The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Robinson has found a home with Temple
Playing football was the last thing on Jaelin Robinson’s mind just a few years back. Now, the Temple senior offensive lineman can’t imagine life without the sport.
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound West Haven native will be returning to the state of Connecticut as the red-hot Owls play UConn at Rentschler Field on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ESPNU). There will be a bowl game and then Robinson hopes there will be more football to play.
“When the [NFL] guys come in he is definitely on their checklist,” Temple coach Geoff Collins said. “Obviously from a size, speed, athletic ability he is off the charts that way. He has some really good film out there for scouts to watch. The thing about him being able to play multiple positions only increases his value to the NFL.”
Robinson started the first two games at right tackle before starting the next five at left tackle. When standout center Matt Hennessy was injured, it caused some shuffling on the line resulting in Robinson moving to right guard. Robinson is one of the major reasons why Temple has won seven of its last nine games after an 0-2 start.
“It is pretty good moving around and I’ve been able to do a lot of things as a lineman,” Robinson said. “It is different and I just look at it as a challenge.”
The fact that Robinson is playing major-college football is rather remarkable.
Robinson’s first love was basketball and it was the sport he played in his first three years at Wilbur Cross High School. Whenever the Governors’ football coach John Acquavita saw the imposing Robinson in gym class or walking down the hall, he could only imagine what Robinson could do on the football field.
“I joked that I wasn’t going to play but I would have pads on and just look intimidating to the other team,” Robinson said. “He didn’t really pick up on the sarcasm. He texted one of his buddies at a Division II school and said, ‘hey I’ve got this kid who wants to play football, he is 6-7, 300 pounds.’ The guy texted him back and said if he wants to play, he can come here and I kind of got myself thinking that I got a scholarship without stepping on the field and putting on pads, what would happen if I played. Coach Acquavita said to come out for spring ball and if I like it, stick with it.”
That is exactly what Robinson did.
Robinson was invited to a camp at UConn and George DeLeone, UConn’s offensive coordinator at the time, offered him a scholarship. DeLeone and UConn coach Paul Pasqualoni were fired, however, after an 0-4 start in 2013. DeLeone reached out to Matt Rhule, Temple’s coach at the time, and before long he committed to Temple.
Robinson estimated that around 40 friends and family members will make it to Rentschler Field, but he believes that number could grow with each day that passes. It won’t be a surprise to see plenty of folks from Wilbur Cross in attendance as well to watch not only Robinson but talented UConn freshman defensive tackle Travis Jones who had a careerhigh 10 tackles in last week’s loss at East Carolina.
“It looks like he is doing well,” Robinson said. “I am pretty excited to go against him, he went to the same high school as me and I am looking forward to it.”
Robinson is also rather excited about graduating from Temple next month with a degree in criminal justice.
“Nobody in my immediate family has graduated from college so for me to the first one, it is amazing,” Robinson said.
Robinson isn’t the only Connecticut native who has played a starring role for the Owls.
West Hartford’s Isaiah Wright is a junior receiver who leads the American Athletic Conference with an average of 14.9 yards on 17 punt returns and his 603 kickoff return yards is also the most in the AAC. Wright also has 33 receptions and has 18 rushing attempts.
“He knows how to set up blocks, he is a dynamic athlete with really good change of direction so he is a special, special player,” Collins said. “He has elite ball skills and has change of direction ability so he is a threat anytime he touches the ball. We are trying to find creative ways to get him the ball. He is as dynamic of a player as I’ve ever been fortunate to coach.”