Nova's John Robertson Out Indefinitely (PCL)

[GannonFan]

If he's actually going to try out as a player in the NFL then he should be flagged right now by the NFL's Concussion system and have him checked because he's clearly taken too many shots to the head and is clearly not thinking straight, likely from multiple past concussions. He was/is a great college player, but he's a QB who has a weak arm for college and did most of his damage being a QB who could make things happen with his feet. if that's not a recipe for disaster in the NFL, I don't know what is. No knock on the guy, absolutely fantastic college player, zero chance of making any team in the pros, and that was even before the multiple health issues.

Wow, so you advise him not even to try? Nice mindset.

For his long term health? Absolutely. Kid's got a nice life ahead of him, no sense knocking the brain around a few more times and doing more long term damage. Couple that with him not really having the arm for the NFL and yeah, hang em up. Life is always more important than sports.

[vutomcat]

Sounds like you know about getting your brain rattled.

[GannonFan]

Sounds like you know about getting your brain rattled.

Har har, man was that funny. Good stuff dude.

[TribePride]

What an amazing career for him. I am sad that it ended that way. Certainly Tribe fans noticed the difference from a national title contender that broke our hearts in the last minute 2 years in a row to the game last Saturday. I hope he recovers and gets a shot with an NFL team next season. Villanova will be back as it is a great program, but you cannot replace Robertson. He was one of a kind.

[BDKJMU]

Yeah, sad to see him go out like he has. I saw live all 3 times Robertson faced JMU.

-2012 JMU came into the game 7-2, favored over 6-3 VU. Robertson, a rFr, had a field day running and passing against JMU in the VU win. VU went on to finish 8-3, playoffs, JMU finished 7-4 & missed the playoffs by a win...
-2013 JMU win JMU put the clamps on him running with JMU's All American LB Stephon Robertson (no relation lol).
-Last yr in the VU win JMU did pretty well against him on the ground but he threw all over JMU.

Last season if Robertson doesn't get that concussion before the SHSU quarterfinal game VU would have beaten SHSU & gone on to face NDSU in the semis.. While I think NDSU would have won it, would have been interesting to see what Robertson could have done last season against NDSU in the Fargodome..

Obviously this season he wasn't putting up the #s before he was injured. Part of that had to be VU's OL issues- I think during the UD game they lost their 3rd starting OL. Part of that probably had to be the early season rust due to the summer working on Wall Street. Now highly likely VU isn't going to make the playoffs, probably looking at 5-6 or 6-5. I think without Robertson going down VU, while not a national championship contender like most of the predictions had them pre season, would have been an 8-3 give or so playoff team.

Preseason on the JMU board at least the VU @ JMU last game of the regular season was being hyped as a potential CAA title game, possibly between 2 top 5 teams. Now that game has lost a lot of luster...

[BDKJMU]

If he's actually going to try out as a player in the NFL then he should be flagged right now by the NFL's Concussion system and have him checked because he's clearly taken too many shots to the head and is clearly not thinking straight, likely from multiple past concussions. He was/is a great college player, but he's a QB who has a weak arm for college and did most of his damage being a QB who could make things happen with his feet. if that's not a recipe for disaster in the NFL, I don't know what is. No knock on the guy, absolutely fantastic college player, zero chance of making any team in the pros, and that was even before the multiple health issues.

How many concussions did Robertson have?
I think Robertson is in a somewhat similar mold as Taylor Heinicke.

Heinicke
Listed 6'1"/214 at ODU. Won Payton award. Good mobility (ran 4.62 at combine), accuracy, & QB IQ. The knock on Heinicke coming out of his senior season was his arm wasn't big enough. You had delusional ODU fans thinking Heinicke was going to be drafted. He wasn't. Got a UDFA contract with Vikings, made team, and is now their 3rd string QB

Robertson:
Listed 6'1"/220 at VU. Won Payton award. Good mobility, accuracy, & QB IQ. The knock on Robertson coming out of his senior season is his arm isn't big enough. You had delusional VU fans thinking (before the injury) he was was going to be drafted. He wasn't. I think if it weren't fr the leg injury & concussions he would get a UDFA contract, and would have a similar chance as Heinicke. Now wit the knee injury & concussions I would say his chance is less than Heinicke, but I wouldn't say he has zero chance of making any team in the pros..

[BDKJMU]

Was said before on the JMU board how the decision of one young man changed the course of JMU football.

Back in 2012 when Robertson was getting CAA offensive rookie of the year, according to then JMU HC Mickey Matthews, it came down to JMU and VU for getting Robertson, and Robertson told JMU he was signing with VU because VU was moving up to the Big East for football...

