Bijan Robinson Heisman Talk? Longhorns' Steve Sarkisian Shares His Thoughts
There's little doubt that Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson has Heisman-worthy talent. Projected to be the top ball carrier selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Robinson has unteachable athleticism and skill with the stats to back it up.
And though Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has always showered his star running back with praise, he kept it blunt when talking about Robinson being in the Heisman conversation as the No. 18 Horns prepare for a pivotal conference matchup at home Saturday with the No. 4 TCU Horned Frogs (9-0).
"The Heisman is a unique thing," Sarkisian said. "Generally the Heisman goes to the teams that are winning. Whichever guy is on a team that's winning generally is the guy that's one of the front-runners or the front-runner for it. So if we want him to be considered for that prestigious of an award, we gotta do our part as a team and we gotta keep winning more games."
Every season, a whole slew of talented players across the country put up impressive numbers that are surely Heisman-caliber stats. And while there's been a few exceptions in the past, the winner of one of the most coveted individual awards in all of sports usually needs his team to have success in order to be considered.
Robinson is currently eighth in the country in rushing attempts (192), sixth in rushing yards (1,129), and tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns (12). However, with a 6-3 record, Texas is far from a playoff contender. All three of the team's losses have come within one score or less.
The Longhorns are a few favorable plays away from potentially being undefeated and having Robinson locked into the Heisman conversation. But should Texas win out and win the Big 12 with Robinson continuing to post gaudy numbers, then maybe
But as of now, he's probably not even in the dark horse conversation due to Texas' record. Still, this doesn't change the fact that Robinson remains one of college football's most exciting players.
"He's such a versatile guy," Sarkisian said. "Whether, it's running it, catching the ball out of the backfield, catching the ball as wide receiver, what he means to our team."
Texas will need one of Robinson's best performances of the season in order to break TCU's hearts in Austin on Saturday. Last year, he dominated the Frogs for a career-high in carries (35) and rushing yards (216) while adding two touchdowns.
The Longhorns and Frogs kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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