Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Traditions
 Fred Robbins In The TrenchesFlorida native has been solid part of Wake's defensive line for four years.
By Sam Walker Fred Robbins lives his Saturdays in the trenches where rips and swims are simply terms used to describe another form of hand-to-hand combat. There in the trenches, the 300-pound defensive tackle backs down from no man and relishes a stop in the backfield or the occasional sack, what many might considered small pay for the critical role he has played since 1996. If there has been one constant on the defensive line over the past four seasons it has been Robbins. The Pensacola, Fla., native started 10 times as a redshirt freshman in 1996 and immediately made an impact. He recorded four or more tackles in nine games and had 11 tackles-for-loss. Robbins finished the 1997 seasons tied for team lead in tackles-for-loss and finished second on the team in sacks and quarterback pressures. Last year, while the defensive line was decimated by injuries, Robbins was the rock. He finished the season with 56 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss and three sacks while opposing offensive lines often double-teamed him, but he was even more invaluable because he was there, game in and game out. Robbins grew up in Florida, a state known by college recruiters as one of the places to go for top football recruits. Robbins was rated as one of the state's top defensive linemen his senior year at Pensacola's Gonzalez High. He was named to the all-city and all-Northwest Florida teams his senior year in high school, and he always thought he would end up at a university in his home state. His final collegiate recruiting trip to Wake Forest changed his mind. "I really thought I'd stay in-state, but after I thought about it, I decided I wanted to get out of the state," Robbins said. "They showed me the whole package, the whole nine yards with football, academics, college life, and you could really tell how much the coaches wanted me." After three years as a mainstay on the defensive line it is statistically evident why Jim Caldwell really wanted Fred Robbins. He was a big part of a Deacon defense that rated 10th in the nation against the run two years ago and will reunite with most of that same group this season. Robbins is an imposing figure even without pads. His size even earned him a high school job as a security officer back home at a couple of dance clubs in the Pensacola area. At Wake Forest, it has helped position him for a realistic chance to become the Deacons' No. 2 all-time leader in tackles-for-loss and sacks. He currently ranks fifth on the all-time list for tackles-for-loss and seventh in sacks. "With all the guys back, they won't be able to double team me as much because they'll have to double team some of them, and that will free me up," Robbins said. "That's fun for me because we have a little competition between the guys to see who can get the most TFLs and sacks." Life in the trenches isn't for the weak at heart. Robbins simply states that that's where you are certain to get hit on every play and admits it takes a unique mentality to handle the physical beating. "Yeah, it gets a little rough," Robbins deadpanned. "You go up against guys who are just as big as you and sometimes you get double-teamed. You have to have a mean mentality just like they have." Off the field Robbins is usually a good-natured, mild-mannered, fun-loving guy. He is majoring in sociology and may use his degree to go into an aspect of law enforcement or perhaps enter business. The bottom line for Robbins is getting a degree. That's what he ultimately came to Wake Forest for. When he travels back home to visit his parents, Fred Sr. and Blanche, Robbins likes to go fishing to get away and relax. Family is an important aspect of Robbins' life and although his parents and sister, Lanfreda Carmack, didn't see him in the season opener at Army, they will be in the stands at every game the rest of the 1999 season. Robbins is one of 27 seniors who wants to take Wake Forest football to a winning season, something the school hasn't enjoyed since 1992. As a fifth year senior, Robbins says he is fully aware there's no turning back. "I've had a lot of experience and can show some things to some guys who haven't played that much," Robbins said. "This is do or die this year. I can't come back and do it again next year, so I have high expectations because we have a lot of leadership and been through the same things I have and we want to get it done. The records for tackles-for-loss and sacks: that's all nice, but I want to win. I want a winning season, to go to bowl game and get a ring for myself. The records are fine, but this is a team, and I want that not just for myself but for the team."
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