Okla. St.’s Robinson trying to heal fast
December 18, 2009
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP)—With the help of millions of dollars from booster T.Boone Pickens, Oklahoma State opened a sprawling new training facility beforethe season, complete with leather couches, hydrotherapy pools and flat-screenTVs.
Quarterback Zac Robinson never hoped to be spending so much time there.
“It’s been frustrating. I basically have stayed out of the training room mywhole career up until this year, and I think I’ve gotten to know those guys downthere a little too well,” said Robinson, who recovered from head and shoulderinjuries only to hurt his ankle in the Cowboys’ regular-season finale.
“It’s been hard, but it’s just something you’ve got to just try to pushthrough and I know that God has a plan and it’s all for the better. Everythinghappens for a reason.”
Robinson said this week that he believes he’ll be close to 100 percent whenNo. 21 Oklahoma State (9-3) plays in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2 againstMississippi (8-4). He was hurt on the Cowboys’ first offensive series in a 27-0loss at Oklahoma on Nov. 28 but played until the fourth quarter.
Robinson also missed his senior night ceremony—ending a streak of 34straight starts—after he was knocked out in the final 2 minutes of a 24-17 winagainst Texas Tech five days earlier. He called the collision with Tech’s JamarWall “just a big train wreck.”
He had to watch a replay to see what had happened.
“I had no idea it was that bad. I knew it hurt pretty bad, but I had noidea that both guys just went flying both ways,” Robinson said.
Coach Mike Gundy said Robinson, though not completely healthy, hasn’t beenlimited at practice as he gets back to full speed. He estimated that Robinsoncould be at 100 percent by this weekend.
“I think it’s made me a lot stronger and helped me realize and appreciatewhat it’s like being healthy and being able just to go out every day,” saidRobinson, who also struggled with a lingering leg injury during training camp.
For Robinson, the Cotton Bowl marks the end of the most prolific career foran OSU quarterback. He will leave campus as the school record-holder in passingyards, total offense and touchdown passes.
“It’s weird to think that you’re doing things for the last time, and it’skind of been like that all season. I took my last final in a classroom andthings like that,” said Robinson, who will take six hours of online courses inthe spring to complete his degree.
“It’s kind of weird but it hasn’t really hit me that after the game, Iwon’t be going back to working out in the winter with all the guys. I think thatwill hit me after it’s over.”
Robinson’s senior class has a chance to win a 33rd game, which would put thegroup behind only the 1987 and 1988 Cowboys’ seniors for the most in schoolhistory.
“You don’t know how you’re going to react at the end. I’m sure it will beemotional in the locker room with a lot of the guys that you’ve played with andbeen with pretty much every day for five years,” said Robinson, who is 23-12 asa starter. “Hopefully I’ll just be able to not think about it then andhopefully we’ll be celebrating a victory.”
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