2015 Gus Bus

From their time as Auburn Tigers to members of the St. Louis Rams, Tre Mason and Greg Robinson’s careers are unmistakably linked. In their final collegiate season, they were offensive catalysts who helped the Tigers reach the BCS National Championship Game. And in their first NFL season, both were major offensive contributors who showed much promise for the future.

While Mason and Robinson had starting roles on Auburn’s 2012 squad, they didn’t truly emerge as stars until the following year. Part of the reason they stayed under the radar that long was that the Tigers went 3-9 overall and 0-8 in the conference, leading to the dismissal of head coach Gene Chizik. Still, after spending his first season primarily as a kick returner -- taking one 97 yards for a touchdown -- Mason rushed for 1,002 yards and eight touchdowns in 2012.

“I came in thinking I knew everything at one point,” Mason said. “You feel like, ‘Hey, this is easy,’ until you get that one hit that wakes you up, like, ‘Hey, this is a new league now.’”

While Robinson spent 2012 as the Tigers’ left tackle, neither he nor Mason was highly regarded as both went into what would end up being their last collegiate season.

“That last year here at Auburn was interesting because [Mason] wasn’t the starter from Day 1,” said Brandon Marcello, Auburn beat writer for AL.com. “He came in and was sharing snaps with Cameron Artis-Payne, and another running back by the name of Cory Grant, who was more of a speed-sweep guy.”

Marcello added that it wasn’t until after the LSU game that new head coach Gus Malzahn -- who had previously been Auburn’s offensive coordinator for its 2010 National Championship run -- and the coaching staff re-evaluated the position and inserted Mason as more of a three-down back. And the result made history, as Mason broke Bo Jackson’s 1985 single-season program rushing record of 1,786 yards. Jackson, of course, won the Heisman Trophy that year.


“Since he’s one of the most famous athletes to ever walk this earth, it just feels surreal to me that I did that, and that I’ll be mentioned in the same sentence and categories as him,” Mason said of breaking the record. “Just to take that record over is crazy and surreal.”

Mason finished 2013 with 1,816 yards rushing and 23 rushing touchdowns. He added 163 yards receiving and a touchdown to total 1,979 yards from scrimmage with 24 TDs.

“I sit back and wonder just what kind of numbers he could’ve put up if he were the starter from Day 1,” Marcello said. “He shattered Bo Jackson’s record as it is, but he could’ve easily had another 400, 500 yards to add onto that, which would’ve been quite the feat here at Auburn.”

When you watch Mason highlights from that record-breaking season, Robinson is usually right there in the thick of it, opening holes for the back to run through.

“He really, I want to say, came out of nowhere,” Marcello said of the lineman. “His development that last year here was something special to watch. He just dominated teams, and along with Tre, Greg was certainly one of the big reasons why they had all that success in 2013.”

“You would watch games, and usually you’re trying to watch where the ball is going, or maybe a matchup,” Marcello added. “I would almost become obsessed with watching Greg, because he was just dominating and eating people up.”

Given the way his play has excelled over the last few years, Robinson certainly heard the praise that’s come his way.

“They say I’m a mauler on the field, but off the field, I’m a chill guy. But when you’re in between the white lines, it’s a legal fight,” Robinson said. “It’s just something I like to have fun with.”

Robinson’s level of consistency that season was especially laudable, according to Marcello.

“Every game I watched, he did something incredible,” Marcello said, adding that Auburn’s 55-23 victory over Tennessee was perhaps Robinson’s most impressive contest. “It was a blowout, and [the Tigers] did whatever they wanted. I think they had 200-something yards in the first half, and Greg Robinson was just eating people up. The guy was just dominant on the college level.”

Largely propelled by Robinson and Mason’s success, Auburn was in position to win the 2014 BCS National Championship Game against Florida State. Down 27-24 with just about 1:30 remaining, Mason took a handoff to the right, bowled over a defender, and ran 37 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.



“Big run, knocked a linebacker over on his butt, and I thought, that’s the perfect end to his season and Auburn’s season -- they win the game off a big run and he runs someone over,” Marcello said.

Of course, the storybook ending would be in favor of the other side, as Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston tossed a 2-yard pass to Kelvin Benjamin for the game-winning touchdown. According to Marcello, Florida State’s dramatic comeback in a way keeps Mason out of the highest levels of Auburn lore.

“If that score had held and they won, that Tre Mason run would be one of the Top 5 plays in Auburn history. And as a result, Tre Mason would be talked about every day here on campus,” Marcello said. “But as it is now, everybody just remembers the overall season, the big numbers, and him having the record. But you’ve got to have that very big, special moment that wins you a championship. And Auburn’s defense kind of robbed them of that late in the BCS National Championship.”

Still, the pair of Tigers’ success has extended to the pro level, as both Robinson and Mason excelled as rookies. While it took a little time for both to get going, once they started playing, they didn’t look back.

Both saw their first NFL action in St. Louis’ Week 6 contest against San Francisco on Monday Night Football. Robinson made his first start at left guard, and Mason tallied 40 yards rushing on just five attempts. The running back even made his presence felt from his first touch, when he took a swing pass 12 yards, bowling over a defender in the process.

The following week, Mason led the team with 85 yards rushing, en route to a 28-26 victory over the Seahawks. And after the game, Mason mentioned how he and Robinson had leaned on one another when both were still on the sidelines to open the year.

“We just stayed focused,” Mason said in October. “We just sat down a lot, like we always do. That’s my brother. Blood couldn’t even make us closer. So we sat down and he said, control what we can control, and patience is a virtue. And it’s proven.”

Robinson echoed the same sentiment during the following practice week.

“That’s my boy,” Robinson said in October. “I like to see him do well, and I’m sure he would like to see me do well. I work hard for any one of my teammates, so it’s not just singling him out. But he did real well.

“I appreciate the hard work he’s put in, and not letting himself get down with not really playing much at the beginning of the year,” Robinson continued. “We talked a lot and I just told him to stick with me, and we’re going to continue working, and try our best to work our way into the game plan.”

That they did, and both were featured heavily for the rest of the season. After making three starts at left guard, Robinson took over at left tackle for Jake Long, who had suffered a season-ending ACL tear. Mason became the starting running back in the Rams’ Nov. 2 victory over the 49ers, and finished the season leading St. Louis with 765 yards rushing.

Fellow running back Benny Cunningham said he noticed tremendous growth from Mason throughout the year.

“He did a better job of preparing throughout the season,” Cunningham said in December. “As far as his work ethic in practice, he did a good job with that. He started to pick up more, started to slow the game down for himself. And that’ll be another thing going into the offseason, if he can continue to build, he’ll be one of the top backs next year.”

And while they’re a year removed from the achievements they shared at Auburn, Robinson and Mason’s former teammates paid close attention to the progress they made at the pro level.

“It’s unbelievable,” Auburn teammate Reese Dismukes said at the Senior Bowl in January. “Greg and I were in the same class, coming out together. And he’s such a good guy, you couldn’t ask for much better of a person. To see the success that he’s had is really just such a blessing, and you’re just so happy for the guy.

“And Tre, he’s such a goofy guy, and funny guy -- and he works his tail off,” Dismukes added. “Both of those guys are amazing guys and both great athletes. It’s great to be able to see someone you came in with and someone you’ve worked with be rewarded.”

As long as this pair of Tigers remain connected, it’s easy to see Robinson and Mason continuing their shared success in 2015 and beyond.