Standard lengths on the wall of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London - 1 yard (3 feet), 2 feet, 1 foot, 6 inches (¹⁄₂ foot), and 3 inches. The separation of the inside faces of the markers is exact at an ambient temperature of 62°F (16²⁄₃°C) and a rod of the correct measure, resting on the pins, will fit snugly between them.^[1][2]

A yard (abbreviation: yd) is a unit of length in several different systems including United States customary units, Imperial units and the former English units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches. Under an agreement in 1959 between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States, the yard (known as the "international yard" in the United States) was legally defined to be exactly 0.9144 metres.^[3] Prior to that date, the legal definition of the yard when expressed in terms of metric units varied slightly from country to country.

Equivalence to other units of length[link]

For purposes of measuring cloth, the early yard was divided by the binary method into two, four, eight and sixteen parts.^[4] The two most common divisions were the fourth and sixteenth parts. The quarter of a yard was known as the "quarter" without further qualification, while the sixteenth of a yard was called a nail.^[5] The eighth of a yard was sometimes called a finger,^[6] but was more commonly referred to simply as an eighth of a yard, while the half-yard was called "half a yard."^[7]

Other units related to the yard, but not specific to cloth measurement: two yards are a fathom, a quarter of a yard (when not referring to cloth) is a span.^[8]

Etymology[link]

The yard derives its name from the Anglo-Saxon word for a straight branch or rod. In the Middle Ages, the same word (or its variants) had meanings that included measuring rod and rod (16 1/2 feet).^[9][10] The earliest known occurrence of the word (in the sense of "rod") is in Matthew xi. 7 of the Lindisfarne Gospels.^[11]

The word "yard" is a homonym of "yard" in the sense of an enclosed area of land, a word related to the verb "to gird", This second meaning of yard has a completely different etymology from the first and is not related.^[12][13]

Origin theories[link]

The precise origin of the measure is not definitely known. Some believe it derived from the double cubit, or that it originated from cubic measure, others from its near equivalents, such as the length of a stride or pace. One postulate was that the yard was derived from the girth of a person's waist, while another claim held that the measure was invented by Henry I of England as being the distance between the tip of his nose and the end of his thumb.^[14]

Tenth-century king Edgar the Peaceable is sometimes credited with having instituted the yard by a statute known as III Edgar 8.1, dated 959-63, from the Witenagemot at Andover. The statute, which survives in several variant manuscripts, says in effect that the measure of Winchester shall be observed throughout the realm. (A variant reading has it as Winchester and London.)^[15][16][17] The chief proponents of the Edgar theory were Henry William Chisholm (Warden of the Standards, 1867–77) and Captain George Tyrrell McCaw, CMG, OBE (editor of the Empire Survey Review).^[18][19]

The theory that Henry I invented the yard is based on a single line of text in William of Malmesbury's History of the Kings of England (Gesta Regum Anglorum). Translated from the original Latin, it reads: The measure of his own arm was applied to correct the false ell of the traders and enjoined on all throughout England.^[20] The part about Henry's nose was added some centuries later. Even though Watson dismisses as "childish" the suggestion that the original yard was the length of the king's arm, R. D. Connor, in The Weights and Measures of England, says that William of Malmesbury is generally a reliable informant for events taking place in his own lifetime, and that the French pied du roi supposedly derived from the foot of Charlemagne.^[21][22]

History[link]

It was first defined in law by a document thought to date from 1266-1303 known variously as the Composition of Yards and Perches, Compositio Ulnarum et Perticarum, or The statute of ells and perches. The text from the manuscript known as BL Cotton MS Claudius D 2 (as published in Ruffhead's Statutes at Large) reads:^[23]

It is ordained that 3 grains of barley dry and round do make an inch, 12 inches make 1 foot, 3 feet make 1 yard, 5 yards and a half make a perch, and 40 perches in length and 4 in breadth make an acre.

An alternative reading from Liber Horn (as published in Statutes of the Realm) states:^[24]

And be it remembered that the iron yard of our Lord the King containeth 3 feet and no more, and a foot ought to contain 12 inches by the right measure of this yard measured, to wit, the 36th part of this yard rightly measured maketh 1 inch neither more nor less and 5 yards and a half make a perch that is 16 feet and a half measured by the aforesaid yard of our Lord the King.

The Composition of Yards and Perches belongs to a class of documents known as Statutes of uncertain date generally thought to be from c. 1250 to 1305. Although not originally statutes, they gradually acquired the force of law. In some early statute books Composition of Yards and Perches was appended to another statute of uncertain date, the Statute for the Measuring of Land also known as Statutum de Admensuratione Terrase, An Ordinance for Measuring of Land, sometimes (erroneously) listed as 33° Edward I. st. 6. (1305). The Composition of Yards and Perches was repealed by the Weights and Measures Act of 1824 (5 George IV c. 74, par. 23).^[25]

Yard and inch[link]

In a law of 1439 (18 Henry VI. Cap. 16.) the sale of cloth by the "yard and handful" was abolished, and the "yard and inch" instituted.^[26]

There shall be but one Measure of Cloth through the Realm by the Yard and the Inch, and not by the Yard and Handful, according to the London Measure.

According to Connor, cloth merchants had previously sold cloth by the yard and handful to evade high taxes on cloth (the extra handful being essentially a black-market transaction). Enforcement efforts resulted in cloth merchants switching over to the yard and inch, at which point the government gave up and made the yard and inch official. In 1552, the yard and inch for cloth measurement was again sanctioned in law (5 & 6 Edward VI Cap. 6. An Act for the true making of Woolen Cloth.)^[27]

"XIV. And that all and every Broad Cloth and Clothes called Taunton Clothes, Bridgwaters, and other Clothes which shall be made after the said Feast in Taunton, Bridgwater or in other Places of like Sort, shall contain at the Water in Length betwixt twelve and thirteen Yards, Yard and Inch of the Rule, and in Breadth seven Quarters of a Yard: (2) And every narrow Cloth made after the said Feast in the said Towns or elsewhere of like Sorts, shall contain in the Water in Length betwixt three and twenty and five and twenty Yards, Yard and Inch as is aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard of like Measure; (3) and every such Cloth, both Broad and Narrow being well scowred, thicked, milled and fully dried, shall weigh xxxiv. li. the Piece at the least."

