The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Longhorn Legends on Doak Walker Award finalist Bijan Robinson
12.01.2022 | Football
Bijan Robinson was named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award on Tuesday and a few of Texas' long list of running back legends and Longhorn Defense Great shared thoughts on what makes the Longhorns latest standout running back special.
Bijan Robinson was named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award on Tuesday and a few of Texas' long list of running back legends shared thoughts on what makes the Longhorns latest standout running back special.
Ricky Williams (Texas RB, 1995-98), 1997 & '98 Doak Walker Award and 1998 Heisman Trophy winner:
"Personally, I like him, he's always smiling and has an infectious optimism. On the field, he's a cliché of what a running back is supposed to be: size, strength, speed and elusiveness, he has them all in spades. What I've been most impressed with the past year is how he's handled the workload, evidenced by how strong he's finished the season. He's explosive in the passing game, too, just an all-around great player."
Earl Campbell (Texas RB, 1974-77), 1977 Heisman Trophy winner:
"The kid is dynamite. He has all of the tools and God given ability that a running back needs to be successful in today's game. Over time, I have become impressed with him out of the backfield. And you cannot question his overall value to his team. He has a will to win and teammates respect that."
Priest Holmes (Texas RB, 1992-94, 1996), Longhorn Legend & NFL All-Pro:
"All great running backs possess footwork, yards after contact and the ability to catch the ball. Clearly, Bijan has all three of these things, and that's what makes him such a dynamic player. He plays so hard, and I really enjoy watching him."
Derrick Johnson (Texas LB, 2001-04), 2004 Nagurski & Butkus Award winner:
"Bijan is a defensive player's worst nightmare. He can run past you, over you, has unbelievable balance, a vicious stiff-arm and it takes multiple guys to get him down. You literally hold your breath every time he gets the ball because he'll make a quick move or hit the hole and take it to the house in a heartbeat — and that's in the running and passing game. I'm just as impressed by some of the seven to eight-yard runs that should be a tackle for loss or the way he picks up blitzes as some of those big plays, too. As a linebacker, you're heads on a swivel with Bijan and you better be dialed in. He just embarrasses guys in so many ways and those are the highlight plays you don't want to be watching with the team in film review.
"Bijan's the kind of running back you've got to have all hands on deck as a defense because, one, two or three guys won't get him down. You better have a party at the ball or he's gonna make you look real bad."
