Colorado State University Athletics
10/28/2026 12:13:00 PM | Football
Back’s upbeat attitude a plus for Rams
His road has included four schools. It has seen highs and lows, but one thing has remained consistent from Charlotte to Colorado State.
The smile on Durell Robinson's face. It's not because he's enjoying success again on the field, nor does it have anything to do with his current run of five consecutive games with a touchdown.
It's there because he woke up wondering how his next day would bless him.
"I'm just happy. Like, I'm a grateful person," Robinson said. "I don't take the little things for granted. Being able to walk, being able to talk, being able to function, let alone play a full football game and come out that game healthy. There are a lot of blessings in our lives that I think people don't appreciate as much. You gotta appreciate the little things so when the big things come, you're even more happy for that. And when the bad things happen, I just look at it as what positive could come from it, whatever I learned from it. So, that's just my mindset in life."
This is the Robinson Colorado Stat coach Jim Mora knew two years ago when they were together at UConn. It was a season where Robinson had an outstanding season, rushing for 731 yards and eight touchdowns. A year later, the back went to Auburn and was limited to just three carries due to injury.
Now they are reunited at CSU, and Robinson is once again picking up steam.
He's rushed for 383 yards and eight touchdowns, adding seven catches for 70 yards and another score. That came against San Diego State on a fourth-and-short call, where Robinson made a defender miss and turned a short pass into an explosive scoring play.
Those were the moments he missed as a player when he was injured a year ago, moments he felt he could get back to again. He said he's just as human as anybody else, leading to moments when he was a bit down on things, he just never allowed those emotions to linger too long.
When the Rams were in a skid, he took the same approach.
"A lot of teams don't make it through that. They just stack losses and losses and losses," Robinson said. "I just made it sure that I was an example of somebody who is gonna show up to the facility each and every day, the same exact person I was on day one. I'm the same person I was January 20th when I first came on campus. I'm not gonna let my situation dictate how I feel. That's not how you go about life and that's how you end up a loser for life. So it was more as I'm gonna be the same person day by day and eventually, our wins are gonna come."
Mora said it's the type of attitude which makes a difference, one that can penetrate an entire locker room.
Being positive isn't easy, and it feels like a gift for some. When the team has needed him on the field, he's been there. It's the same around the facility.
"It's so helpful. You know, you need guys like that," Ryan McConnell said. "I think he definitely keeps the guys going. We all know that we were in a rough patch for a little bit. So guys like him are what keep the guys going. You know, keep the guys pushing."
Robinson has been splitting time with Mel Brown, creating a productive duo for the team. Back in 2024 at UConn, he put together a pair of 100-yard games. He did it for the first time as a Ram against Oregon State, then came close this past week in the win over San Diego State.
He was the second consecutive game with at least two touchdowns, the third time he's had multiple in a game.
Mora is happy to have Robinson back on his team. Not just the production, but the person. A guy with a big personality which attracts others.
"Same kid. Dynamic personality, amazing energy," Mora said. "A real spark man for this team. Never gets down. Always forward-thinking. Always positive. Always has a smile on his face, except for on game day. Always talking a little smack. Challenging people.
"He's very, very good natured and has a huge heart. Yeah, he's the exact same kid, same young man that he was at Connecticut two years ago. He just hasn't changed at all. He loves football, and he loves to compete."
As much as anybody, Robinson is feeling good about feeling good again. He feels great about being productive for his team, and he hopes to be part of a spark which ignites a fire for the Rams down the stretch.
All of it is good, and he's happy to be part of it all. But finding joy has and will always be what lights his path, and it's an attitude he believes serves the team well.
"Honestly, I think I've really been like that since birth, but it never really made sense to me. I got closer with God, and I just built my relationship with him and I started to understand why I was like this, because there's a lot of things in my life that I could harp on and be sad about, but it's just like, why focus on that?" he said. "Why not focus on the next play, like how we do in football. Focus on the next big thing and you won't miss the next blessing that's coming to you."