"XV. And that all Clothes named Check-Kersie and Straits, which shall be made after the said Feast shall contain being wet between seventeen and eighteen Yards, with the Inches as is aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard at the least at the Water; and being well scowred, thicked, milled and fully dried, shall weigh xxiv. li. the Piece at the least."

And once in legislation of 1557-8 (4 & 5 Philip and Mary Cap. 5. An act touching the making of woolen clothes. par. IX.)^[28]

"IX. Item, That every ordinary kersie mentioned in the said act shall contain in length in the water betwixt xvi. and xvii. yards, yard and inch; and being well scoured thicked, milled, dressed and fully dried, shall weigh nineteen pounds the piece at the least:..."

As recently as 1593 we find the same principle mentioned once again (35 Elizabeth. Cap. 10. An act for the reformation of sundry abuses in clothes, called Devonshire kerjies or dozens, according to a proclamation of the thirty-fourth year of the reign of our sovereign lady the Queen that now is. par. III.)^[29]

"(2) and each and every of the same Devonshire kersies or dozens, so being raw, and as it cometh forth off the weaver's loom (without racking, stretching, straining or other device to encrease the length thereof) shall contain in length between fifteen and sixteen yards by the measure of yard and inch by the rule,..."

Physical standards[link]

One of the oldest yard-rods in existence is the clothyard of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors. It consists of a hexagonal iron rod ⁵⁄₈ inch in diameter and ¹⁄₁₀₀ inch short of a yard, encased within a silver rod bearing the hallmark 1445.^[22][30] In the early 15th century, the Merchant Taylors Company was authorized to "make search" at the opening of the annual St. Bartholemew's Day Cloth Fair.^[31][32] In the mid-18th century Graham compared the standard yard of the Royal Society to other existing standards. These were a "long-disused" standard made in 1490 during the reign of Henry VII,^[33] and a brass yard and a brass ell from 1588 in the time of Queen Elizabeth and still in use at the time, held at the Exchequer;^[34] a brass yard and a brass ell at the Guildhall; and a brass yard presented to the Clock-Makers' Company by the Exchequer in 1671. The Exchequer yard was taken as "true"; the variation was found to be +¹⁄₂₀ to -¹⁄₁₅ of an inch, and an additional graduation for the Exchequer yard was made on the Royal Society's standard. In 1758 the legislature required the construction of a standard yard, which was made from the Royal Society's standard and was deposited with the clerk of the House of Commons; it was divided into feet, one of the feet into inches, and one of the inches into tenths. A copy of it, but with upright cheeks between which other measuring rods could be placed, was made for the Exchequer for commercial use.^[35][36]

19th century[link]

Following Royal Society investigations by John Playfair, Hyde Wollaston and John Warner in 1814 a committee of parliament proposed defining the standard yard based upon the length of a seconds pendulum. This idea was examined but not approved.^[37] The Weights and Measures Act of 1824 (5° George IV. Cap. 74.) An Act for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights and Measures stipulates that:^[38]

From and after the First Day of May One thousand eight hundred and twenty five the Straight Line or Distance between the Centres of the Two Points in the Gold Studs of the Straight Brass Rod now in the Custody of the Clerk of the House of Commons whereon the Words and Figures "Standard Yard 1760" are engraved shall be and the same is hereby declared to be the original and genuine Standard of that Measure of Length or lineal Extension called a Yard; and that the same Straight Line or Distance between the Centres of the said Two Points in the said Gold Studs in the said Brass Rod the Brass being at the Temperature of Sixty two Degrees by Fahrenheit's Thermometer shall be and is hereby denominated the Imperial Standard Yard and shall be and is hereby declared to be the Unit or only Standard Measure of Extension, wherefrom or whereby all other Measures of Extension whatsoever, whether the same be lineal, superficial or solid, shall be derived, computed and ascertained; and that all Measures of Length shall be taken in Parts or Multiples, or certain Proportions of the said Standard Yard; and that One third Part of the said Standard Yard shall be a Foot, and the Twelfth Part of such Foot shall be an Inch; and that the Pole or Perch in Length shall contain Five such Yards and a Half, the Furlong Two hundred and twenty such Yards, and the Mile One thousand seven hundred and sixty such Yards.

In 1834, the primary Imperial yard standard was partially destroyed in a fire known as the Burning of Parliament. In 1838, a commission was formed to reconstruct the lost standards, including the troy pound, which had also been destroyed.^[39] In 1845, a new yard standard was constructed based on two previously existing standards known as A1 and A2, both of which had been made for the Ordnance Survey, and R.S. 46, the yard of the Royal Astronomical Society. All three had been compared to the Imperial standard before the fire. The new standard was made of Baily's metal No. 4 consisting of 16 parts copper, 2 ¹⁄₂ parts tin, and 1 part zinc. It was 38 inches long and 1 inch square. The Weights and Measures Act of 1855 granted official recognition to the new standards. Between 1845 and 1855 forty yard standards were constructed, one of which was selected as the new Imperial standard. Four others, known as Parliamentary Copies, were distributed to The Royal Mint, The Royal Society of London, The Royal Observatory at Greenwich, and the New Palace at Westminster, commonly called the Houses of Parliament.^[40] The other 35 yard standards were distributed to the cities of London, Edinburgh, and Dublin, as well the United States and other countries (although only the first 5 had official status).^[41] The imperial standard received by the United States is known as "Bronze Yard No. 11"^[42]

The Weights and Measures Act 1878 confirmed the status of the existing yard standard, mandated regular intercomparisons between the several yard standards, and authorised the construction of one additional Parliamentary Copy (made in 1879 and known as Parliamentary Copy VI).^[43]

Definition of the yard in terms of the metre[link]

Subsequent measurements revealed that the yard standard and its copies were shrinking at the rate of one parts per million every twenty years due to the gradual release of strain incurred during the fabrication process.^[44] The international prototype metre, on the other hand, was comparatively stable. A measurement made in 1895 determined the length of the metre at 39.370113 inches relative to the imperial standard yard. The Weights and Measures Act of 1895 in conjunction with Order in Council 411 (1898) made this relationship official. After 1898, the de facto legal definition of the yard came to be accepted as 36/39.370113 metres.

