The Falcoholic
Frequently maligned Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson got to go into the bye week with a little cheer and grace from this fanbase, thanks to a 30-plus point explosion from his offense that keyed a victory over the Washington Commanders. The scrutiny will start anew after Thursday, however.
That’s because as Robinson and company are preparing for a huge primetime matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Robinson fielded a question from Garrett Chapman at Falcons Sports Illustrated about whether he had been contacted by his alma mater, Oklahoma State, regarding their head coaching vacancy, something that has been rumored for a few weeks now. A simple no would have quelled any further inquiry, but Robinson’s response made it seem like the answer is “yes.” Hey, at least he’s not going to lie! From Terrin Waack with the team’s website:
This does not mean Robinson is accepting the job at a place where he thrived from 2005-2009 as the team’s quarterback, but it certainly implies he’s been contacted and is considering it. The leap from NFL offensive coordinator undergoing growing pains to head coach at a program where you’re still beloved is a considerable one, so it’s difficult to blame Robinson for at least thinking about it. If he did bolt during the season, especially early in the year, it would leave the Falcons offense looking for an internal replacement without significant play calling experience, which would have them relying on a first-time play caller like they did with Robinson in 2024, just with less notice and more pressure. If Robinson is Oklahoma State’s top choice, I’d expect him to seriously entertain the job.
Fans would be split on their reaction to it, though I’m sure the team would hate to lose him midseason. Robinson has had stretches where he’s done a very nice job getting the run working throughout 2024-2025 and did a nice job last year fueling a stretch of real success for Kirk Cousins and some quality play early on from Michael Penix Jr. in his early starts, all of which he deserves real credit for. He’s also been criticized for an overreliance on pistol formations and an associated abundance of predictability in the team’s offense, a lack of play action, a dearth of answers in short yardage and red zone situations, and inconsistent reliance on this team’s strengths through the air and on the ground. All of those criticisms have been fair to some degree; on balance he’s been a frustrating but inexperienced play caller who has shown an aptitude for improvement but real inconsistency in terms of that improvement, which led to the team summoning him to the sideline before Week 4 against Washington.
If he takes the Oklahoma State job, the internal options are limited. T.J. Yates has been picking up responsibilities in Atlanta for years now, and is probably the most logical candidate to assume duties. He would presumably be assisted by Tim Berbenich, the pass game specialist who has two decades of coaching...
