Friday Features: Delta State’s Robinson in Hill Trophy discussion
By Maurice Patton
Todd Cooley had an idea that Chris Robinson could make an offensive impact for Delta State when the running back arrived last spring from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
“He did a couple of things in the spring that we thought he could be a special player,” Cooley said of Robinson, who has injected himself into the national conversation for the Harlon Hill Trophy – presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division II – with his record-breaking campaign.
As the Statesmen (4-5, 3-4) head into their season finale at Gulf South Conference rival Florida Tech, Robinson leads DII with 24 total touchdowns and 19 rushing scores. The former number is three more than any player in Delta State history has managed for one campaign, and ties him with ex-Central Arkansas running back Kentrel Rogers (2005) for the league single-season record.
“I’ve surprised myself with all the touchdowns,” said the 5-foot, 9-inch, 193-pound junior, who also leads the GSC in rushing yards (893) and yards per game (99.3). “I saw myself making plays for them, but I didn’t think I’d be this big for them.
“I worked hard in the offseason, the coaches had faith in me and gave me the ball. It feels good.”
With an additional 485 receiving yards and five TDs, Robinson leads the GSC in all-purpose yards (1,379, 153.2 per game).
Being productive and finding the end zone is nothing new for Robinson. As a sophomore last fall at Mississippi Gulf Coast, he rushed for 717 yards. At Franklin County High School, the Bude, Miss., native put up 2,233 offensive yards and scored 33 touchdowns as a junior and rushed for 1,672 yards with 26 TDs his senior year.
Once it became clear he wasn’t going to have an opportunity to play at the Division I level coming out of Gulf Coast, though, Cooley and his staff jumped at the chance to get Robinson to their Cleveland campus.
“We got on the phone with him, we offered and he accepted,” Cooley said. “He had a good career at Gulf Coast and we’ve got a good relationship with those coaches. He was excited that he had a chance to play football, glad he had a place to call home.
“From Day One he’s worked hard, had a smile on his face, been charismatic. He’s a good player, a good student, handles his business in the classroom. He’s fun to be around. I’m really glad he’s here. I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Robinson’s just as glad to be with the Statesmen as they are to have him.
“Delta State gave me a chance,” he said. “The football program, I love it.”
In nine games, Robinson has posted four 100-yard rushing outings, a pair of triple-digit receiving efforts and has scored multiple touchdowns on seven different occasions – including his breakout performance against West Florida in which he rushed for 132 yards, caught three passes for 100 yards and scored six total TDs.
Since the inception of the Harlon Hill Trophy in 1986, only five GSC players have won it, and all have come from Valdosta State (Chris Hatcher, Dusty Bonner twice) and North Alabama (Ronald McKinnon, Will Hall). Robinson has been every bit as impressive.
“When you see him every day, you’re not surprised when he does stuff on Saturdays because he does it every day in practice,” Cooley said.
“I don’t think (possible records) even bothers him. He wants to win football games and help our team win.”
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