In 1959, the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa agreed to adopt the international inch of exactly 2.54 centimetres, and consequently a yard of exactly 0.9144 metre. The USA ratified the treaty in 1960, although the National Bureau of Standards had already begun implementing it in 1959. In the UK, the provisions of the treaty were ratified by the Weights and Measures Act of 1963. The Imperial Standard Yard of 1845 was renamed the United Kingdom Primary Standard Yard and retained its official status as the national prototype yard.^[45]

Schedule 2, Part I of The Weights and Measures Act of 1985 defines the yard as 0.9144 metre, and the metre as the distance light travels in 1/299792458 second. It then goes on to state:

Description of United Kingdom primary standard of the yard A solid bronze bar, about 38 inches long and about 1 inch square in transverse section, marked “Copper 16 oz. Tin 2½ Zinc 1 Mr. Baily’s Metal No. 1 STANDARD YARD at 62°·00 Faht. Cast in 1845 Troughton & Simms, LONDON

Part V Authorised copies of United Kingdom primary standards of the yard and pound ... (e) a bronze bar marked “Copper 16 oz. Tin 2½ inc 1. BAILY’S METAL. PARLIAMENTARY COPY (VI) OF THE IMPERIAL STANDARD YARD. 41 & 42 VICTORIA, CHAPTER 49. STANDARD YARD AT 62° FAHT. CAST IN 1878^[46]

Current use[link]

The yard is used as the standard unit of field-length measurement in American,^[47] Canadian^[48] and Association football,^[49] cricket pitch dimensions^[50] and in some countries, golf fairway measurements.

There are corresponding units of area and volume: the square yard and cubic yard respectively. These are sometimes referred to simply as "yards" when no ambiguity is possible, for example an American or Canadian concrete mixer may be marked with a capacity of "11 yards" or "1.5 yards", where cubic yards are obviously referred to.

Yards are also used in road signs on roads in the United Kingdom^[51] and the United States to specify short distances.

Conversions[link]

• international yard (defined 1959):^[52][53]

1 yard = 0.9144 metre.^[54]

• pre-1959 US yard - defined 1869, implemented 1893^[55]

For survey purposes, certain pre-1959 units were retained, usually prefaced by the word "survey," among them the survey inch, survey foot, and survey mile, also known as the statute mile. The rod and furlong exist only in their pre-1959 form and are thus not prefaced by the word "survey." However, it is not clear if a "survey yard" actually exists.^[56] If it did, its hypothetical values would be as follows:

3937 survey yard = 3600 metre^[55]

1 survey yard ≈ 0.91440183 metre^[55]

0.999998 survey yard = 1 yard (exact)^[55]

1 statute mile = 8 furlongs = 80 chains = 1760 yards

See also[link]

• English units
• Guz, the yard of the Middle East
• Imperial units
• Nail (unit)
• United States customary units
• Vara

References[link]

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2010)

Rich Eisen
Eisen at the 2011 NFL Draft
Born	(1969-06-24) June 24, 1969 (age 43) Brooklyn, New York, USA
Occupation	Sportscaster
Website
NFL Total Access

Richard Eisen (pronounced /ˈaɪzən/; born June 24, 1969) is an American television journalist who works for NFL Network. He is married to Suzy Shuster, college football sideline reporter for ESPN on ABC. He wrote the book Total Access which was published in 2007.

Early life and education[link]

Eisen was born to a Jewish ^[1] family in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised on Staten Island.^[2] Eisen attended the University of Michigan, where he served as co–sports editor of the school's Michigan Daily. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor of arts degree, and in 1994 he earned a master of science degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Broadcasting career[link]

Early years (1990–1996)[link]

Eisen was first a staff writer for the Staten Island Advance from 1990–1993, and the Chicago Tribune in 1993 and 1994. He was then a sports anchor and reporter at KRCR-TV in Redding, California from 1994 to 1996, and also worked in television as the Medill News Service's Washington correspondent (1994).^[2]

ESPN (1996–2003)[link]

Eisen (left) and Marshall Faulk during the 2010 NFL Draft

Before working for the NFL Network, he worked for ESPN. He was part of a duo with Stuart Scott, and became well known for his humor, most notably his impressions of Atlanta Braves broadcaster Skip Caray and provided interviews during the Home Run Derby. Eisen was also the host of ESPN's reality series, Beg, Borrow & Deal. For ESPN Radio, he served as host of Major League Baseball and as a guest host on The Tony Kornheiser Show and The Dan Patrick Show. Outside of the world of sports, Eisen hosted the ABC show Domino Day.

Among Eisen's notable achievements while at ESPN, was breaking the news of St. Louis slugger Mark McGwire's retirement from baseball in 2001 on SportsCenter. Days later, he sat down with McGwire for an exclusive interview elaborating on the decision.

NFL Network (2003–present)[link]

Rich Eisen was the first on-air talent added to the NFL Network roster in June 2003. Eisen is the face of the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week cable and satellite channel dedicated to football that debuted in November 2003. Currently, he serves as the main host of the show, NFL Total Access, the network flagship program which also airs on Saturdays on My Network TV.

Eisen signed a new long-term deal with NFL Network in 2010 and became the new host of NFL GameDay Morning, the first NFL pregame show on television. Eisen also remains host of NFL Total Access and NFL GameDay Highlights, as well as NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football pregame, halftime and postgame shows and special on-location coverage from league events such as Kickoff, Pro Football Hall of Fame, NFL Scouting Combine, NFL Draft and Super Bowl.

Eisen expanded his resume in 2010 with the debut of ‘The Rich Eisen Podcast,’ the first-ever podcast for NFL.com. The weekly podcast, available on NFL.com and iTunes, features guests from the world of sports and entertainment news talking football and all the latest headlines.

Eisen's 40-yard dash time (Recorded at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine) is 6.03 seconds, a personal best.

CBS Sports[link]

He worked as a play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports coverage of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, in addition to serving as the anchor for the network's weeknight (and late-night) highlights show during the tournament.

Other projects[link]

Eisen is the host of the upcoming TNT original reality series The Great Escape, scheduled to debut June 24, 2012.^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

• NFL Total Access
• Rich Eisen on Twitter

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2011)

Jacob Miller (May 4, 1952 – March 23, 1980^[1]) was a Jamaican reggae artist who first recorded with Clement Dodd. While pursuing a prolific solo career, he became the lead singer for reggae group Inner Circle with whom he recorded until his death in a car accident at the age of 27.

Biography[link]

Jacob Miller was known as one of Jamaica's most distinctive vocal stylists, with a trademark vibrato he used to accent his performance.