The smile on Durell Robinson's face. It's not because he's enjoying success again on the field, nor does it have anything to do with his current run of five consecutive games with a touchdown.
It's there because he woke up wondering how his next day would bless him.
"I'm just happy. Like, I'm a grateful person," Robinson said. "I don't take the little things for granted. Being able to walk, being able to talk, being able to function, let alone play a full football game and come out that game healthy. There are a lot of blessings in our lives that I think people don't appreciate as much. You gotta appreciate the little things so when the big things come, you're even more happy for that. And when the bad things happen, I just look at it as what positive could come from it, whatever I learned from it. So, that's just my mindset in life."
This is the Robinson Colorado Stat coach Jim Mora knew two years ago when they were together at UConn. It was a season where Robinson had an outstanding season, rushing for 731 yards and eight touchdowns. A year later, the back went to Auburn and was limited to just three carries due to injury.
Now they are reunited at CSU, and Robinson is once again picking up steam.
He's rushed for 383 yards and eight touchdowns, adding seven catches for 70 yards and another score. That came against San Diego State on a fourth-and-short call, where Robinson made a defender miss and turned a short pass into an explosive scoring play.
Those were the moments he missed as a player when he was injured a year ago, moments he felt he could get back to again. He said he's just as human as anybody else, leading to moments when he was a bit down on things, he just never allowed those emotions to linger too long.
When the Rams were in a skid, he took the same approach.
"A lot of teams don't make it through that. They just stack losses and losses and losses," Robinson said. "I just made it sure that I was an example of somebody who is gonna show up to the facility each and every day, the same exact person I was on day one. I'm the same person I was January 20th when I first came on campus. I'm not gonna let my situation dictate how I feel. That's not how you go about life and that's how you end up a loser for life. So it was more as I'm gonna be the same person day by day and eventually, our wins are gonna come."
Mora said it's the type of attitude which makes a difference, one that can penetrate an entire locker room.
Being positive isn't easy, and it feels like a gift for some. When the team has needed him on the field, he's been there. It's the same around the facility.
"It's so helpful. You know, you need guys like that," Ryan McConnell said. "I think he definitely keeps the guys going. We all know that we were in a rough patch for a little bit. So guys like him are what keep the guys going. You know, keep the guys pushing."
Robinson has been splitting time with Mel Brown, creating a productive duo for the team. Back in 2024 at UConn, he put together a pair of 100-yard games. He did it for the first time as a Ram against Oregon State, then came close this past week in the win over San Diego State.
He was the second consecutive game with at least two touchdowns, the third time he's had multiple in a game.
Mora is happy to have Robinson back on his team. Not just the production, but the person. A guy with a big personality which attracts others.
"Same kid. Dynamic personality, amazing energy," Mora said. "A real spark man for this team. Never gets down. Always forward-thinking. Always positive. Always has a smile on his face, except for on game day. Always talking a little smack. Challenging people.
"He's very, very good natured and has a huge heart. Yeah, he's the exact same kid, same young man that he was at Connecticut two years ago. He just hasn't changed at all. He loves football, and he loves to compete."
As much as anybody, Robinson is feeling good about feeling good again. He feels great about being productive for his team, and he hopes to be part of a spark which ignites a fire for the Rams down the stretch.
All of it is good, and he's happy to be part of it all. But finding joy has and will always be what lights his path, and it's an attitude he believes serves the team well.
"Honestly, I think I've really been like that since birth, but it never really made sense to me. I got closer with God, and I just built my relationship with him and I started to understand why I was like this, because there's a lot of things in my life that I could harp on and be sad about, but it's just like, why focus on that?" he said. "Why not focus on the next play, like how we do in football. Focus on the next big thing and you won't miss the next blessing that's coming to you."
Players Mentioned
Monday, October 26
Saturday, October 24
Saturday, October 24
Saturday, October 24