998 against A&M gave his campaign the stats (and Tony Dorsett’s all-time rushing record), the moment (the run), and the win (No. 8) needed to bring the campaign to the finish line.
With the month of November rapidly approaching, Texas has to win out in order to even have a chance at reaching the conference title game. There isn’t much evidence of a player from an average team mounting a successful campaign. The closest thing might be Will Grier’s fourth-place finish in 2018 leading an 8-4 West Virginia team.
If Texas gets those wins, it will likely be on the legs of Robinson. They almost assuredly are impossible without more 100-yard games… or 120-yard games from No. 5.
He’ll likely add another moment or two on the way there should he maintain his statistical pace, but he won’t be able to really start spreadin’ the news about the potential for the sport’s highest honor without victories shared by the the entire Longhorn program.