He was born in Mandeville, Central Jamaica on May 4, 1952 to Joan Ashman and Desmond Elliot. At the age of eight he moved to Kingston, Jamaica where he grew up with his maternal grandparents. In Kingston, Miller began spending time at popular studios including Clement Dodd’s Studio One. He recorded three songs for Dodd, including “Love is a Message” in 1968, which the Swaby brothers, (Horace, later called Augustus Pablo, and Garth) played at their Rockers Sound System. While the song did not garner much success nor maintain Dodd's attention in Miller, it resulted in Pablo’s sustained interest in Miller.

After the brothers launched their own label in 1972, Pablo recorded a version of “Love is a Message” named “Keep on Knocking” in 1974. In the next year and a half Miller recorded five more songs for Pablo, “Baby I Love You So,” “False Rasta,” “Who Say Jah No Dread,” “Each One Teach One,” and “Girl Named Pat”, each of which became a Rockers classic with King Tubby dubs on their b-sides. These singles developed Miller’s reputation and ultimately drew Inner Circle to hire him as a replacement lead singer.

Musical career[link]

Inner Circle was an emerging reggae group made popular playing covers of American Top 40 hits. Band leader Roger Lewis said Jacob Miller was “always happy and jovial. He always made jokes. Everyone liked Jokes.” Adding Miller as lead singer, the band’s lineup was Roger Lewis on guitar, Ian Lewis on bass, Bernard “Touter” Harvey on keyboards, and Rasheed McKenzie on drums. Coining Miller as Jacob “Killer” Miller, the group continued to build popularity. They signed with Capitol Records in 1976 and released two albums, Reggae Thing and Ready for the World. Their first hit with Jacob Miller was “Tenement Yard”, followed by “Tired Fi Lick Weed In a Bush”.

While recording, Miller continued pursuing a solo career, recording “Forward Jah Jah Children,” “Girl Don’t Com” produced by Gussie Clarke, and “I’m a Natty” produced by Joe Gibbs. He earned second place in Jamaica’s 1976 Festival Song competition with the song “All Night ‘Till Daylight” and produced his first solo album in 1978, Dread Dread. While most of Miller’s solo work were backed by Inner Circle members, his preferred Rockers style diverged from the tendency of Inner Circle to experiment with other genres, including pop, soul, funk and disco. The track which has brought him the most lasting recognition is the rockers standard 'King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown' with Augustus Pablo, a dub of 'Baby I Love you So,' engineered by King Tubby. Other notable tracks with Augustus Pablo include 'Keep on Knocking,' 'False Rasta' and 'Who Say Jah No Dread', all produced by Pablo. The album Who Say Jah No Dread features two versions of each of these tracks; the original and a dub engineered by King Tubby.

Miller was featured in the film Rockers, alongside many other musicians including Gregory Isaacs, Big Youth and Burning Spear. In the movie, he plays the singer of a hotel house band, (in reality Inner Circle), who are joined on drums by the film's hero, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace and play a live version of Inner Circle's hit "Tenement Yard".

In March 1980, Jacob Miller went with Bob Marley and Chris Blackwell to Brazil to celebrate Island opening new offices in South America. On Sunday, March 23, 1980 Miller was killed at age 27 in a car accident on Hope Road in Kingston, Jamaica. Miller and Inner Circle had been preparing for an American tour with Bob Marley and the Wailers, and the next album, Mixed Up Moods, had been recorded before his death.

Jacob Miller was UK reggae artist Maxi Priest's uncle.

See also[link]

• 27 club

References[link]

External links[link]

• More Jacob Miller information
• [1]
• [2]
• [3]

Denard Robinson

Robinson at a press conference
Michigan Wolverines — No. 16
Quarterback	Junior
Major: Kinesiology
Date of birth: (1990-09-22) September 22, 1990 (age 21)
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	Weight: 197 lb (89 kg)
Career history
High school: Deerfield Beach High School, Deerfield Beach, Florida
College(s): University of Michigan (2009–present)
Bowl games
2011 Gator Bowl, 2012 Sugar Bowl
Career highlights and awards
College records —NCAA (all divisions) Only 1500-yard passing/1500-yard rushing season —Division I FBS Rushing yards by a QB (season) Division I FBS 200-yard passing/200-yard rushing regular season games (career and season) —Big Ten Conference Rushing yards by a QB (single game) Total offense (single-season) —Michigan Total offense (single-game) Rushing yards on the road (single game) Passing yards (single half) —Other Notre Dame Stadium longest run from scrimmage High school championship FHSAA state champion 4 x 100 metres Honors Chicago Tribune Silver Football (Big Ten MVP) (2010) Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2010) 2010 All-American (1st team - FWAA, 3rd team - AP, honorable mention - SI & CFN) First-team All-Big Ten (2010, media) Second-team All-Big Ten (2011, media) Big Ten Rushing Champion (2010) Big Ten Total Offense Champion (2010) 2011 All-American (honorable mention - SI)
Stats at ESPN.com

Denard Xavier Robinson (born September 22, 1990), nicknamed Shoelace, is an American football player who has completed his junior season for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team. He started at quarterback in all 13 games for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 2010. In the same year, he set the single-season Division I FBS record for rushing yards by a quarterback and became the only player in NCAA history to both pass and rush for 1,500 yards. Robinson also broke the Big Ten Conference season record with 4,272 yards of total offense (2,570 yards passing and 1,702 yards rushing) and led the conference in rushing. He was awarded the 2010 Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten Conference and was selected by the Football Writers Association of America as a first-team All-American. He also set the Big Ten single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback and is the only player in NCAA Division I FBS history to both pass for 200 yards and rush for 200 yards in a regular season game twice in his career, accomplishing that feat in his first full season as a starter.

He enrolled at the University of Michigan in 2009 and was the school's second-string quarterback as a true freshman. In the 2010 season opener against Connecticut, Robinson broke Michigan's single-game record for total offense with 383 yards and also broke the single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback. He shattered his own records in his second start at quarterback against Notre Dame with 258 rushing yards and 502 yards of total offense. During the 2010 season, Robinson had six of the top ten single-game performances in total yards in Michigan history.

Robinson acquired the nickname "Shoelace" because he has played football since age 10 with his shoelaces untied. He also competes as a sprinter for the Michigan men's track and field team. He has run the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds, and he recorded the fastest competition time in 2010 among Michigan's sprinters in the 60-meter dash.

