Greg Robinson goes from asking to answering/PD

[RamBill]

Robinson goes from asking to answering
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_b7dea160-7bdc-5e81-9945-be05a37c5e92.html

A year ago, he was the phenom. The second overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Greg Robinson was supposed to be the Rams’ answer on the offensive line.

Robinson, a highly regarded prospect from Auburn University, had his ups and downs as a rookie, playing in all 16 games and starting the last 12. He made his first three starts at left guard and then shifted to left tackle after veteran Jake Long went down with a season-ending knee injury at Kansas City on Oct. 26.

Now, as he prepares for his second season, Robinson joins sixth-year pro Rodger Saffold as the veterans on an offensive line expected to start rookies — second-round pick Rob Havenstein and third-round pick Jamon Brown — at right tackle and right guard, respectively.

At center, there’s a three-man training camp battle involving fourth-year pro Tim Barnes, 2013 draft choice Barrett Jones and 2014 draft choice Demetrius Rhaney. Of those, only Barnes, with four, has started an NFL game.

“I’ve got a handful of guys who’ve played, but mainly I’m working with a bunch of rooks,’’ Rams offensive line coach Paul Boudreau said after practice early this week. “They’re young guys looking to learn, but they’re smart and they’re tough and they’re starting to come together. We’ll know a lot more after Friday (when the Rams open the preseason in Oakland against the Raiders) and next week, working for a couple of days with the Cowboys (in Oxnard, Calif.) will be invaluable.

“Right now, the key is to just keep moving forward. You’re either getting better or getting worse, you never stay the same.’’

Robinson, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday in October, can empathize with his young linemates, a group that also includes Andrew Donnal (fourth round), Cody Wichmann (sixth round) and Isaiah Battle (fifth round, supplemental draft), and is trying to provide as much guidance as possible.

“Last year was tough because I had a few vets in front of me,’’ Robinson said. “This year, I have an opportunity to step up and hopefully become more of a leader. Coach ‘Bou’ has stressed to me and Rodger that they’re counting on us to produce and lead the way. It’s an opportunity I’m grateful for and one that I want to take advantage of.

“I really can’t control what the other guys do, but if any of the rookies needs something, they know I’m there for them. Last year, I was the one asking all the questions and now I’m able to answer most of them.’’

Part of Robinson’s rookie struggles can be traced to his college experience. He enjoyed tremendous success in Auburn’s run-heavy attack in 2013, helping Rams teammate Tre Mason rush for 1,816 yards and score 24 touchdowns as the Tigers reached the BCS title game.

But Robinson’s transition to the pro game was significant.

“Guys like Rob and Jamon were in pro-style offenses in college; at Auburn, Greg was in a two-point stance all the time,’’ Boudreau said. “Luckily for us, his offensive line coach, J.B Grimes, had them practicing with their hand on the ground every day. But it still was a huge adjustment for Greg. It’s well-documented that (Auburn) only ran about six plays, two slide progressions and four runs, and on two of the runs, Greg didn’t block anybody because it was read zone. When he got here, it was all new to him. He was basically learning from scratch.’’

To further complicate the transition, Robinson was learning both the guard and tackle positions early in his rookie campaign.

That “was probably a disservice to him,’’ Boudreau pointed out. “But the good thing for him was he learned to use his hands better as a guard. When you’ve got (former Missouri Tiger and San Francisco 49er defensive tackle) Justin Smith on your head, you’d better learn to use your hands or he’s going to make you look bad.’’

Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti added: “He can really just zone in on one position.’’

Another benefit for Robinson, strangely enough, was a turf toe injury he suffered late in the season. He underwent surgery after the season and followed up by spending a good portion of his offseason at Rams Park doing his rehab work alongside Saffold, who had offseason shoulder surgery.

“The two of them spent the offseason together and that’s a benefit for us considering they’re going to be playing next to each other,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “Greg spent a lot of time with ‘Bou’ and (assistant line coach) Andy Dickerson. He’s much farther along, so much more comfortable now.’’

Boudreau agreed: “It’s like night and day. Usually the biggest transition for linemen is between the first and second year and because of the injury, he was in the building every day, watching film and thinking about football. It was good for him.’’

Robinson also spent some time with the team nutritionist in the offseason and arrived at camp about 20 pounds lighter.

“I definitely feel like I’m quicker and moving a little better,’’ the 6-foot-5, 313-pounder said. “It was a long offseason but I got through it and now I’m just focused on getting back into the flow around here. The big thing, the real key on the line, is communication, and that’s something we’re working on every day.’’

