Former Lutheran running back James Robinson named AP All-American at ISU
Staff Report
NORMAL, Ill. — Former Rockford Lutheran running back James Robinson was named to the The Associated Press FCS All-America Third Team Tuesday.
The junior is two-time All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First-Team selection and was one of 12 MVFC student-athletes named to the 2018 team. The Rockford native was also a finalist for the 2018 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award, given to the outstanding offensive player in college football’s Division I subdivision.
Robinson led the MVFC with 1,290 rushing yards and tied for second in the league with 12 rushing touchdowns during the regular season. He averaged 117.3 yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry and posted a pair of 200-plus yard rushing performances. Robinson recorded six 100-plus yard rushing efforts and scored multiple touchdowns in four contests throughout the season.
He was also named MVFC Offensive Player of the Week, after rushing for a career-best 256 yards and two scores in the season finale versus Youngstown State and ran for 202 yards and a score against Southern Illinois.
He heads into his senior season ranked fifth in career rushing yards (2,545) and rushing touchdowns (26) at Illinois State.
At Lutheran, Robinson was a two-time All-State selection under coach Bruce Bazsali and is the IHSA all-time leading rusher with 9,045 yards and 158 rushing touchdowns in his career. R.