Early life and nickname[link]

Robinson was born in 1990, the son of Thomas Robinson, Sr., and Dorothea Robinson.^[1] Robinson began playing pee-wee football by age 10 and played the game with his shoes untied. Those who saw him play at Westside Park in Deerfield Beach recall:

"Kids would go for his shoes on tackles, and he'd come up to the huddle in just socks. His coach couldn't stand it at first and neither could his parents. They'd tie wristbands around his shoes. When that didn't work, they tried athletic tape. They even rolled his socks over his shoes. He was a marvel, and he wasn't even finished with the sixth grade."^[1]

Robinson continued to play football without tying his shoelaces and became known as "Shoelace."^[2][3] One reporter who visited his family to watch a Michigan game noted, "To everyone in Deerfield Beach -- everyone but his mother, that is -- there is no Denard, just Shoelace."^[1] Robinson's high school coach, Art Taylor, explained his rationale for accepting the practice:

"After 25 years coaching, if the kid can throw it 90 yards in the air and is accurate and the kid can run as fast as he does ... as long as he feels comfortable, not lacing his shoes, fine with me. The kid's been doing it all his life, why mess with it?"^[4]

At the college level, his coaches at the University of Michigan also accepted Robinson's practice. After learning that Robinson could run the 100 meters in 10.4 seconds with his shoes untied, Michigan quarterbacks coach Rod Smith called it "the damnedest thing I've ever seen" and added, "Anybody that runs that fast I'm not going to tell him how to tie his shoes."^[5] Robinson wears Adidas Reggie2 Superfly shoes with Velcro straps to secure them to his feet.^[4]

Deerfield Beach High School[link]

As a ninth grader, Robinson tried out for a spot as a defensive back for the varsity football team at Deerfield Beach High School in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The team's defensive coordinator at the time was former Buffalo Bills defensive back Manny Martin, who was also Robinson's algebra teacher. Martin later recalled that he had an experienced defensive backfield, but Robinson "was always in my ear: 'I can do it.'"^[6] Robinson did not win a spot on the varsity team and instead played quarterback for the junior-varsity team as a ninth grader.^[6]

Robinson became the starting quarterback for the Deerfield Beach varsity team as a sophomore and filled that position for three years from 2006 to 2008.^[6] Deerfield Beach head coach Art Taylor recalled, "As soon as he stepped on that field his sophomore year playing varsity, we knew we had something special."^[7]

In a 2007 state semifinal game played at the Orange Bowl, Robinson led his team to within two points of upsetting Miami Northwestern, the top-ranked high school team in the country. While warming up, Robinson noticed that a Miami Northwestern lineman had taped a photograph of Robinson onto the front of his helmet. Robinson started laughing and told the player, "You think that scares us?"^[6] Robinson had Deerfield ahead in the game, 12–7, but Miami Northwestern completed a 99-yard touchdown drive with 18 seconds left to give them a 14–12 win.^[6]

In October 2008 against St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Robinson was responsible for six touchdowns in a single game, passing for 342 yards and five touchdowns and rushing for 54 yards and a touchdown.^[8] As a three-year starter for Deerfield Beach, Robinson totaled nearly 6,000 yards of total offense with 4,784 passing yards (262 for 576 passing) and 1,132 rushing yards (5.2 yards per carry).^[9]

Robinson also competed in track for Deerfield Beach. In March 2009, he ran the 100 meters sprint in 10.44 seconds,^[10] and finished third in the 100-meter dash at the 2008 Florida 4A Track & Field State Championships.^[9] He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds.^[11] He was also a member of the 2008 Florida High School Athletic Association state champion 4 x 100 metres relay team.^[9]

College recruitment[link]

As a high school senior, ESPN ranked Robinson seventh in the country as a general athlete and 101st regardless of position. Rivals.com ranked him 14th as a general athlete and 188th overall.^[12][13] Scout.com categorized him as a cornerback and ranked him 16th in the nation.^[14] Robinson received scholarship offers from Florida, Georgia, Kansas State, Michigan, and other programs.^[15] Michigan initially recruited Robinson as a defensive back, and Robinson declined.^[16] Robinson recalled that it was one of his goals to play quarterback at the college level.^[16] After observing his passing abilities, Michigan recruited Robinson as a quarterback. On February 4, 2009, Robinson announced that he had signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Michigan.^[17][18]

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	40‡	Commit date
Denard Robinson QB	Deerfield Beach, Florida	Deerfield Beach (FL)	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	4.44	Feb 4, 2009
	Scout:   Rivals:   ESPN grade: 81
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 16 (CB)   Rivals: 188, 14 (Athlete), 35 (FL)  ESPN: 101, 7 (Athlete)
Note: In many cases, Scout and Rivals may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, an average of the two was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Michigan Football Commitments". Rivals.com. http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/commitments/2009/alabama-29. Retrieved 2010-09-09.  "2009 Michigan Football Commits". Scout.com. http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=9&c=8&yr=2009. Retrieved 2010-09-09.  "ESPN". ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/college-football/recruiting/school/_/id/130/class/2009. Retrieved 2010-09-09.  "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=9&c=14&yr=2009. Retrieved 2010-09-09.  "2009 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. http://www.rivals.com/TeamRank.asp?type=0&sort=0&year=2009. Retrieved 2010-09-09.

University of Michigan[link]

2009 football season[link]

Robinson enrolled in the University of Michigan's School of Kinesiology in the fall of 2009. During Michigan's 2009 summer training camp, Robinson was in competition for the starting quarterback position with fellow freshman Tate Forcier and junior Nick Sheridan.^[19][20] Forcier, who enrolled early and participated in spring practice,^[21] was named the starting quarterback, but Robinson saw significant playing time as a true freshman, appearing in all 12 games.^[9]

On September 5, 2009, in Michigan's season opener against Western Michigan, Robinson scored a touchdown on his first collegiate snap. As the ESPN television broadcast focused on his untied shoelaces, Robinson took the snap in the shotgun formation, ran to the right, broke a tackle at the 40-yard line, then cut left and ran 43 yards for a touchdown.^[22][23]

Two weeks later against Eastern Michigan, he ran quarterback draw plays for touchdowns of 13 and 36 yards, though he also threw two interceptions.^[9][24][25]

In Michigan's October 10 game against Iowa, Robinson replaced Forcier in the fourth quarter with the team trailing 30–21. He led the team on a 59-yard scoring drive capped by his own 3-yard touchdown run with 3:16 left to cut the lead to 30–28. However, on the following drive, Robinson's threw an interception at Michigan's 31-yard line with 44 seconds remaining in the game.^[26][27]

