The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football’s Robinson, Ford earn weekly Big 12 awards
11.28.2022 | Football
Junior RB Bijan Robinson was named the Co-Offensive Player of the Week and junior LB Jaylan Ford earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.
IRVING, Texas – Texas Football was honored with a pair of weekly Big 12 awards as junior running back was named the Co-Offensive Player of the Week Bijan Robinson and junior linebacker Jaylan Ford was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. It marked the second conference honor for Robinson this season and Ford earned his third.
Robinson, a native of Tucson, Ariz., rushed 29 times for 179 yards (6.2 ypc) and two touchdowns in helping bring the Longhorns back from an early nine-point deficit to defeat Baylor, 38-27. It marked his ninth 100-yard rushing game in the last 10 outings, and he has rushed for a touchdown in 10 of 12 games this year. Robinson is now fourth on Texas' all-time rushing list with 3,410 yards. The junior is fourth in UT history in career tandem yards (4,215) and eighth in all-purpose yards (4,231). This season, Robinson leads the nation in tandem yards with 1,894 (1,580 rushing, 314 receiving) and is the only player with more than 1,500 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards. Additionally, he is one of just two running backs nationally with double-digit rushing touchdowns and at least two receiving scores. Both of Robinson's touchdowns against Baylor gave UT the lead, including a game-winning 1-yard score with 8:25 remaining in the game.
Ford, a Frisco, Texas native, became the third Longhorn to be tabbed the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Week three times in a season (Derrick Johnson, 2004; Jackson Jeffcoat, 2013). He had 13 tackles (two solo) with two tackles for loss, one interception, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry in the victory over Baylor. His fourth-quarter interception was returned 18 yards to the Baylor 42-yard line and set up Texas' final touchdown of the game. It marked Ford's fourth interception of the season, tied for most by a linebacker in UT history, with all four leading to Texas touchdowns. He tallied 10-plus tackles for the sixth time and has forced six turnovers over the last six games. Ford tops FBS linebackers in interceptions and is the only Power 5 player with four interceptions and three forced fumbles. He is also the only FBS player with four interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries and both of his fumble recoveries clinched wins for Texas (Kansas State, Iowa State).
With Jahdae Barron having earned the honor following week three, Texas earned the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Week honors four times this season, matching the most times in program history that UT has earned the accolade (2009, 2017).
UT, which finished third in the final Big 12 standings, is bowl-game-bound and will learn its postseason destination on Sunday, December 4.
Texas' 2022 Big 12 Weekly Honors
Week 3 vs. UTSA – Jahdae Barron (Defensive)
Week 6 vs. Oklahoma – Quinn Ewers (Newcomer)
Week 7 vs. Iowa State – Jaylan Ford (Defensive)
Week 10 at Kansas State – Jaylan Ford (Defensive)
Week 12 at Kansas – Bijan Robinson (Offensive)
Week 13 vs. Baylor – Bijan Robinson (Co-Offensive)
Week 13 vs. Baylor – Jaylan Ford (Defensive)