 

[brokeu91]

Well let's hope that he did learn a lot during the offseason, because he's now our second most experienced offensive linemen.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Everybody needs to spend the first couple years as a pro in the city of the team they play for...Sacrifice people...Or at least, stay until the draft...And come back early....for your first few years....EVERYBODY..Good for G-Rob....now lets see how that worked out..Foles/Gurley/Mason are counting on him.

 

[Loyal]

Robinson is a quality guy with natural ability out the wazoo. I think this guy can be great, but we'll see in year two.

 

[RamBill]

Greg Robinson ready for his second season
By Nate Latsch

http://www.scout.com/nfl/rams/story...n?hootPostID=5680157886306bd8a8f0eafdfc237a60

ST. LOUIS — Rams left tackle Greg Robinson reported for his second NFL training camp as a slimmed-down, far-more experienced version of the 21-year-old rookie who reported to his first camp a year ago.

“I’ve been feeling great,” Robinson said. “They minimized my reps at the beginning and then recently they have raised them, so I’ve been going full go with the ones. I feel like it’s slowing down a little bit as I get more reps, but I still have to work on the things that I had problems with, as far as like breaking down and just slowing the game down mentally really.”

You mean going up against two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Robert Quinn every day in practice doesn’t make it easy?

“It doesn’t make it easy,” Robinson said, laughing, “but it sure does help to get those reps against him.”

Reps on reps on reps have helped the big fella evolve quite a bit over the past 12 months, though Robinson still has plenty of work to do and is smart enough to acknowledge as much.

When the Rams selected the Auburn product with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 Draft, they did so envisioning him as their left tackle of the future even though they already had a well-paid player there in Jake Long, a former No. 1 overall pick with Pro Bowls on his resume.

So Robinson worked in practice at both left guard and left tackle in OTAs and training camp and then the beginning of his rookie campaign. He eventually earned the starting job at left guard but was then shifted over to left tackle when Long suffered a season-ending knee injury for the second consecutive year.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher said at the end of the 2014 campaign that Robinson would be the team’s left tackle in 2015. That thinking was reinforced a few months later when Long was released in a salary cap-related move.

The vote of confidence helped the youngster know he wouldn’t have to worry switching positions again in his second season, but the biggest boost for him came because of an unfortunate turf toe injury at the end of his rookie campaign.

That injury required surgery to repair, which meant Robinson would be spending most of his first NFL offseason at Rams Park rehabbing.

“Greg, because of the injury, stayed here and rehabbed, so he spent a lot of time with (offensive line) coach ‘Bou’ (Paul Boudreau) and (assistant offensive line) coach (Andy) Dickerson in the offseason,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “I’m just going back and looking at some things from last year, so he’s much further along. Obviously, last year we started him at guard and we lost Jake (Long) and moved him to tackle, so he’s much more comfortable. … Rodger (Saffold) rehabbed as well, so the two of them spent the offseason together and that’s a benefit for us considering they’re going to be playing next to each other.”

Robinson did not participate in team drills during OTAs as the Rams worked him back into the mix slowly and carefully after the injury, but the offseason work he put in looks like it is paying off now during training camp.

“You just look at what a year makes for these young guys,” Rams offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said. “Greg is in great shape. Once again he put in the time and effort in the offseason and summertime. Coach Boudreau and Coach Dickerson have done a great job with Greg, as has (athletic trainer) Reggie (Scott). You see it carry over out here on the field.”

What you also see is a slimmed-down version of the big left tackle.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 332 pounds, Robinson admitted during OTAs that he was as heavy as 339 pounds during his rookie season. But he focused on getting leaner this offseason and shed some of that weight.

“It’s kind of hard to keep it on, now,” Robinson said. “I’ve been between like 312 and 315 compared to last year playing at 330. I feel a lot better. It’s a big difference.”

But he’s also been able to maintain his considerable strength.

“Oh yeah,” Robinson said. “I’m still strong. I can’t lose that.”

And he’s also still only 22 years old, which makes him younger than some of his rookie teammates. He doesn’t turn 23 until Oct. 21.

Robinson’s second training camp is much different than his first. He’s still a young guy learning the game at the highest level, both on and off the field, and working to get better.

“Just being in the locker room, you don’t know what to expect,” Robinson said. “Last year I had a few problems adapting because I didn’t know what I could do, what I couldn’t do. I didn’t want to step on any toes, make a bad name for myself.

“So now I’m allowed to just go in the locker room, I know the guys, I know I won’t push any buttons with them. I can go into the meeting room and it’s not really just me being quiet learning, I can actually interact with the guys because I know a little more about them. At the end of the day we’re all teammates and I commend them on that because they helped me transition from year to year.”

 

[CGI_Ram]

I like this guy a lot. Seems humble and willing to work. Combine that, with his God-given talent, and he's set up to succeed.