Sept. 5, 2005
ST. LOUIS -
Illinois State wide receiver Laurént Robinson apparently had to make one more catch on the opening weekend of college football as he snagged the Gateway Football Conference's Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Robinson's credentials for the weekly award are staggering. He finished with six catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns against Division I-A Iowa State. His first score, off a 56-yard scoring pass from quarterback Luke Drone, countered the Cyclones 80-yard scoring drive to start the second half and force the second tie of the game at 15-15. His second touchdown, an 80-yard bomb, kept Iowa State on its heels after taking a 14-point lead at 29-15.
Robinson's 177 yards receiving topped his previous career high by 72 yards and ranks as the seventh highest single game total in Redbird history. His receiving total was also the best performance by any player in Division I-AA football through Saturday. In fact, Steve Smith, from Southern California, was the only player in all of Division I football to top Robinson's effort with 185 yards.
The junior from Rockledge, Fla., and the Redbirds return to action on Saturday when Illinois State hosts Drake for its season opener at Hancock Stadium.
