Can Mississippi State Successfully Replace Josh Robinson?
By 662Dawg
Nov 22, 2014; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Ashton Shumpert (32) carries the ball in for a touchdown during the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
It’s amazing to me to how many people still doubt the running game year in and year out under Coach Dan Mullen.
After the 2009 season all we heard was that there was just no way that the Bulldogs could replace one thousand yard back, Anthony Dixon.
Not only were the Bulldogs able to replace Dixon – they were able to do so in a big way. Mississippi State did not produce a thousand yard rusher in 2010, but with the combination of Vick Ballard rushing for 968 yards and nineteen touchdowns, Chris Relf rushing for 713 yards and five touchdowns and Ladarius Perkins 566 yards and three touchdowns, I’m pretty sure as good as Dixon was, the Bulldogs were still able to replace him and then some.
2011 wasn’t the same. The Bulldogs didn’t have to replace any of their top three rushers and Ballard went on to record his first one thousand (1,189) yard season as a Bulldog. Perkins and Relf also had respectable season with 422 yards and 375 yards respectively. Ballard also rushed for ten more touchdowns that gave him twenty-nine rushing touchdowns in two years.
Now we move on to the 2012 season and once again the chatter is “how will we ever replace a back like Vick Ballard?”
Once again, the task wasn’t that hard at all as Ladarius Perkins ran for a career high 1,034 yards and eight touchdowns. Perkins was definitely a different style of back than the two before him, but it didn’t matter because Mullen is starting to get a reputation for producing very good college running backs as often as hens lay eggs.
Josh Robinson was a freshman at the time and this was the year that he began showing flashes of becoming the Bulldogs next great back. J-Rob, as he later became known as tallied 335 yards and a touchdown as Perkins back up in 2012.
In 2013, there weren’t many questions as Perkins and Ballard both returned as the primary backs, but someone else stole the show and brought the world to his feet by the end of the 2013 season. This was the year that the legend of Dak Prescott began. By the end of the year, most State fans realized that they were watching a young man that was more than likely about to become the greatest player in Bulldog history. As a Sophomore, Prescott finished 2013 with 829 rushing yards and thirteen rushing touchdowns. Perkins added 542 yards and two touchdowns and Robinson rushed for 459 yards and three touchdowns.
With Prescott and Robinson (who everyone saw star potential in) returning in 2014, there shouldn’t have been questions about the running game, right? Well the answer to that isn’t what you thought it would be.
Everyone was yet again saying there’s no way that the Bulldogs can replace Perkins. He was just too talented to lose. Even with Robinson and Prescott returning, no one wanted to believe that the Bulldogs had enough talent to replace Perkins.
Even the national media just couldn’t figure out how the Bulldogs were going to do it. All I knew to do was shake my head and tell everyone that would listen that you’re about to have some really hurt feelings.
Not only was the Bulldog running game better than the year prior, it was the best in Bulldog history. Robinson would go on to rush for 1,203 yards and eleven touchdowns with Prescott right behind him at 986 yards and fourteen touchdowns. Ashton Shumpert added 274 yards and two touchdowns while Brandon Holloway tallied 294 yards and a touchdown.
Fast forward to 2015 and yet again the doubters are everywhere. Even though we return Prescott and a host of highly talented backs, the national media just can’t figure out how we will ever replace J-Rob.
Like I said in 2013, all I can do is tell you to jump on the train before it hits the tracks, but I know you won’t listen – again – so I’ll just shake my head and remind you when the 2015 season is over. Someday you’ll understand that Mullen has built a machine that’s turning backs into stars year in and year out and the questions will eventually cease.
One thing is for sure..I’m ready for some football!