For the Robinson football team and its fans, 2023 has seemed a bit out of the ordinary. On a warm evening a few weeks ago, the Robinson players and coaches approached, hands extended, and celebrated their opponents for a game well fought. But on this evening, as has been the case many times in 2023, the Rams found themselves not only honoring their opponents but congratulating them on a victory – something that has become all too common at the Paul Coffee Stadium and beyond for the Robinson Football team.
“I’m actually surprised at how well South Lakes did, they don’t normally win against Robinson,” said Lillian Swartzbaugh, a South Lakes student and fan of the Seahawks, who beat the Rams 42-0 in the second game this year.
Exactly what is the difference for the Rams in 2023? After all, this is a team that was on the doorstep of a state playoff run less than a year ago. “It’s just not normal,” said one anonymous Robinson student. “I mean they look kind of bad.”
So just how bad have the Rams looked in 2023 so far, and is there cause for alarm?
Historically, the number suggests this season is anything but typical. This is a team that had won 5 straight season openers dating back to season 2018. Robinson dropped the 2023 season opener, 39-0 to South County. Since 2004 Robinson has never averaged fewer than 15 points per game in a season (which occurred in 2011, when the Rams went 4-7.) If you remove that 2011 season, the Rams have averaged almost 30.8 points per game per season every year since 2004.
This season the Rams are averaging a paltry 4.2 points per game. “It’s been weird to watch,” the fan added. “They were so good when I started going to school here.”
Still, all things considered Robinson has been far from perfect in the last 20 years, posting losing records in 2011 (4-7), 2012 (5-6), 2016 (4-7), and 2019 (5-6). In other words, tough seasons happen, even to the best programs and things will likely improve. That same team that went 5-6 in 2019 went 5-3 in 2020, and then 10-2 in 2021.
Furthermore, the 2023 season hasn’t even reached the half point yet, and there’s been at least a glimmer of optimism as Robinson won their first game of the season, 7-3 against West Potomac on September 22, 2023.
Should Rams fans be optimistic? Robinson head coach Shaun Blair, who is a new lead into Robinson’s 2023 season, did not respond to requests for comment. However, John Marcario, a former reporter for the Connection Newspapers in Northern Virginia was able to contribute, responding that he does not think the problems may be anything long term. “It’s high school football.” said Marchario, who covered the Rams in the early 2000s. “There’s always going to be a chance that the vast majority of experienced players move on at the same time.”
Marcario added that while Robinson may not have lost everyone to graduation, even a key group of individuals can disrupt the team’s chemistry and produce turmoil on the field. “It happens. High school football is always going to see a level of turnover and even if it’s not entered it can shake everything up. Fortunately, the Rams have a reputation for recovering a bitter onset,” said Marcario.
Does that mean things will change quickly? “Not necessarily,” Marcario said. “It may wind up being a rough season for the Rams. There’s going to be glimpses of success in my opinion. But it doesn’t mean that by season’s end everything is fine.”
And in the long run? “Robinson will do what Robinson does,” said the fan. “Don’t be surprised if they’re right back in the playoffs in a year or two.”