Robinson led the Wolverines on four scoring drives against Delaware State, throwing his first two collegiate touchdown passes and scoring a rushing touchdown as well.^[28][29] His only start of the season came on November 14 as a running back against Wisconsin.^[9]

During the 2009 season, Robinson completed 14 of 31 passes for 188 yards and two passing touchdowns. He also ran for 351 yards and five touchdowns in 69 attempts.^[30]

2010 track season[link]

Robinson also competed for the Michigan men's track and field team during his freshman year.^[31] In January 2010, Robinson told a reporter, "When I was getting recruited I always wanted to run track and play football. It helped me move faster on the football field."^[31] Michigan track coach Fred LaPlante said Robinson had one of the 10 fastest 100-meter high-school times in the United States in 2009 and described Robinson the sprinter as "one of the four or five best guys in the Big Ten."^[31] LaPlante emphasized Robinson's "quickness":

"One thing in football that you don't see in track is quickness. He's incredibly quick and his lateral movement is unbelievable and his ability to go in one direction and get in another. The perception people have is that's speed. That's not speed, that's quickness."^[31]

Robinson won the 60-meter dash in his college track debut in "The Dual" against Ohio State on January 16, 2010.^[9] His time of 6.81 stood up as the best by a Wolverine for the season.^[32] He finished fifth in the 60-meter dash at the Meyo Invitational on February 6, 2010.^[9] He finished ninth in the event at the 2010 Big Ten Indoor Championships in late February 2010, failing to qualify for the finals by four-thousandths of a second.^[9]

LaPlante recalled becoming panic-stricken during a practice race when Robinson was "running so fast he was having trouble holding the turn."^[6] Concerned about an injury to the football team's quarterback, LaPlante yelled out, "Denard! Please, don't do that again! I'll be fired in 2 seconds!" LaPlante recalled Robinson's reaction: "He had that great big smile on his face."^[6]

2010 football season[link]

2010 Michigan Offense vs. Connecticut

#16 Robinson takes the long snap for the 2010 Michigan Wolverines with #20 Michael Shaw, #22 Darryl Stonum, #9 Martavious Odoms, #52 Stephen Schilling, #50 David Molk as well as #79 Perry Dorrestein, #80 Martell Webb, and #72 Mark Huyge

2010 Michigan Wolverines football team offense including #16 Robinson, #20 Michael Shaw, #22 Darryl Stonum, #12 Roy Roundtree, #86 Kevin Koger, #52 Stephen Schilling, and #50 David Molk as well as #79 Perry Dorrestein, #65 Patrick Omamehand, and #72 Mark Huyge

Pre-season competition[link]

During spring practice in April 2010, Robinson impressed coaches and observers, leading to speculation that Robinson would overtake Forcier as the starting quarterback.^[33][34][35] The competition continued through late August and early September 2010.^[36][37][38] In early September 2010, Angelique Chengelis profiled Robinson in The Detroit News: "The prevailing belief is that Robinson has worked hard enough and improved enough to earn the job. He took significant steps in spring practice, and from all accounts, he showed his teammates an incredible devotion to offseason conditioning and film viewing, all in the interest of honing his game and improving Michigan's chances."^[39]

Even on the morning of Michigan's season opener, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that "the mystery surrounding who would be the Wolverines' No. 1 quarterback was a major story line, with coach Rich Rodriguez keeping his decision secret until the very last minute."^[40]

A total offense record against UConn[link]

Robinson did start Michigan's season opener against Connecticut. In the first half, he rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries for an average of 8.7 yards per carry.^[41] He finished the game with 383 yards of total offense, including 186 passing yards (19 of 22 passing) and 197 rushing yards on 29 carries (6.9 yards per carry).^[42] Robinson's rushing yardage against UConn was the most ever by a Michigan quarterback.^[43][44] He also broke Michigan's single-game record for total offense with 383 yards.^[9][45] For his efforts Robinson earned Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Week, AT&T ESPN All-America Player of the Week, and Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week recognition.^[46][47][48]

Less than a week after his performance in the Connecticut game, the New York Daily News wrote that Robinson had acquired "cult hero" status: "He has started only one game at quarterback for Michigan, but Denard Robinson is already a cult hero to the Wolverine faithful."^[49]

502 yards of total offense against Notre Dame[link]

In his second start at quarterback, Robinson led Michigan to a 28–24 win over Notre Dame against its traditional rival. He finished the game with 502 of Michigan's 532 yards of total offense (258 rushing yards and 244 passing yards), breaking the Michigan record he set in his first start.^[50][51] In the first half, Robinson had an 87-yard touchdown run that ranks as the longest run from scrimmage in Notre Dame Stadium's 80-year history.^[52] He also scored the winning touchdown with 27 seconds remaining on a two-yard run, capping a 12-play, 72-yard drive.^[50] Robinson broke Mike Kafka's Big Ten Conference record for rushing yards by a quarterback and became the ninth quarterback in NCAA history (and the first since Pat White in 2006) to rush and pass for more than 200 yards in a single game.^[53][54] His rushing total also ranks as the all-time best in a road game by any Michigan player, regardless of position.^[55]

After the game, Brandon Graham, who played with Robinson at Michigan in 2009 and now plays with Michael Vick on the Philadelphia Eagles told reporters that Robinson is even quicker than Vick: "Both of them are pretty fast, I just think Vick's older; he's not really that fast like how Shoelace is. I think Shoelace is more quick than Vick, but Vick, he gets away. He's pretty fast still. I think Shoelace might have got him by a couple steps."^[56]

Robinson's performance drew praise from the national media. The Wall Street Journal called Robinson "the breakout star of the young 2010 season" and drew attention to his "absurd rushing totals."^[57] Columnist Mitch Albom wrote: "Denard Robinson redefined the term 'offensive weapon' on Saturday against Notre Dame."^[58] ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit noted the "confident aura" around Robinson:

"The body language he exudes is, 'I'm a winner.' He's small in stature, but his heart you can almost see it pounding through his jersey. And then he has, like all the great ones, he plays with a swagger like, 'You can't stop me.'"^[7]

Gregg Doyel, national columnist for CBSSports.com, proclaimed Robinson the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy: "Denard Robinson has earned the right to pole position in the Heisman race. It's not close. And if he stays healthy, I fully expect him to walk across a stage in New York City in December and take that trophy home."^[59]

