TODAY’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Given a Choice, Robinson Opted for the Option

Before spring drills last year, Eric Robinson sat down for a meeting with Marv Sampson, Fullerton College’s offensive coordinator.

Sampson asked Robinson to pick the position he wanted to concentrate on. Robinson said running back, quarterback or receiver: He just wanted to be on the field.

But Sampson forced Robinson to pick one, and Robinson decided quarterback would be his best option.

Robinson hadn’t said that in the beginning because Fullerton had used drop-back passers in the past and he was an option-style quarterback. In fact, the Hornets hadn’t run the option in Coach Hal Sherbeck’s 29 years at the school.

But when Robinson became the leading quarterback candidate in the spring, it meant plenty of changes around Fullerton.

The Hornets didn’t change to a true option attack, trying to run on almost every play like Oklahoma and Colorado.

Instead, Fullerton mixes the option with sprint-out passes and a strong running game led by tailbacks Brian Williams, averaging 90 yards a game, and Coy Collins, averaging 64.

So far, Fullerton, which plays at Saddleback tonight at 7 in a Mission Conference game, is 5-0 and has rushed for 1,491 yards as a team, leaving the Hornets only 778 yards short of the Fullerton single-season record set in 1965, the year of Fullerton’s first national championship under Sherbeck.

“It’s atypical,” Sampson said of this year’s offense. “We like to blend the talents our quarterbacks have with what we do. Now we are more of a sprint-out offense with many choices, and Eric gets it done. That’s what makes it such an attractive package. Teams can’t try and stop just one thing.”

Robinson, 19, has carried the ball 67 times for 359 yards, including 141 yards in a season-opening 21-13 victory over Cerritos. He has also thrown for 614 yards, completing 60% of his passes, with nine touchdowns and four interceptions.

Robinson came to Fullerton from El Camino High School in Oceanside, where he ran a similar offense for three years. He chose Fullerton because one of his high school assistant coaches, John Guy, had played on a national championship team at Fullerton in 1983.

“He just kept showing me that ring, and told me that was the place to get one,” Robinson said.

Fullerton is ranked second to Bakersfield in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll.

Robinson says he’s just happy to be playing after last season, when he was a seldom-used wide receiver who caught only four passes, one for a touchdown. He also recovered an on-sides kick and returned it for a touchdown.

Even after winning the job this summer, Robinson still had some doubts after Fullerton’s offense struggled in the scrimmage with Long Beach.

“After sitting down last year, there where all kinds of thoughts in my head,” Robinson said. “I just wanted to play.”

In today’s Mission Conference Central Division games:

Fullerton (5-0, 4-0) at Saddleback (3-2, 2-2), 7 p.m.--The teams have met five times, three times in bowl games, and Fullerton holds a 4-1 series lead. Fullerton is coming off an emotional 31-24 victory over El Camino, while Saddleback had a ho-hum, 37-2 drubbing of San Diego City last week.

In the past, both teams have been led by dominant passing attacks, but Fullerton leads the conference in team rushing with 298 yards a game. Saddleback has the best balance of any conference team. The Gauchos average 180 yards passing and 176 rushing. They are also second in defense, allowing 260 yards a game.

Riverside (4-1, 3-1) vs. Golden West (4-1, 3-1) at Orange Coast at 1:30 p.m.--If you like good college passing attacks, pass on this game. But if power running is your gig, stop by. Riverside is second in rushing offense, averaging 287 yards a game. Golden West is third, averaging 232. Riverside has thrown only 47 passes in five games, while Golden West has thrown 96.

Golden West’s defense is still first in the conference, and has allowed only one rushing touchdown this season. This statistic should be pressed by Riverside, which has a conference-leading 15 rushing touchdowns.

The game can be heard on KUCR radio (88.1 FM).

Rancho Santiago (3-2, 2-2) at Orange Coast (4-1, 3-1), 7 p.m.--OCC hopes its 38th homecoming doesn’t turn into a showcase for Rancho Santiago running back Estrus Crayton instead. Crayton has rushed for 603 yards in five games, but has not gone over 100 in his past two games. OCC tailback Adrain Steen, averaging 85 yards a game, sat out last week with a hip injury and is questionable for tonight.

Sophomore quarterback Greg Angelovic had the best game of his OCC career last week, passing for 279 yards and a touchdown.

Rancho Santiago quarterback Richard Fanti is having a solid season, but has been overshadowed by Crayton. Fanti has completed 61% of his passes for 879 yards and seven touchdowns.