Buzzmaster : Brian will be here soon. Keep sending in your questions!
Greg (Lebanon, OH): How do you feel about playing OLB in a 3-4 defense? Congrats on an outstanding combine performance.
Brian Robison: I appreciate that Greg. As far as OLB in the 3-4 I feel very confident in playing that position. I think I have the speed and agility to play LB, so I am fine with it.
James Burke Waltham Ma: Hey Brian, How much interest have the Patiots showed in drafting you?
Brian Robison: Actually I had a meeting this weekend with NE and I met with them and I think they liked my football smarts; so they have shown interest, and I would be interested in playing for them.
Buddy (Dartmouth,ma): What aspects of your game were helped by your track background?
Brian Robison: I think many parts of my game were helped by that, especially my speed and explosiveness. The speed because I would run with the sprinters. The shot put helped me a lot in perfecting my explosiveness in the hips. Shot also helped as far as agility; it is not easy to stay in that small circle. So yes it has helped me in a lot of ways.
Angie (Austin, TX): Loved watching you play these past few years....I'm going to miss you in that white uniform! Does the combine wear you down mentally or physically or both? Angie
Brian Robison: Thanks Angie, I will miss you guys too. But yes, I think it does wear you down both mentally and physically. There are a lot on interviews, and you are being analyzed from a hundred different angles. And then on the last two days you have all the physically demanding requirements. I mean the scouts want to see how you react to the stress, so yes it is very demanding.
Andy (Austin, TX): Great job at the combine. How do you anticipate the change of speed into the NFL and its affect on you?
Brian Robison: Well really the way I see it, the NFL is faster, and it is one of those things where you will have to adapt, just like I had to adapt from high school to college. I don't think it will be that much of a problem.
Sameer, Texas: Do you feel you abilities are underreated by the media
Brian Robison: I think so. With us having so many great players at Texas I think I may have been overshadowed. Also I think the system at Texas may not have allowed my whole game to be seen. And at the beginning of the year I had some injuries also. So I do feel I am underrated because of those things, but I hope to be able to show people how good I am on the next level.
Andrew (TN): Where would you like to end up?
Brian Robison: Actually, I have always been a Cowboys fan, so I would love to play in Dallas and stay in Texas for my family. But whoever drafts me I will be happy to play for.
Matt (Dallas): Lifelong Horns fan, saw you play 22 times at UT. How do you think Coach Brown and his staff prepared you for the combine?
Brian Robison: I think they did a good job preparing us. A lot of the drills we did in the combine were the same as the ones coach Brown made us do. And coach Madden does a great job as far as improving your strength, so they did a good job.
Javier Benitez from Austin Texas (Hook Em Horns): Hey b-rob what just do me a favore and tackle matt lienart one good time for all of texas for saying that they were still better even after we beat them in the rosebowl. PLEASE!!!
Brian Robison: Hopefully when I get the chance to play him I will get a sack on him and be able to say something to him. But in the end we won the game and title and that is all that matters.
Chance (Salt Lake City, UT): Hey Brian what do you think you can do in helping a team immediatley in the NFL?
Brian Robison: Really it is hard to say right now. It is hard for rookies to break in the starting lineups. But I think I can be a great edge rusher, and I can bring the speed and agility off the edge, like Merriman or Ware. And also I am willing to play special teams, anything for the team, so I think I will be able to contribute right away.
Austin Thomas: Clay Center, KS: Which tackle in the league would you most like to go against?
Brian Robison: To be honest I would like to go against Jamal Brown, he is a very good tackle. And I know not everyone would like to do this, but when I faced him as a sophomore he kicked my butt the first few series. So I would love to get a chance to go up against him again, and get some payback.
Lujan (Austin, TX): ..fellow teammate Henry Melton said you're the strongest guy on the team.. with the best bench press. how'd you stack up against competition at the nfl combine in the strength tests?
