SOWPodcast| Aldrick Robinson Talks About Becoming an Explosive Playmaker (audio and transcript)

[rd421]

Training Camp has finally arrived. Kiel and Ray are joined by second year Redskins WR Aldrick Robinson to talk about his first full off-season in the NFL. To prepare everyone for camp*Rich Tandler from CSN Washinton and Rich Tandler’s Real Redskins drops in with Hogs Haven’s Kevin Ewoldt to break down the biggest Burgundy and Gold story lines heading into camp.

Listen Here

For those that prefer to read the transcript here is the AR interview:

Ray Smith:* Aldrick, we just want to thank you for coming on the show and spending some time with us, just want to catch up with you.* How are things going?

Aldrick Robinson:* Everything’s going good.* Just getting ready for this training camp.

RS:* It’s got to be an exciting time for you guys.* We talked to Niles [Paul] two weeks ago and he told us that he didn’t think people really truly understood how excited the payers were to go in to this season.* For a guy like you who’s now entering your first full offseason, you’ve gone through all the OTAs and everything, we saw you at rookie camp actually this year, getting some extra work in with RG3.* What’s this whole process been like for you leading up to now?

AR:* It’s brand new, but it’s so big to actually go through a year of learning, getting some reps and everything like that.* It’s going to benefit me a lot coming in to this season.* Because last season, we didn’t have things like this, so it’s going to benefit me a lot.* I’m just glad I had the opportunity to go through all this.

RS;* You talked about missing last season because of the lockout, but getting to come in your second year and going through the rookie camp, you come in and it’s RG3’s first camp, and obviously there’s a lot of excitement for what’s he’s bringing to the table.* What does that mean for you to get those couple extra days of work that the rest of the receivers haven’t gotten, to maybe build a connection with [Griffin] and to kind of be on the same page with your quarterback and move forward?

AR:* It’s big.* I want him to feel comfortable throwing me the ball, because when training camp starts, I might not get the reps that I’ve been getting with him at the rookie camp.* It’s big because you get to build the chemistry between you two, and when I get in the game, I won’t miss a step because I already know how he throws the ball, and he knows how I run routes.* And we might not get them reps because of [Griffin] getting reps with the first team.*

RS:* You’re a 6th round player last year who comes in from SMU, and I saw you play, it was 2 years ago I guess now, up this way during the Navy game, which was a really great football game, super exciting.* To come from a college that’s kind of smaller with SMU, and then to come to a football team that’s considered a large market team–the Washington Redskins are one of the largest market teams in the NFL–what has that change been [like] for you to go from a smaller situation to something that’s as visible as the Washington Redskins?

AR:* It’s really not that big, because at the end of the day, you’re still playing football.* So I really don’t look at things like that.* At the same time, I’m actually not on the field right now, so it’s probably not sunk in yet, I guess.* Once I start getting on the team and actually start playing, maybe it will kick in a little more.

RS:* You talked about not being on the field a whole lot yet.* Last year, you were called up form the practice squad towards the end of the season.* A lot of us have speculated–the media, the beat reporters, the blog guys–have speculated that there is a feeling that you are getting some interest from some other teams in the league, that Mike Shanahan brought you up to kind of protect you and keep you in the Redskins fold.* There was even some talk about maybe teams like Jacksonville being interested.* What does it mean to you to have a coach that wants to keep you around and put you on the roster?* Talk about what it’s like to be on the actual roster as opposed to the practice squad roster.

AR:* It just feels much different.* It’s just a new feeling.* [shanahan] has got a plan for me.* That’s what he told my agent.* He let my agent know like, ‘we have plans for Aldrick here, so we want to keep him here’.* So that’s a good feeling to me, because it lets me know that all the work I’m doing isn’t for nothing.* And then when they actually pull you up, it’s like it paid off.* So this year, going in to training camp I feel I got that motivation.* I just want to be on that 53 [man roster] and be a part of the team.

Kiel Maddox:* Now at SMU, you didn’t return a lot, but you’ve been considered to be a threat returning the ball, at least in some scouts minds.* We’ve had Brandon Banks returning for a while now, you know he’s extremely fast, and Niles Paul is another threat back there that can return.* But have you been considered possibly a target to be returning the ball as well, either punts or kickoffs?

