Mr. Robinson Would Like A Word With You

By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - After an Indiana football practice concluded in the early afternoon last April, some extra-curricular conversation arose amongst the defensive linemen.

A little give and take. A bit of to and fro. A few non-minced words.

Finally a frank exchange of views abetted by, shall we say, some physical posturing.

Chief among the conversationalists was senior Jacob Robinson.

And if his message to a younger colleague seemed rather blunt, there was a positive purpose behind it.

Leadership.

Long before those spring sessions commenced, Hoosier head coach Tom Allen knew he could count on Robinson for that.

"I knew he would talk," Allen said. "He's earned the right, because of his performance. His work ethic has always been there, and when you start making more plays, guys listen better.

"He's a senior leader that we have to have. You look at our defense and it's, 'Young guy, young guy, young guy, young guy.' "

Young guys in occasional need of guidance, hence Robinson's post-practice verbal intervention.

"I think in today's day and age, leadership cannot always be by example," Mark Hagen, IU's defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator, said afterward. "Sometimes you've got to open your mouth, even if that creates an uncomfortable situation.

"You've got to be vocal. It's not just, 'Hey, look at what I'm doing.' It's putting yourself … sometimes outside your comfort zone. I think that was maybe the last step he's needed to take and Jacob is starting to do it.

And Jacob did it again just last month.

A lower leg injury has sidelined Robinson since the start of Big Ten play this fall. He's about ready to return, hopefully in time for Saturday's noon home kickoff with Maryland. But in the interim, he has found other ways to contribute.

Robinson, not exactly sanguine about IU's performance in an Oct. 16 home loss to Iowa, got together with fellow senior captain Wes Martin and others. They approached Allen to propose a player-led team meeting to address issues they saw surfacing or festering.

"That was something decided right after the game," Robinson recalled. "I felt like there was some stuff that needed to be addressed within our team and, you know, I felt it was good we have our coaches in here, too.
Everyone in-house.

"So I talked with Coach Allen briefly after the game and said, 'Hey, there is stuff we feel needs addressing.' And we got together and talked with Wes (Martin) and the other captains on Sunday. And then we had the (meeting Monday) morning and I think it went real well."

What was discussed?

"I'm not going to talk about specifics, in-house stuff," Robinson replied. "We just didn't play as well as we needed to … and, moving forward, every season has a point where you can either continue to rise and get better or you can stay the same.

"We addressed that, and just how this is a point in the season when we need to stick together, trust what we do, trust what the coaches are having us do, and just continue to work really hard."

That sort of mantra becomes especially important now when a team is experiencing a four-game skid after a 4-1 start. Or when some of the team's standouts have an off game. Or when some of the freshmen pressed into service start feeling the effects of the long college football season. That's when the truth needs enunciating, even if it's tough to hear.

"As much as we've got a lot of guys who have been around the block and played a lot of football for us, we have a lot of young guys, too," Hagen said. "And their coach is going to be on them and they don't always handle that butt-chewing, so you need a guy like Jacob Robinson to let them know, 'Hey, it's not personal. Coach is just trying to keep you taking steps. And the things you were doing aren't acceptable. They don't meet our standard.'

"And you're not trying to be a jerk about it. But you can't let somebody's bad behavior – if they don't like what the coach is saying – you can't let that slide. Because it pulls the entire group down. So I'm happy to see that outspokenness out of Jacob."

It comes readily to Robinson, both in terms of inclination and intellect. He was twice captain of successful Westfield teams playing challenging Indianapolis metropolitan-area schedules, and has already twice earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.

"I took pride in being a leader in high school," Robinson said. "I came in here wanting to be a leader for this program since the day I got here. It's been a process for me. I've had a lot of great leaders ahead of me that I got to learn from … I've taken bits and pieces from them and now it's my spot. I'm a senior. I take full responsibility.

"It's always kind of come naturally to me. I enjoy it. I like to learn from people and I think, you know, I don't have a problem stepping up and trying to be that guy others can lean on and to try to help other guys when they need it."

Hagen said Robinson is indeed the sort of player upon whom whole units, entire teams, can lean.

"Jacob's not going to take anything for granted," Hagen said. "He knows he's not the most talented guy out there, but his intangibles can set him apart. They really can. His work ethic. His drive. His intelligence. His leadership. His toughness. I'll take a guy like that, anytime.

So Hagen took Robinson and put him on the field. Right away.

Robinson played in all 13 games as a true freshman. He then started seven games as a sophomore and all 12 as a junior, then the first three games this season before injury intervened.

And Robinson is about to get back on the field.

"I've been with Kasey, one of our trainers, every single day since it happened," Robinson said. "He's done a phenomenal job getting me back, strength-wise, building my leg back up. Today I was out there running around a little bit.

"It's a steady climb. I'm working as hard as I can to get back out there, because it's my last year. I want to be out there with the guys."

And Robinson has refused to let the injury affect his outlook.

"I'm a guy who is not going to dwell on an injury," he said. "All that's going to do is bring you down, being negative about it. I'm lucky enough to have the potential to be able to play.

"(My role) changed a lot … kind of being a guy on the sidelines that helps us with energy and is looking for things, specifically on defense and on the defensive line. I just help our guys out any way I can."

Robinson can help in myriad ways, now, once back on the field. There is a lot of versatility built into his 6-foot-4, 290-pound frame – the sort that earlier allowed Hagen to shift Robinson from end to tackle.

And the bigger things.

Such as leadership.

"Jacob being limited (by injury) hurts in a lot of respects, but it gives younger guys an opportunity and puts him in a role to watch practice and be in that leadership role," Hagen said. "I can tell him to go get with a guy.

Or he's already seen it and is way ahead of me.

"He's awesome. You can't have enough guys like that. He's a throw-back. Guys who are just so entrenched and bought in to what you are doing. They never second guess you. They are all-in, 100 percent. It's important to them.

"It's not the most important thing in his life, but it's pretty important. It's pretty important. So the work ethic, the drive, is there. And you just want guys like that to bring as many other guys along as he can."

The former Westfield Shamrock is doing his best to bring along future Hoosiers. He's a walking, talking IU recruiting poster.

"I'm Indiana born and raised," Robinson said matter-of-factly. "So, for me, this is the school where you need to be going if you're an in-state guy. You should take pride in being a Hoosier.

"It's more about taking that sense of pride and turning it into something good on the field. I'm proud of being from Indiana, and I'd love for more guys from Indiana to come here."

Where they can benefit from a little instructional communication from men such as Robinson.

Who know how to play.

And how to lead.

Players Mentioned

Wes Martin

Jacob Robinson

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