For his performance against Notre Dame, Robinson was selected for the second consecutive week as the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week,^[55] the AT&T ESPN All-America Player of the Week,^[60] the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week,^[61] and the CBSSports.com Player of the Day.^[62] He is the first player to earn the Walter Camp honor two weeks in a row,^[63] and the fourth to do so twice in a season.^[64] He was also named the Capital One Cup Impact Performance of the Week.^[65] CBS Sports' Verne Lundquist joked: "He might become the first guy to win both the Davey O'Brien and the Doak Walker."^[66]

Robinson totaled 455 rushing yards and 885 yards of total offense in the first two games of the 2010 season, which led Division I FBS.^[67][68] Through the first two weeks of the season, Robinson had by himself outgained 87 of the 120 FBS teams in total offense.^[69]

Indiana: 494 yards of total offense[link]

Playing against Indiana in the fifth game of the season, Robinson totaled 494 yards of total offense, the second-highest single-game total in Michigan history. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns, and he gained 217 rushing yards on 19 carries for an average of 11.4 yards per carry.^[70] On Michigan's second play from scrimmage, Robinson ran 72 yards for a touchdown.^[71] On the second play of the second half, Robinson threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Junior Hemingway, the longest of his career, to give Michigan a 28-21 lead.^[71] On Michigan's next drive, Robinson aggravated the knee injury sustained the prior week against Bowling Green and came out of the game for the remainder of the drive. He returned to the game and led Michigan on a game-winning, 65-yard touchdown drive in the final minute of the game. With 21 seconds remaining, Robinson completed a 32-yard pass to the 4-yard line. On the next play, Robinson scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 17 seconds remaining.^[70][71]

With his performance against Indiana, Robinson became the first player in Division I FBS history to have two regular season games with 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing.^[72] Seven others have accomplished the feat (including Pat White, Vince Young, and Antwaan Randle El), but none have done so more than once in the regular season. Vince Young accomplished this feat once in the regular season and once in the Rose Bowl.^[72]

After the Indiana game, Dari Nowkhah wrote in ESPN's "Heisman Watch" column that Robinson was "running away with the Heisman Trophy" and compared him to 1988 Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders:

"We haven't seen this type of college football playmaker since ... Barry Sanders? I'm not saying Robinson reminds me of Sanders. (How could a quarterback remind me of a running back?) But there is a shocking resemblance between the diminutive playmakers in their speed, elusiveness and quickness. So is the effect the two have on my sense of what is right and wrong. Being that dominant on a football field somehow feels wrong. It's unfair."^[73]

On October 4, 2010, Robinson was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (for the third time in five weeks),^[74] and also received the Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week award (for the second time in four weeks).^[75] After five games, Robinson remained the nation's leading rusher in both total yards (905) and yards per game (181).^[76] He also ranked fourth in the country with a quarterback rating of 180.^[77]

Three consecutive mid-season losses[link]

After leading Michigan to a 5–0 record and breaking the school's total offense records, Robinson was the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. His Heisman prospects suffered after three consecutive losses to Michigan State, Iowa and Penn State.

In a 34–17 loss to Michigan State in the Paul Bunyan Trophy game, Robinson completed 17 of 29 passes for 215 passing yards but threw three interceptions.^[78] He was also limited to 86 rushing yards on 21 carries. Despite a "lackluster" performance against the Spartans, Sports Illustrated selected Robinson for its "September Heisman" following the Michigan State game.^[78] He was also selected by Mark Schlabach as the Offensive MVP in ESPN.com's Mid-Season Awards.^[79]

One week after the loss to Michigan State, the Wolverines lost to Iowa, 38–28. Robinson was limited to 96 passing yards and 105 rushing yards and threw his fifth interception of the season. In the third quarter, Robinson suffered a shoulder injury and did not return to the game.^[80][81]

Michigan's record dropped to 5–3 with a 41–31 loss to Penn State. Despite the loss, Robinson's offensive output rebounded against the Nittany Lions. He rushed for 191 yards on 27 carries (an average of 7.1 yards per carry) and passed for another 190 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Koger.^[82] With 191 rushing yards against Penn State, Robinson's season rushing total reached 1,287 yards, breaking Antwaan Randle El's Big Ten record of 1,270 rushing yards by a quarterback.^[83]

Offensive free-for-all against Illinois[link]

In his ninth start, Robinson passed for a career-high 302 yards and ran for 62 yards against Illinois. On the first play from scrimmage, Robinson threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Roy Roundtree.^[84] In the second quarter, Robinson also threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Roundtree and another 75-yard pass to Roundtree to set up Michigan's third touchdown. Robinson set a school single-half record with 262 passing yards in the first half.^[85] Robinson came out of the game at the end of the third quarter after reporting concusion-like symptoms, including dizziness and headaches.^[86] Michigan went on to win the game 67–65.^[84] Robinson and substitute Tate Forcier combined to break Michigan's all-time, single-game record with 419 passing yards, surpassing the prior record of 396 yards by Tom Brady and Drew Henson against Michigan State in 1999.^[87] The following week, Robinson, was named as one of sixteen Maxwell Award semifinalists.^[88]

Consecutive losses to Wisconsin and Ohio State[link]

Robinson's shot at the Heisman Trophy was lost with a disappointing performance against Purdue and consecutive blowout losses to Wisconsin and Ohio State.

In the Purdue game, Robinson turned the ball over four times (two interceptions and two lost fumbles) in heavy rain and gusting wind.^[89] Robinson was also held to a season-low 68 rushing yards against Purdue.

One week later, Michigan suffered a 48–28 loss to Wisconsin. Robinson passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns, set the Division I FBS record for rushing yards by a quarterback and become the first NCAA player with 1,500 rushing yards and 2,000 passing yards in the same season.^[90] However, Robinson's individual performance was overshadowed by the 20-point loss to the Badgers.