If he had signed with JMU, he would have been the starting QB 2012-2013, Matthews;s last 2 seasons. 2012 ahead of the headcase Justin Thorpe, and 2013 ahead of then Soph Michael Birdsong. Running a run heavy read option zone blocking spread offense that VU ran with Roberston and similar to what JMU ran in 07'-08' with Rodney Landers. It's all speculation, but I think
2012 instead of being 7-4 would have been 9-2 or 10-1 (2 of those 4 losses were very close, +3rd was to a Robertson led VU) with a deep playoff run..maybe the most talented JMU team ever to not make the playoffs
2013 instead of being 6-6 would have been 9-3ish (3 of those losses were very close), playoffs

Mickey wouldn't have been fired at the end of the 2013 season..

[TribePride]

Very interesting theory and very believable. Tribe fans wish a certain former Villanova player had gone pro for baseball a year earlier. There would have been an excellent chance for a 2009 Tribe national championship if he had.

On Robertson, had he gone to JMU, perhaps they would not be enjoying the season they are currently having, though. Hard to say, but Matthews would likely still be the coach.

[BDKJMU]

Very interesting theory and very believable. Tribe fans wish a certain former Villanova player had gone pro for baseball a year earlier. There would have been an excellent chance for a 2009 Tribe national championship if he had.

On Robertson, had he gone to JMU, perhaps they would not be enjoying the season they are currently having, though. Hard to say, but Matthews would likely still be the coach.

True, JMU probably wouldn't be having the season it is having. With Matthews & most of the same starters (18 of 22 beginning of this season were Matthews recruits) & Robertson instead of Lee, a different style of play. Probably a playoff team, but not a NC contender. Who knows if Robertson would have still been injured, if Birdsong still would have transferred (he started the 1st couple games for Marshall but got yanked)...

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooey!

Thanks for the laugh.

Agreed. Thankfully I wasn't drinking anything when I read that NFL comment!
The guy was a great college QB, but everyone went into this year wondering if he would even survive this year. At this point, considering his injury history and the concussions, you have to hope he hangs it up now and just saves his body for what should be the next 60-some years of his life, rather than risk that just to play some meaningless football games down the road. nova's not a threat to win the national title this year, not by a long shot, so hang it up and start healing. There are worse tragedies in life than retiring from football at the age of 21.

Don't quit your day job guys. Nova's last two Payton award winners had long successful careers in the NFL.

Nine out of ten stings I guess.

He only won the Payton by default. It was Adams' until he got hurt.

[vutomcat]

Robertson won it. He was a more accurate passer and a better runner. He played with a fractured hand for half the season and deserved the award.

[AZGrizFan]

Very interesting theory and very believable. Tribe fans wish a certain former Villanova player had gone pro for baseball a year earlier. There would have been an excellent chance for a 2009 Tribe national championship if he had.

On Robertson, had he gone to JMU, perhaps they would not be enjoying the season they are currently having, though. Hard to say, but Matthews would likely still be the coach.

Griz fans wish a certain former Villanova player had gone pro a year earlier too...There WOULD be another NC flag hanging in Wa/Griz if that were the case.

[vutomcat]

If he's actually going to try out as a player in the NFL then he should be flagged right now by the NFL's Concussion system and have him checked because he's clearly taken too many shots to the head and is clearly not thinking straight, likely from multiple past concussions. He was/is a great college player, but he's a QB who has a weak arm for college and did most of his damage being a QB who could make things happen with his feet. if that's not a recipe for disaster in the NFL, I don't know what is. No knock on the guy, absolutely fantastic college player, zero chance of making any team in the pros, and that was even before the multiple health issues.

How many concussions did Robertson have?
I think Robertson is in a somewhat similar mold as Taylor Heinicke.

Heinicke
Listed 6'1"/214 at ODU. Won Payton award. Good mobility (ran 4.62 at combine), accuracy, & QB IQ. The knock on Heinicke coming out of his senior season was his arm wasn't big enough. You had delusional ODU fans thinking Heinicke was going to be drafted. He wasn't. Got a UDFA contract with Vikings, made team, and is now their 3rd string QB

Robertson:
Listed 6'1"/220 at VU. Won Payton award. Good mobility, accuracy, & QB IQ. The knock on Robertson coming out of his senior season is his arm isn't big enough. You had delusional VU fans thinking (before the injury) he was was going to be drafted. He wasn't. I think if it weren't fr the leg injury & concussions he would get a UDFA contract, and would have a similar chance as Heinicke. Now wit the knee injury & concussions I would say his chance is less than Heinicke, but I wouldn't say he has zero chance of making any team in the pros..

Good post. Don't disagree with much here except referring to my fellow Nova fans as "delusional"

Heineken signed for 1.5 million in May with the Vikings. Not a bad start for a young man.