Brian Robison: Actually, I did not do very well at all at the bench. I really focused more on the shuttle and L drills, I wanted good times in those. The bench press wasn't a big factor in my work out, but I did hit 27 reps, which was, I think, up near the top. I did well, and it is something I will work on, and hopefully improve by my pro-day. But I didn't do as well as I wanted at the combine in the bench.
Dave (Howell,NJ): Hey brian, how much interest have the cowboys shown in you and which position did they say you would play in their system
Brian Robison: The Cowboys have actually shown a lot of interest. They met with me at the East West game, and a few informal and formal meetings at the combine. And from them what I've gotten is that they can see me playing OLB in the 3-4, but also they think I may be able to play MLB, so they can see me dropping bakc and playing the middle, which most other teams have not thought of.
bill (Phoenix): In college, what player gave you the most problems, challenges in your college career?
Brian Robison: Like I said before Brown. But also another guys would be Matt Jones, my redshirt freshman year he ran all over is, and he is a tough guy to bring down. So those two guys were probably the best I have gone against during my college career.
Brian Robison: I'd like to thank Danny Arnold and the Plex family, you have really helped me to achieve my goals I had at the combine and that means a lot to me. Thank you to all my fans for supporting no matter what. And to my family and friends and my beautiful fiance Jamie Miller thank you for supporting me, I love you. I am doing this all for you guys. Thanks for stopping by everyone, bye!
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Justin Blalock: Hey everyone, let's get to the questions!
Steve (Austin, TX): Hey Justin, any qualms about playing in cold weather?
Justin Blalock: No, actually, a bunch of people asked the question this same weekend. We went up to Nebraska and it was about 20 degrees, maybe 18, for one game, and it was the most fun I've ever had. It won't be a big deal.
Brian Austin, TX: How familiar are you with zone blocking and how successful do you think you can be in a scheme like that? Favorite place on 6th?
Justin Blalock: I'm somewhat familiar with it. Probably more so the past two years. It's not foreign at all for me. I feel that I can adapt to any type of scheme. I'm athletic enough to handle zone blocking, but I can do everything very well. There is a place in Downtown Austin on 4th street called Trulucks that is great.
Terry (El Paso, TX): What was the most exciting part about playing for a team like Texas?
Justin Blalock: The fans were amazing. Just look at all the people from Texas who have asked me things in this chat so far. The traditions are unmatched anywhere. It's really tough for kids to go away from Texas coming out of high school. There's just so many great things about a school like that.
James Smith (TX): What was going through your head after you did 40 reps at the combine?
Justin Blalock: Not too much, after all the blood rushed back. Before I started, I sat down, had a quick little moment to myself, and went to work. There were a lot of people in the room trying to root me on, but I had tunnel vision, just trying to work the bar. When the coach called out 40 reps, I was relieved that it was over that fast.
Zarate (Austin, TX): Who is the one guy, past or present, that you would most want to block for?
Justin Blalock: I'll go with another Texas legend--Earl Campbell. Not that he would need it because he's his own blocker, but he would be entertaining to watch run.
Jared (Poconos, PA): Who was easier to block for? Vince Young or Colt McCoy?
Justin Blalock: I think Colt might have been easier to block for. More often than not, you know where Colt's going to be. Usually when Vince is in that situation, he can make enough guys miss so that it's not much of a factor.
Bill (PA): Which are you more comfortable with or feel you stronger at, run blocking or pass blocking?
Justin Blalock: Any offensive lineman will tell you run-blocking. It's more fun, because you get to get after people and knock them around. I'm comfortable doing either, but just like any other big guy, I like to get running downhill.
Joe (Boca Raton, FL): I am an offensive lineman at my high school. What advice do u have for me to help me possibly play DivI football?
Justin Blalock: Aside from being really really big, which isn't quite a prerequisite anymore, I'd just work on your technique. Being an offensive lineman is also more about attitude sometimes than skills, so you've got to get nasty.
Matt (Michigan): Which college defensive linemen were you most worried about blocking? Is there anyone you're already thinking about blocking in the NFL?
Justin Blalock: My freshman year, we played OU and Tommy Harris was still there. He was probably the best I've ever seen. You had to prepare extra hard for the week before his game. I'm really looking forward to blocking players who I've been watchign on TV for a long time.
