Newcomer Profile: Oklahoma RB Xavier Robinson is Embracing 'Tough Love' to Make Early Impact Under DeMarco Murray

After tearing up defenses at the high school level in Oklahoma, local product Xavier Robinson hopes to break into a crowded OU backfield in 2024.

Oklahoma's Xavier Robinson is pictured during the University of Oklahoma (OU) spring football / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

NORMAN — It didn’t take very long for Oklahoma freshman running back Xavier Robinson to get familiar with Jerry Schmidt. 

OU’s strength and conditioning coach is notorious for his tough workouts that build up his players both physically and mentally. 

Robinson, a bruising back who punished defenders over and over again throughout an outstanding career at Carl Albert High School, the Yukon, OK, product has never had a problem with harnessing his physicality. 

But his eyes were quickly opened to how things are done with Schmidt during the Sooners’ winter workouts. 

“Oh yeah. It’s real,” Robinson said last month. “… Day 1. I’m up at 5 a.m., we’re walking to the indoor at six but he’s blowing that whistle. That whistle is blowing. 

“You hear cleats just stomping, stomping, stomping inside that indoor. Everybody’s yelling… That was my first wake up right there.”

Arriving on campus this winter was key for Robinson. He’s stepping into a talented running back group that enjoyed the emergence of Gavin Sawchuk down the stretch last year. Jovantae Barnes is hoping to enjoy a comeback season this fall after a 2023 campaign marred by injuries. And to cap it all off, Robinson isn’t the only talented addition to DeMarco Murray’s room.

Transfer Sam Franklin enjoyed plenty of success at UT Martin, and Taylor Tatum, who was ranked as the top running back in the country, will link up with the Sooners this summer. 

Robinson backs his own talents to stand out amongst a crowded running back room, but he also feels a different level of pressure as a local product stepping onto the practice field at Oklahoma.

“When you’re going out there you’re not just showcasing yourself,” said Robinson, “but you’re representing your mom, your entire family, all relatives, OU. So I know you’re being evaluated by everybody.”

Staying close to family has helped the transition go as seamlessly as possible, but Robinson also made sure he was familiar with all aspects of the program before enrolling.

“Taking those (unofficial) visits is one thing that helped me feel like I kind of had a clue where everything was pretty much at,” Robinson said “That’s the reason why I kept coming back on the visits… Everything’s been good.”

Part of the allure for every running back who commits to Oklahoma is playing under Murray. 

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More than just a former OU star, Murray’s exploits in the NFL still carry a lot of weight with young running backs, even if the feedback loop from the Sooners’ running back coach can be stern. 

“Coming from a coach who’s really done it, very experienced, you understand what it takes,” Robinson said. “He understands the adversity that’s going to come this way. I’m glad that I’ve got a coach like that who understands what’s really going on. But besides his legacy, he’s a really good hard, tough coach. 

“… Now that I’m here it’s really tough love. It’s not a game. I’m not here to play a game, I’m not here to be liked. But me and Coach Murray is really tough love… and I appreciate that from him because it helps me improve. But everything’s been smooth. It’s been great and I like how he runs things.”

Still, Robinson has found himself leaning on the experience of Barnes for everything from how to approach practice to the best spot to get his hair cut in Norman since moving in this past winter. 

“He’s like one of my big brothers up here,” Robinson said. “So he’s one of those guys. He’s not selfish about anything, he’s a team player so he helped me get in on everything really smooth.”

Robinson’s not the only freshman getting acclimated to Oklahoma throughout the winter and spring. 

His fellow early enrollees are intent on making a different this spring and pushing for playing time next fall as the Sooners debut in the Southeastern Conference. 

“Me and this group, before we even got here we talked about some goals that we want to set,” he said. “We don’t want to be behind on anything. We always want to be first. 

“We always preach to each other, ‘Be there first, be there last when it comes to leaving that building.’ So we’ve got some goals.”