Oklahoma State football: Ryan Robinson is capable of many more highlight plays

“It was on the highlights on ESPN, so I was proud of myself,” Robinson said with a smile as he recalled the moment last week.

That was a momentum play in a crucial game for Oklahoma State last season. And it was almost unexpected at the time, since Robinson was a first-year junior college transfer who was playing behind defensive end mainstay Jamie Blatnick.

But Cowboy defensive coordinator Bill Young said it could be a taste of things to come for Robinson in 2012.

“That's the kind of play he's capable of making a lot of,” Young said.

Coaches and teammates have consistently pointed to Robinson as one of OSU's most improved players heading into the 2012 season.

He's now slated to start at defensive end with Blatnick's departure. Young especially praises Robinson's “punch,” which allows him to separate himself from blockers with his hands and get into the backfield quickly.

Most of all, Robinson has adjusted to Division I football, a common occurrence for JC transfers during their second season.

“He knows exactly what he's doing,” Young said. “That's so much of being a good football player is being in the right spot at the right time and knowing where your help is and all those issues. It allows you to play so much faster, and that's what he's doing.”

Robinson, who originally signed with OSU in 2009, has always had good football pedigree. His father, George, played at Clemson, and three uncles played in the NFL.

But he admits that first season in Stillwater after transferring from Jones County Junior College in Mississippi was difficult.

He struggled to finish running drills during offseason training. And mastering the playbook was a challenge.