Raymond (Baltimore): Justin, I know there has been a lot of talk about you going over to guard. Which postition do you think you'll be best at?
Justin Blalock: I feel i could play either position really well. I have a lot of experience playing tackle, but I feel I did well at guard too. The more things you can do on a football field, the more efficient your team can be. If one guy can pick up multiple positions, that's added value.
Andrew (TN): Who do you use when playing madden?
Justin Blalock: I actually don't have a video game system at the moment. I suppose if I did, I'd probably use Tennessee.
Scott, Frisco, TX: Who do you dislike more? Sooners or Aggies?
Justin Blalock: I don't quite dislike either one of them, because I've made friends on both teams, but I dislike the Sooner fans. The Aggie fans have never spat on me.
Nick (Texas): Justin, fellow Plano, Texan here... just wanted to ask what the biggest transition was from High School to College ball
Justin Blalock: Texas high school football is a pretty big deal, but that's nothing compared to the dedication it takes in college. The classes are harder, there's film study, and the practices are longer. Managing yourr time on your own is probably the hardest thing to do.
Detlef (New Port, CA): What was your favorite game in college and What would you haev done different?
Justin Blalock: My favorite game was the National Championship game two years ago. I've really never seen anything like that. The feeling of winning it all is the reason we all play football. I really enjoyed my experience, but I guess I'd take away all the losses. We didn't have many, but I'd take those back.
Randy (Kentucky): Justin what is up. How does it feel to have the pressure of all the scouts watching your every move?
Justin Blalock: It's not that bad. As long as you just be yourself, which I've been doing for 23 years now, you'll be fine. I don't feel the need to be somebody I'm not. I just go out there, be myself, answer a couple questions, and go about my business. There's nothing that I have to change or do differently around the scouts.
Danny (Florida): What do you do (on your own or with the team) off the field that you think may benefit your game?
Justin Blalock: I think the biggest thing is film study. We have our own copies to take home every game. Our time to watch the film as a team is limited, so watching on your own is important.
Andrew (Chicago): How are you anticipating the change from college football to the NFL?
Justin Blalock: I'd imagine the level of competition will be much greater. Every week will be like the best player I've ever seen in college. In college, there's also a lot of camraderie, wehreas some of the guys in the pro ranks have other stuff (families and such) off the field, so once you're done for the day, you don't see anyone until the next time. The coaching will likely be more intensive.
Jason (Austin, TX): You were such an integral part of the Longhorns success. Who should we Longhorn fans look out for in the upcoming years at DKR? Who do you see being a football stud?
Justin Blalock: The good thing about a place like Texas is that every year we're bringing in the best talent from around the state and country, so there'll be a wealth of great players every year. I hate to name names because I'll forget somebody, but there will be plenty of young guys who will contribute this year and in the years to come.
Mike (Milwaukee): Justin, What do you feel you need to improve on to have a long career in the NFL.
Justin Blalock: I guess the big thing that would help longevity would be recovery. In Texas, we try to keep our bodies in tip-top shape every day, which should help prepare players for the tough game in the pros. Every little thing helps.
Ron (Clarks Summit, PA): All Time Top 5 Favorite Movies (you must be getting sick of all the same football questions, so I figured I'd throw you a curve ball)
Justin Blalock: That's a tough one because I'm a big movie guy. It's tough to narrow it down to just five. I guess I would start with (in no general order): The Matrix, The Departed, Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, and Friday. I love a lot of different types of movie. This is harder than any football question.
Cody (Atusin, TX): Are you good friends with the players on the basketball team? Do all UT athletes pay close attention to the others season?
Justin Blalock: I know a few of the older guys--ones that are no longer on the team because they're young this year. I did have a chance to meet some of the younger guys this year when they came in. Most of the guys keep up with the other sports, whether they're making friends with them or attending the games. You'll see them in training camps, so it's only natural to get together and compare experiences.
Justin Blalock: Thanks to everybody that wrote in, and have a great day!