In the final game of the regular season, Michigan lost by a 30-point margin (37–7) against Ohio State in The Game. Robinson failed to register a passing or rushing touchdown for the first time in 2010. Although he rushed for 105 yards on 18 carries, he was limited to 87 passing yards. After sustaining two dislocated fingers on his non-throwing hand, Robinson was replaced in the second half by Tate Forcier.^[91]

2011 Gator Bowl[link]

Michigan finished its 2010 season with a 52–14 loss to Mississippi State in the 2011 Gator Bowl, the worst defeat ever suffered by Michigan in a bowl game.^[92] Robinson completed 27 of 41 passes for 254 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He added 59 rushing yards on 11 carries for 313 yards of total offense, enough to break Drew Brees' Big Ten single-season total offense record of 4,189 yards.^[93]

2010 season statistics and awards[link]

Robinson finished the 2010 season with 1,702 rushing yards (130.9 yards per game). He also passed for 2,570 yards and compiled 4,272 yards of total offense (328.6 yards per game).^[94][95] In the 10th game of the season against Purdue, Robinson passed John Navarre's Michigan single-season total offense record of 3,240 yards set in 2003. Against Wisconsin one week later, he broke the Division I FBS single-season quarterback rushing record of 1,494 yards previously held by Beau Morgan of Air Force.^[96] He also became the first person in NCAA (all divisions) history to record 1,500 yards rushing and passing in the same season.^[97]

At the end of the regular season, Robinson received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten Conference.^[98] He was also named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year by the Big Ten coaches and media and by the College Football News.^[99][100] Robinson was also selected as a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America as a running back,^[101] a third-team All-American by the Associated Press as an all-purpose player,^[102] and an honorable mention quarterback selection by Sports Illustrated and College Football News.^[103][104] He finished sixth in the 2010 Heisman Trophy voting,^[105] and was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten quarterback by both the Big Ten media and College Football News.^[106][107]

With 313 yards of total offense in the 2011 Gator Bowl, Robinson broke Drew Brees' Big Ten single-season total offense record of 4,189 yards.^[93] He fell 116 yards short of Tim Biakabutuka's Michigan school record of 1,818 rushing yards. However, he led the conference in both total offense and rushing yards per game.^[94]

2011 football season[link]

Robinson in June 2011

Decision to stay after coaching change[link]

Following Michigan's season-ending loss in the 2011 Gator Bowl, head coach Rich Rodriguez was fired and replaced by Brady Hoke. As Robinson had thrived in Rodriguez's spread offense, the coaching change led to speculation that Robinson may transfer. On January 17, 2011, Robinson ended the speculation when he issued a statement confirming that he would stay at Michigan.^[108][109] In the video statement released by the University of Michigan, Robinson said he seriously considered transferring and noted that Rodriguez was one of the few coaches willing to give him the chance to play quarterback at the next level.^[109] Robinson explained his decision to stay at Michigan: "This is my family. This is my home now. ... I couldn't let it go."^[109] He also noted that he talked to his teammates and told them, "'You know, I can't just leave you out there.' I've been around these guys two years and we've bonded and it's like a family here. There's nothing like this."^[108]

Preseason focus on adaptability to new offense[link]

Robinson entered the 2011 season on watchlists for the Maxwell Award,^[110] the Davey O'Brien Award, the Walter Camp Award,^[111] the Paul Hornung Award,^[112] and the Manning Award.^[113] In the weeks leading up to the 2011 season, the media focused on questions surrounding Robinson's ability to adapt to the pro-style offense being implemented by new offensive coordinator, Al Borges, and also on Borges' willingness to adjust his game plan to take advantage of Robinson's running capability.^{[114][115][116]} Robinson noted that the running game would remain an option even in passing situations, adding, "If nobody's open, the broken play is probably the hardest play to stop in college football -- in any football."^[117]

Regular season[link]

Robinson running the offense against the 2011 Ohio State Buckeyes

In Michigan's 2011 season opener against Western Michigan, Robinson completed 9 of 13 passes for 98 yards and had 46 rushing yards on eight carries. The game was ended with 1:27 left in the third quarter due to inclement weather.^[118]

In Michigan's next game against Notre Dame, Robinson completed 11 of 24 passes for 338 yards with four touchdowns and had 108 yards rushing on 16 carries with a touchdown on a recovered fumble near the goal line. He threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Roy Roundtree with two seconds left in the fourth quarter to defeat the Irish 35–31.^[119] The performance moved Robinson into third place in Big Ten history for rushing yards by a quarterback.^[120] In recognition of his performance during the game, the Big Ten named Denard Robinson its Offensive Player of the Week, while the Davey O'Brien Award named him its Quarterback of the Week. He was also named Rivals.com's Big Ten and National Player of the Week and was nominated for the Capital One Cup Impact Performance of the Week,^[121][122] which he won by fan vote.^[123]

In Michigan's third game, against Eastern Michigan, Robinson posted 198 rushing yards giving him five of the top ten quarterback single-game rushing outputs in conference history.^[124][125] His 2,405 career rushing yards remained 152 behind Juice Williams' second all-time Big Ten career total of 2,557.^[125]

In Michigan's fourth game, against San Diego State, Robinson tallied three touchdowns in the first half on his way to a 200-yard rushing effort. The effort moved him past Williams into second place in Big Ten history on the career rushing yardage list with a total of 2,605, behind only Antwaan Randle El (3,895).^[126] He also earned Big Ten Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week recognition.^[127]

On October 8, against Northwestern Robinson posted a total of 454 yards of total offense with 337 yards passing and 117 rushing. He scored two rushing touchdowns and had two passing.^[128]

During Michigan's November 19 victory over Nebraska, Robinson posted 180 yards passing and 83 rushing with two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns to earn Co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors from the conference. He also won the Rivals.com Big Ten Player of the Week and was a nominee for the Capital One Cup Impact Performances of the Week.^[129][130]

On November 26, in the victory over Ohio State, Fitzgerald Toussaint joined Robinson with 1000 yards for the season, marking the first time since the 1975 team that Michigan had two 1000-yard rushers.^[131][132] Robinson posted a five-touchdown performance (3 passing and 2 rushing) and became the fourth player in NCAA history to gain 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in a season twice in his career. Robinson totalled 170 yards rushing and earned a share of his fourth Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week recognition for the season.^[133] He also repeated as the Rivals.com Big Ten Player of the Week and was a College Football Performance Awards honorable mention as the National Quarterback of the Week.^[134]

Following the 2011 Big Ten Conference football season, he earned second team All-Conference recognition from the media.^[135][136] He was voted team MVP for the second year in a row.^[137] He was a Sports Illustrated All-American honorable mention selectee.^[138]

Statistics at Michigan[link]

Career statistics[link]

Michigan's all-time total offense leaders[link]

Single game[link]

Currently, as Michigan's starting quarterback, Robinson has the six top single-game performances in total yards in Michigan history, and eight of the top ten, as reflected in the following list of the all-time, single-game leaders.