On the surface, it might sound like a crazy notion because BYU had big plans for Aidan Robbins. But when the 6-foot-3, 235-pound running back declared he would forgo his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft, Robbins advanced a tradition unlike any other in Provo and one that coach Kalani Sitake can sell for years to come: BYU has a running backs portal to the NFL.
The Cougars’ recent genealogy is impressive. Robbins followed Chris Brooks, who followed Tyler Allgeier, BYU’s all-time single-season rusher, who followed Ty’Son Williams, who followed Jamaal Williams, BYU’s all-time leading rusher.
All five are tremendous talents. None are members of the school-sponsored religion. None of them grew up watching BYU football, but they each came to believe that playing for the Cougars could get them to the NFL.
Brooks (Dolphins), Allgeier (Falcons), T. Williams (Cardinals) and J. Williams (Saints) were right. Robbins will have to wait until April’s draft to learn his fate, but after consulting with family, friends, coaches and a lot of prayer, he concluded the time is right and it’s hard to refute his logic. He has four success stories that went ahead of him and plenty of film against the right opponent.
Robbins signed with Louisville out of high school. He earned a business degree in three years and transferred to UNLV. In 2022, Robbins rushed for 1,011 yards and nine touchdowns in the Mountain West Conference, including big games against North Texas (227 yards), Fresno State (146) and San Diego State (115).
As satisfying as that was, he knew that he needed something bigger to get him to the NFL.
When BYU called, Robbins answered. The onetime Cougar recruit knew BYU was joining the Big 12, where he could better showcase his skills. He also knew the pedigree of his predecessors.
“It gives me confidence that it can be done,” Robbins told the Deseret News in January after signing with BYU as a conduit to the NFL.
A broken rib in fall camp had Robbins limping out of the gate. He hardly played in the first two games and sat out the next four to heal up. BYU keeps injury information close to the vest, maybe too close, and fans were left to wonder if Robbins was a bust?
Ever determined, the A-Train, a nickname he earned in junior high, got healthy and back on track. He scored his first touchdown at West Virginia and followed it up with 58 yards on 10 carries against a stout Iowa State defense.
Then Nov. 18 happened.
Oklahoma brought its national stature and Big 12 title hopes to LaVell Edwards Stadium. Not only were the No. 14 Sooners heavy favorites, but they presented a defense loaded with high-level recruits — a perfect scenario for a running back looking to catch some attention.
With ESPN’s cameras rolling, Robbins took his first carry up the middle for 20 yards to start a day he will never forget — one that delivered a game-changing moment for him, and a gut-wrenching defeat for the Cougars.
During the third quarter alone, Robbins had carries of 13, 25, 22 and 18 yards. He finished the game with 22 rushes for a whopping 182 — an average of 8.3 yards per carry. Had the Cougars not turned the ball over three times, including a 100-yard pick-six, Robbins’ last day at LaVell Edwards Stadium might have included a team victory to go along with his own.
Rushing for 182 yards against Oklahoma is why Robbins came to BYU. It gave him everything he needed to make his case for the NFL. He ran hard, he ran against one of the winningest programs in college football, and he ran on national television for everyone to see. The fact that he followed it up with 74 rushing yards the next week in the rain at Oklahoma State didn’t hurt.
There is no question BYU would have loved to see Robbins back next fall, but no one can fault him for leaving. There isn’t a team on next year’s schedule as decorated in history or fueled by national hype as Oklahoma. Running through the heart of the Sooners’ defense gave him his best chance at following his predecessors into the NFL.
Big games against big names have provided defining moments for so many BYU players, including: Marc Wilson (Texas A&M), Jim McMahon (SMU), Steve Young (Missouri), Robbie Bosco (Michigan), Ty Detmer (Miami), Steve Sarkisian (Kansas State), John Beck (Oregon), Max Hall (Oklahoma), Taysom Hill (Texas, twice), Jamaal Williams (Michigan State), Kyle Van Noy (San Diego State), Ty’Son Williams (Tennessee), Zach Wilson (USC), Jaren Hall (Baylor), and Puka Nacua (Boise State). Robbins joins the lofty list with his performance against Oklahoma.
Now it’s up to BYU to cash in on another running back’s potential for good fortune. Robbins can be replaced by a rusher who is chasing the same dream, and that might include in-house runners LJ Martin, Miles Davis or Hinckley Ropati. It could also attract another player or two from the transfer portal.
History is on BYU’s side. In addition to putting running backs into the NFL, the Cougars are getting weekly headlines from the likes of Hill, Nacua, Wilson, Van Noy and Fred Warner. Their success has created a currency that is as liquid as cash and, as is evident with the transfer portal and NIL — cash is still king.
Sitake is a cautious spender. He has to be. Whoever he brings to Provo must also be a good fit for the program and the school. It’s not just about football at BYU. Sitake also understands the portal that matters most is the one that can get a player into the NFL. That is never going to change, and it will allow BYU to swim in the deep end of the talent pool with almost anybody — so long as they continue to turn players into professionals.
Robbins is ready to take his shot and he deserves the best well-wishes Cougar fans can offer. It’s important that he succeeds. The A-Train rolled into Provo on tracks laid down by his predecessors as far back as Doak Walker Award winner Luke Staley in 2001. He rides out of town on the same, but reinforced, tracks that will soon welcome someone else who has the same dream and believes BYU can turn it into a reality.
If recent history is any indication — the Cougars can.
Dave McCann is a contributor to the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.