The Knights junior quarterback has racked up interest from 15 Division I programs
Watch Avalon quarterback Isaiah Robinson’s highlights from his junior season. (Video via Hudl)
November 17, 2015, 5:00 p.m. — Avalon is known for their pass-first offense, however much of the attention this season has been focused on the play and recruiting saga surrounding Trevon Diggs, the talented wide receiver and younger brother of the Vikings’ Stefon Diggs.
While the younger Diggs, an Alabama commit, has earned that attention, the individual throwing him the ball doesn’t necessarily receive the same level of recognition.
The Black Knights (5-6) junior quarterback, Isaiah Robinson, had a breakout season in his first year starting under center, as he completed 198 of 286 passes for 2,381 yards and 23 touchdowns.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound pro-style prospect gives a lot of the credit for his big stats to his talented receivers and to Coach Tyree Spinner, but he is beginning to earn respect in his own right.
“I can get the ball out quickly, make reads quickly, and I have the arm strength to make any throw,” Robinson said.
For Robinson and the Black Knights out of Gaithersburg, Md., the season is now over, giving him more time to reflect on his inaugural varsity campaign and to begin looking into the 15 Division I programs that have already expressed interest in him.
According to Robinson, that impressive list of 15 includes Boston College, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Navy, Northwestern, ODU, Purdue, Temple, UNC, UVA, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and William & Mary.
“So far I have visited ODU, Temple, Maryland, Navy and William & Mary,” Robinson said. “For the next three weekends I am going to visit schools, but I don’t know which schools yet.”
He narrowed down his top five schools at this point to Kentucky, Temple, UNC and UVA, to go along with one school that has not yet expressed interest, Georgia.
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“They would get a smart quarterback that knows what he is doing and is able to run the plays quickly,” Robinson said, “and that can be a leader for the team, and I think I can improve the whole team through my work ethic.”
The young QB served as backup last season on varsity to Brian Strittmater. Whereas Strittmater was more of a scrambling quarterback, Robinson described his game as pass-first, run-second, but that he has the ability to run if necessary.
“I like being a pocket passer,” Robinson said, “seeing and reading the defense, I like being in shotgun, and I like doing a lot of pre-snap reads.”
The junior hurler’s job was, of course, made easier by the presence of his biggest weapon, Diggs.
“I don’t really know any DB that can check him (Diggs),” Robinson said, “so I would take him any day in man coverage, and he draws a lot of attention, so if they double-cover him, I can trust any of my other receivers to do one-on-one.”
When the attention of the defense focused on Diggs, Robinson said he was able to rely on his other top targets, junior Mason Standard and sophomore Elijah Trent, to help carry the offense.
Standard noticed a major spike in his quarterback’s self-assurance throughout the season.
“Isaiah has improved as a person since the beginning of the year,” Standard said. “He gained more confidence in himself, along with his teammates, which correlates with his play steadily increasing through the year.”
The junior wide receiver was also impressed by Robinson’s ability to bounce back from mistakes and to never give up.
“The Woodberry Forest game to me demonstrates his persistence, where all odds are against the team, and he finds a way to spark the team,” Standard said.
The Knights were able to sneak by a talented Tigers team in that game, 33-27 in overtime.
Like Standard, Trent also admires his quarterback for having the ability to raise the team to another level.
“He is always working on his game and trying to get better,” Trent said, “and his hard work ethic spreads around the team and gets us all better.”
Entering the season, Robinson did not set any personal goals in terms of his stats. However, after quickly gaining confidence through just three games, he set his sights on averaging 300 yards and three touchdowns going forward.
For next season, he has already established the marks of 3,600 yards and 40 touchdowns as his objectives, but he knows it will take a lot of work to reach those lofty targets.
“I need to improve my speed so I can pick up extra yards if a play breaks down,” Robinson said. “I can be more accurate in my passes, and I can make better decisions.”
Rosbinson will have the off-season to work on those details and to communicate with his many college suitors, before returning to action for the Knights for his senior crusade.
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