Cam Robinson plays offensive line for the University of AlabamaIt’s been well-documented that Alabama’s offense has flourished this season under a new coordinator and a new starting quarterback.
What has been overlooked at times is that the Crimson Tide have excelled with Cam Robinson, a true freshman, at left tackle.
While Lane Kiffin and Blake Sims have been featured prominently the past several weeks along with junior receiver and Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper, Robinson has meshed with veterans up front to help provide the formidable attack that averages 490.5 yards per game. The 6-foot-6, 323-pounder from Monroe, La., enrolled in January and in the spring earned a starting job, which he has held for 13 games entering the New Year’s night semifinal showdown with Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
“Everybody did a great job of preparing me for the season,” Robinson said in a Georgia Dome locker room after Alabama’s 42-13 whipping of Missouri in the Southeastern Conference championship game. “The players told me it would be a long, tough road, but we stuck together as a team. I had high expectations for myself and for the team also, but I just wanted to work hard every day and let whatever happened happen.”
The Crimson Tide began on-campus bowl practices Tuesday with a two-hour workout. They will practice in Tuscaloosa through next Monday before breaking for Christmas.
“It was good to get the players back today and to get back to practicing,” coach Nick Saban said Tuesday night in a news conference. “This is really kind of a new season for us and a new opportunity.”
Robinson is the first true freshman left tackle to start at Alabama since Andre Smith in 2006. Smith went on to become the sixth overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft.
Alabama opened the season with wins over West Virginia, Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss, but the first real test for Robinson occurred Sept. 20, when he was matched against Florida defensive end Dante Fowler. Rated by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper as the No. 13 prospect in the 2015 draft, Fowler managed just four tackles at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Crimson Tide routed the Gators 42-21, converting 12 of 16 third-down opportunities into first downs and amassing 645 yards, the most ever allowed by a Florida defense. Sims threw for 445 yards, the second-highest aerial total in Alabama history.
“He’s getting better and better, and I think he’s playing with more confidence because of the knowledge and experience that he has,” Saban said of Robinson midway through the season. “He has played better every game.”
Of course, it wasn’t as if Robinson was arriving at Alabama without any potential. The consensus No. 1 offensive tackle prospect nationally in the 2014 signing class, Robinson was Scout.com’s No. 2 overall recruit behind LSU tailback Leonard Fournette and 247Sports.com’s No. 3 prospect behind Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett and Fournette.
The latter half of Robinson’s season included an ankle injury at Tennessee and a shoulder injury against Auburn that forced him out of each game. Saban said a couple of days after the win at Neyland Stadium that Robinson likely would be out a couple of weeks, but Alabama had an open date between the trip to Knoxville and the journey to LSU.
Robinson recovered faster than expected to keep his starting streak intact in Baton Rouge, and Alabama rallied past the Tigers for a 20-13 overtime triumph.
“That was huge,” Robinson said. “The bye week we had going into LSU gave me time to rehab and get my ankle right. Our training staff did an amazing job helping me nurse the injuries.”
Robinson said the ankle and shoulder injuries were equally painful and that each week in the SEC brought an equally challenging opponent. There is, however, one aspect to his freshman season that does stand out.
“This moment right here is probably my favorite,” Robinson said of the SEC title.
Tide tidbits
Cooper and junior safety Landon Collins were named Tuesday as first-team Associated Press All-Americans. … Saban on Kiffin’s speech at the Broyles Award ceremony, in which he made fun of Saban’s height: “It’s why we don’t let him talk to the press.” … Five-star athlete Bo Scarbrough, who signed in February but has been ineligible this season, practiced for the first time with the Tide as a running back. … Saban on the Heisman ceremony: “It was really, really refreshing at the Heisman to see that all three finalists were fantastic people.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.