Texas football: Sam Ehlinger doubles down on his Bijan Robinson sentiment

Former Texas Longhorns quarterback and current Indianapolis Colt Sam Ehlinger is doubling down on his take from last week, saying running back Bijan Robinson deserves a spot in the Heisman conversation. Ehlinger and Robinson played one season together in 2020, finishing 7-3 in the shortened season.

“Bijan Robinson should be in the Heisman conversation,” Sam Ehlinger said after Robinson’s Week Four performance last month. He doubled down on his take Saturday.

“May have to retweet this every week,” Ehlinger posted above his previous message.

Over the past two weeks, Robinson has totaled 353 rushing yards with two touchdowns and 76 receiving yards and a touchdown.

The case for Bijan Robinson

Excluding an off day against Arkansas, which was not helped by the struggling pass game, Robinson has been one of the top running backs in the country. He presents a threat as a runner and receiver, making him a versatile option for first-year head coach Steve Sarkisian and whichever quarterback is in the game.

Bijan Robinson boasts convincing Heisman numbers early in the season, already surpassing his touch totals from his freshman season. He has 105 carries for 652 yards through five games, scoring seven rushing touchdowns. The dynamic back also has 10 catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the passing game.

The Heisman race

The Favorites:

QB Matt Corral, Ole Miss Rebels (+150)

QB Bryce Young, Alabama Crimson Tide (+300)

QB J.T. Daniels, Georgia Bulldogs (+1700)

QB Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma Sooners (+2100)

QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati Bearcats (+2600)

RB C.J. Verdell, Oregon Ducks (+2600)

RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State Buckeyes (+3000)

The Longshots:

QB Anthony Brown, Jr., Oregon Ducks (+5000)

RB Bijan Robinson, Texas Longhorns (+5000)

QB Malik Willis, Liberty Flames (+5000)

QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State Buckeyes (+5500)

QB Casey Thompson, Texas Longhorns (+8000)

QB Jack Coan, Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+8000)

QB Sam Howell, North Carolina Tar Heels (+8500)

RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State Spartans (+8500)

Coming into Week Five, Matt Corral and Bryce Young had separated themselves as the favorites at the top of the board. A head-to-head win for Young would seem to bump him to the top of the list, particularly on the No. 1 team in the country.

For Bijan Robinson, or anyone else on the list of longshots, to assert themselves as a true contender, they will need to do more than put up big numbers. As college football approaches the halfway point, the top candidates all appear to come from winning teams, making team success as important to Robinson than anything else.