AR:* Brando Banks is great at what he does.* He’s been one of the best in the league since he’s been doing it.* But I’m more comfortable [returning] now then I was last year.* I didn’t catch punts in college or nothing like that, so I was a little uncomfortable. So coming in to this year, I feel like if I get that chance, that opportunity again, I’ll be way more explosive and way more productive then I was last year, by dropping into a punt [return formation].* I feel like with a year under my belt, [inaudible] and catching punts, I’m way more comfortable.* And yes, I can be explosive back there, so I think if I get another chance, I’ll be able to show that.

RS:* You guys were talking about being in competition; even at the kick returner position…Redskins fans and people in the DMV area have talked for years about needing to have quality depth across the roster, depth at all sorts of positions.* We look at the wide receiver position specifically, and this is a unit stating this week is going to have a lot of competition.* You are probably a close knit group of guys.* Between the friendships and the young talent that this team has, talk a little bit about the competition and what it’s going to do for you guys as wide receivers.* And even like what you were just talking about, with the punt returning and kick returning units, with Banks obviously being an explosive guy, an option, and Niles could be an option, and now you’re an option as well.* What does that competition do for a team in general and for a 2nd year guy like you, what does that mean for you to motivate you?

AR:* It’s going to bring my best game out, as well for the other guys – it’s going to bring out their best game.* It’s going to push us to the level that we need to be at, and that’s being pros.* We’re all close and we kid around a lot, but when we’re on the field, we know it’s all about business, and we know we’re playing for each other’s jobs.* We go out there and compete.* Having that type of competition at every position, it makes a team better.* [For the] coaches, you want to make it hard for them to make decisions.* The harder it is for the coaches to make decisions, the better the team will be.

KM:* I watched some tape on you from SMU.* You broke free a lot of the time and you set some records at SMU, receiving and touchdown-wise, I believe it was 14 that you got your senior year.* You a very fast guy and you’re kind of big too.* Is there a particular wide receiver that you mold yourself after or see yourself as, possibly?

AR:* When I first came in, I was being compared to Steve Smith a lot because of my size and my explosive ability.* I like that comparison because he’s a go-getter.* He’ll go get the ball – he’s small but he plays big.* And that’s what I do.* I’m quick, I’m fast, I’m explosive, and I go up and catch it.

RS:* Redskins fans–and pretty much fans of every NFL team–we like to dissect the players to death.* We look at guys coming in, and this year we’ve learned that there are fans of this team that pretty much have an entire draft board picked out come draft time.* When you got picked in the 6th round, a lot of us probably didn’t know a lot about you.* So just take a minute, Aldrick, and talk about who you are as a football player, and what can we expect out of Aldrick Robinson this season, as far as what your goals are, what you’re hoping to obtain, and then what you’re hoping to bring to the table, so that the fan base can get a little better understanding of who you are, as a new guy coming in.

AR:* *Well I’m fast.* I’m a speed guy.* I have lots of speed and I can get behind a defense.* And I can also run the shorter routes and I can catch the ball well.* So I’m not just a speed guy who can run; I can do all the things that a slot receiver can do also, so I think that’s big in my game.* This year, I just plan on helping this team any way I can in any way possible, whether that’s coming in and filling in for Santana [Moss] and Pierre [Garcon].* Just playing my role, and if I’m given a bigger role, I’ll step up and fill it in.* Right now, I’m just trying to help this team on special teams, in the return game, any way I can to make this team better.* And that’s with my speed and my quickness and my natural ability.*

RS:* A lot has been made of the possibilities that this offense could have this season, with explosive guys like Pierre coming in.* Hankerson made quite an impression on this fan base in his rookie year before her got hurt.* Now RG3 is coming in, and the theme of this offense for 2012 is explosive playmaking guys, and that sound like the type of player that you aim to be, the type of player that you expect to be, and the type of player that you’re going to be.* How exciting is it for you as an explosive type of guy, as a quick guy, as a guy who wants to get on the field and make big things happen, to have a coach stand up in front of the media and the organization and say ‘Hey, we want to have explosive types of plays this year.* We’re going to open our playbook; we’re going to tailor our playbook to our players and our quarterback; we’re going to put guys in the best position possible.’* Does that make you salivate going in to camp?* You’re a day away from having to report, and I can imagine there’s going to be a little bit of sleeplessness with the excitement, but talk about what it’s like to be excited for that, or is it just another day at the office for you?

