It became clear early during CSU’s game against Oregon State on Saturday that the Rams were going to utilize both of their top two running backs.
Durell Robinson ran the ball on six of CSU’s eight plays on its opening possession. On the Rams’ second possession, following a long kickoff return, Mel Brown needed only two carries for 63 yards to score the team’s first points. He had a 46-yard run, and then scored on a 17-yard burst.
But when Brown went down with an injury in the first half, it was up to Robinson to carry the load, which he did to the eventual total of 117 yards on 21 carries with a touchdown.
Both of his carries and yards were season highs, and in five games he has rushed for 266 yards and four touchdowns. He had two against UTSA, so his one against the Beavers gave him three in CSU’s past two games.
For head coach Jim Mora, who coached Robinson in 2024 at UConn, nothing he has done so far has been a surprise.
“Durell is becoming the Durell that we had in 2024 when he averaged 6.8 (yards) a carry,” Mora said. “He is a guy you can depend on. He runs hard. People draw from his energy and I’m really glad he’s on our football team right now because we need him right now.
“We need his motor. We need his energy. We need his attitude. We need his positivity. We need the way he plays football right now.”
Robinson began his college career at Charlotte before a year at UConn, and then one at Auburn, before rejoining Mora at CSU.
During his season at UConn, he rushed for 731 yards and eight touchdowns. Last year at Auburn, he was limited by injury and only played in four games, but he had a 54-yard touchdown run against Ball State.
After Saturday’s loss against Oregon State, he agreed with his coach that he was feeling like the running back that excelled for the Huskies two seasons ago.
“I am starting to feel like myself, but I still feel like I have so far to go,” Robinson said. “I want to be a great running back. I want to be considered one of the greatest of all time when itap all said and done. So, I’m just going to keep watching the film, keep stacking days and just getting better one by one.
“I just want to show my team how grateful I am to be able to play football with them each and every play. I just love football and I just want my play to show that.”
Mora said after the game against Oregon State that Brown had been taken to the hospital at halftime out of precaution following his first-half injury.
He has more than a week to get healthy before CSU plays again on Oct. 15, but if he can’t go, Robinson is more than ready to carry most of the load again when the Rams get back on the field.
More on McClendon
Kenny McClendon is CSU’s new defensive coordinator after what transpired Saturday night with Tyson Summers during and after the Rams’ 56-26 loss to Oregon State.
After the Beavers quickly went ahead 14-0, Summers was relieved of defensive play-calling duties and then left the field on his own.
Following the game, Mora said Summers was no longer with the program.
McClendon took over for Summers during the game. However, even though the Rams came up with a sack and fumble recovery on his first series calling plays, Oregon State went on to score 42 more points.
Previously the team’s assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach, McClendon came to CSU with Mora from UConn at the end of last year.
His last two years with the Huskies, he held the title of assistant head coach under Mora.
Before coaching at UConn, McClendon spent two seasons at Youngstown State, preceded by two seasons at Valdosta State. He was the defensive line coach at both stops.
He began his coaching career at Central Michigan in 2015 as a graduate assistant. He also spent time at Iowa State and Carthage College before helping lead Valdosta to a Division II national championship in 2018.
“I think we have the same styles in terms of coaching and defense,” Mora said. “I think our players will absolutely respond to him because they have tremendous respect.”
Bye week goals
CSU is on a bye this week, and it couldn’t come at a better time for Mora’s team.
Not only have the Rams lost three straight following a 2-0 start, but the squad will be adjusting to McClendon as its new defensive coordinator.
CSU won’t play again until next Thursday, Oct. 15, at Texas State. Then it will have another long week before it hosts San Diego State on Oct. 24.
“Itap a combination of rest, reset, refocus and work,” Mora said. “We are really very lucky the way this thing laid out with a Thursday night game. We really get kind of two long weeks. We can give these guys a chance to recover a little bit this week, still get some good work in, get a little extra work in on our next opponent and have the same thing the following week.”
Mora also hopes a few players dealing with injuries, including Brown and quarterback Hauss Hejny, will have time to recover.
CSU has had mixed results coming out of its bye week recently. The Rams are 3-4 following a non-game week since 2021.
