K-Rob hoping for good things from combine
Last Saturday in Houston, former Aggie wide receiver/return specialist Kevin Robinson took advantage of his time in the spotlight.
In the East-West Shrine Classic game, the Fresno, Calif., native returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown and hauled in a five-yard pass for another TD. He finished with four receptions for 28 yards.
The next step for the Aggie star is the NFL combine, which takes place Feb. 20-26 in Indianapolis.
Robinson spoke with the Utah Statesman Wednesday afternoon.
Utah Statesman: How did you prepare for the East-West Shrine game?
Kevin Robinson: It’s not something you can really prepare for. You just go out there with high expectations that you’re going to play against good players and just have that competitive edge and just go in there like that. Otherwise, you can’t prepare and understand what the players are going to be like and understand what the atmosphere will be.
US: Was there any practice time beforehand?
KR: We had pretty much four days of practice. We practiced and tried to learn the plays as fast as we could. It was more of a bonding session with new guys and just making new friends. I was just out there having a good time.
US: Is it more difficult not knowing the plays?
KR: A little bit. It’s just like meeting a new person or meeting a new boss for the first time. You kind of hesitate a little bit, but after you talk to them for a while you have that chemistry and that bond, and everything is fine.
US: Describe what happened with your punt return
KR: The special teams coach called a middle return. The guy kicked the ball really, really far and I just caught it and started going outside, made about four people miss, cut back and just made myself to the end zone. It was one of those things that I didn’t think I was going to make it. They had me pinned down and somehow I got out of it and somehow it worked out. There were two punt returners. I had two. The other was Dwight Lowery from San Jose State. Whoever had the hot hand stayed in. Whoever didn’t came out.
US: What happened with your touchdown catch?
KR: The coach called it on the sideline. It was a play we’d been working on in practice. He decided to call it to get me in because I guess he liked me playing as a slot receiver. We executed it nicely and ended up scoring on them.
US: How did it feel to have a significant contribution in this type of game?
KR: It wasn’t like a big deal. Most of us were just out there having fun. It was just like another game. It wasn’t really a structurized, competitive us-versus-them rivalry. It was just out there having fun like you would in the backyard.
US: How do you feel your performance affected your NFL opportunities?
KR: I don’t really pay too much attention to it. I’m pretty sure there’s a lot of people in my situation that have done good in an all-star game but ended up going as a free agent in a late round. I’m just waiting for draft day, and wherever I go from there is where I go. I don’t pay attention to whether my stock has gone up because it doesn’t matter until draft day.
US: Are you excited for the NFL combine Feb. 20-26?
KR: That’s the next thing I’m training for. Hopefully I do well in that. After that it’s draft day.
US: Do you know what will happen at the combine?
KR: They do a bunch of drills and a couple interviews with every team to talk to you and get to know you more personally. I’m still training with some of the players and with the team, staying in shape so when I go in there I’m not fatigued.
US: Some players have an agent, some don’t. What’s your situation?
KR: It’s kind of hard to tell. They put you in a group and say this is where you may go, this is where you could go. Nobody really knows until draft day. I really don’t listen to much to it. My agent has been telling me you could go early as third round to free agent and I’m like, that’s nice. But until draft day comes, that’s when we’ll know. I don’t think about it too much.
US: If the NFL didn’t work out, what else would you do?
KR: You never know what’s going to happen. Football is a funny game. You could be at the highlight of your life and then the next play you could be injured and done with football. I just take it one day at a time. Whatever happens, happens. If football’s done for me and I need to do other stuff, I’ll probably go back home and work on coaching or teaching some classes. But until that day comes and they tell me I can’t play football anymore, football is what I’m doing.
US: If there was one NFL team you could play for, which would it be?
KR: I would say the team that pays me the most. Actually, it really doesn’t matter where I go. My goal is to just get in there. As long as I get there, that’s my biggest goal. After that, my next goal is whoever pays me the most. Right now I’m kind of poor, so it would be a little different with a lot of money.
US: Who is your Super Bowl pick?
KR: I really don’t care too much for the teams, but I guess I’ll go for the underdogs, the Giants. I’m more focused on what I have to do than what’s going on in the NFL right now. I’m more focused on myself right now. I have to sell myself.
-samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu