Iowa State looks to keep star RB Robinson healthy

AMES (AP) - Iowa State running back Alexander Robinson had tried cold tubs, Epsom salt baths and deep-tissue massages in an effort to stay healthy.

So when his parents sent him a beginner's yoga DVD last month, Robinson figured it couldn't hurt to try it out.

The key cog in Iowa State's offense is willing to do anything to prevent issues like the nagging groin injury he suffered through last season - even if yoga can be a lot more painful than it looks.

"Some of the positions aren't things that you're normally stretching," Robinson said.

The Cyclones will focus on keeping Robinson out of the trainer's room, too, because they know they can't afford to be without him for very long.

Robinson's speed proved perfect for Iowa State's new spread offense. He rushed for 1,195 yards and six touchdowns despite hurting his groin just four games in. Iowa State begins fall camp on Thursday, and coaching staff promises to keep a close eye on him with the Sept. 2 season opener coming up against Northern Illinois.

"Our offense goes as he goes," offensive coordinator Tom Herman said Wednesday during the team's annual media day. "He's pretty important to us, so him staying healthy - I'm going to knock on wood for that because he's pretty special for our offense."

Iowa State has always tried to monitor Robinson's workload in practice, and there's little doubt the Cyclones will try to work in some of their younger backs to keep Robinson fresh.

It'll be tempting to play Robinson as much as possible, though, given how productive he was for an offense that averaged just 20.5 points a game last season.

Robinson put up decent numbers for some bad teams during his first two seasons, but it didn't take long for Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads and his staff to see that Robinson would be their "bell cow," as Herman put it.

Iowa State finished a surprising 7-6 last season, but it wasn't the spread passing attack that carried the Cyclones to admittedly modest heights. It was a smart, disciplined defense that did just enough to get by and, when healthy, Robinson.

He rushed for 143 yards at Kent State, helping the Cyclones snap a 17-game road losing streak. He put up 152 yards and two touchdowns at Kansas while gutting out that groin injury, and rushed for 138 yards and caught a touchdown pass in a crucial home win over Colorado.

Robinson finished with 1,456 all-purpose yards, good for seventh-best in school history, despite missing a win at Nebraska and getting just four carries in a loss to Kansas State.

Robinson had recovered by the Insight Bowl, running for 137 yards to help the Cyclones beat Minnesota, 14-13.

"I wish we could control the health. We can certainly control how he practices, but we can't control what happens in the game," Rhoads said. "Nobody takes care of their body and trains smarter than (Robinson), and we count on that to help his health as we go through this season."

The Cyclones would also be in rough shape if Robinson goes down because they don't have any proven talent behind him.

Iowa State has two redshirt freshmen, Jeff Woody and James White, and sophomore Beau Blankenship listed behind Robinson on the depth chart. And though Herman's system also has a number of designed quarterback rushes, the Cyclones don't really want to see senior Austen Arnaud knocked out either.

But Robinson should have more help than he did last year, with seven starters back on offense and a veteran line to run behind, and there's no reason Robinson can't be among the best backs in the Big

12.

That's only if he stays healthy, though, and Robinson is going to great lengths to make that happen.

"I've done a lot of things to try to take care of my health and my body a lot better," Robinson said. "It's just an effort to prevent (injuries)."

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