AR:* It really does turn me on, because I feel like I am that home run guy.* I can be that home run guy, that guy who can make explosive plays downfield, get YAC yards and things like that.* It’s fun.* It’s a fun time, because the type of player that I am, and for him to want that type of player, it means they want me.* At the same time, I’ve got to compete with the other guys who are explosive, like Banks and Terrence Austin and the rookies coming in.* I just got to go out there and show that I can be the explosive guy that [Coach Shanahan] needs in this offense.

RS:* We talked a little bit about your upbringing and being an SMU guy, and growing up in Texas.* If there’s anything we know about Texas, it’s that football is pretty much bigger than God down there [laughing]. *Texas is the football capital of the world.* Talk a little bit about that and what it’s like to grow up with the expectations of football being so important to everybody.* Does it help you prepare for college, help you prepare for a pro career?

AR:* Football is a lifestyle in Texas.* It’s a big thing, and it prepares you for life.** Texas football coaches, they not only coach football, they actually make their players better men.* That’s why you see a lot of professional players coming from Texas, because we know how to handle situations.* That’s why it’s so big in Texas, because it’s actually a foundation for work.* It’s what Texas is all about.* We’re about football, and we put that out there.

RS:* We’re going to have a little bit for fun for the next minute or two.* Growing up as a Texas guy, A lot of the guys that have come through there, they grew up as fans of that team with the blue star on the helmet.* We’re you a Cowboy fan growing up?* And what’s that like now, being on the other side of the rivalry, if so?*

AR:* I actually wasn’t a Cowboys fan when I was growing up.

RS:* That is the right answer.* [Everyone laughs]

AR:* I really wasn’t even a fan.* I’m really glad to be a part of the Skins because I’ve got so much family down there who also weren’t Cowboy fans.* Like my grandfather, he was a big Redskins fan, so it feels good to be a Redskin.

*RS:* Well especially with all these Texas ties that you guys have now, guys like [Anthony] Armstrong, and all these Cowboy fans talking about coming over to the Redskins because of RG3’s Baylor connection–that’s got to be nice, nice to have the guys back home pulling for you, and for them to get to see you when you come to Dallas.

*AR:* Right.* You’re either going to love ‘em or you’re going to hate ‘em.*

*RS:* Well you know how we feel about them.

*AR:* Yeah.

*RS:* Everybody knows how we feel about them.*

RS:* Well we hop you have a great camp.* There’s been so much that’s been coming up and I can’t say enough about the excitement that’s been surrounding you as a player.** We’re all just excited about you seeing what you’re going to have to do when you have your opportunity to shine.* We hope you have a healthy camp, and we appreciate you joining us on the show tonight, and good luck to you.

AR:* Thanks a lot, man.

[Soup]

I liked the music this week. Sends a message.

[my_friend_goo]

Nice read - good work.

Really hoping that both Robinson and Niles Paul have great years and make valuable contributions. Might be harder for Robinson, with Garcon, Morgan, Moss and Hankerson around (although I suppose it's not out of the question he might get some early looks if Hankerson and Morgan are given a little longer to get 100%). It would make a nice change for some of our later round picks to make names for themselves and stick around for some time, whilst also reflecting well on the scouting and coaching staffs.

[Tsoe]

I can't see Aldrick Robinson doing much on this team. Maybe Pre-Shanny era, but right now we are too stacked with at least average wideouts and he is a mediocre to below-average wideout at best.

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

I can't see Aldrick Robinson doing much on this team. Maybe Pre-Shanny era, but right now we are too stacked with at least average wideouts and he is a mediocre to below-average wideout at best.

Yes and no. I can't see him being a starter. But if he just uses his speed we can throw out several WR packages that just screw with defenses too much. The Saints had a steady rotation of guys including 2 who primarily just went deep. Robinson and Armstrong would basically do that for us. That allows our other receivers to get more one on one coverage, or if they draw it, then it's on either Robinson or Armstrong to beat their man down the field.

[LetThePointsSoar]

Do work, rd. Good stuff.