Former UT Co-Defensive Coordinator Greg Robinson Named Football Analyst
Austin, Texas -- A veteran of 36 years coaching who has served as defensive coordinator on two Super Bowl winning teams and the Longhorns’ 2004 Rose Bowl Championship squad, Greg Robinson has been hired as a football analyst at Texas, Mack Brown announced on Wednesday.
In his role, Robinson will be a valuable resource to the Texas coaching staff. He will handle quality control evaluation for the team, provide team video review, oversee the Longhorns self-scouting and provide assistance in opponent scouting. Robinson's focus will be to provide data, feedback and analysis to the Texas staff. The hiring of Robinson will also complete the newly created Longhorns' player personnel department and the additions to the football staff.
"I'm thrilled to have Greg Robinson back with our staff," said Brown. "He absolutely loves the game of football, has such a wealth of knowledge and experience and will be an invaluable resource to our staff. Greg is such a passionate, hard-working, competitive and determined man that you know he’ll bring a great deal to this position. I could feel that from the moment we first talked about it. He loves Texas, enjoys being around our coaches and kids, helped us win a bunch of games in 2004, and we're so lucky to have him back."
"When we talked about this, the opportunity to come back to Texas with Mack Brown was a no brainer,” Robinson said. “The coach in me says I want to be on the field, but this position was something that excited me from the moment Mack and I talked because it’s a chance to help the program. I can't tell you I would go to different places around the country necessarily to do this, but to help him and the Longhorns in any way is very exciting for me. I really loved my time here and am looking forward to being a part of this great program and University again.”
Robinson was most recently in collegiate coaching as the defensive coordinator at Michigan for two seasons (2009-10) after spending four years as the head coach at Syracuse (2005-08).
Robinson was Texas' co-defensive coordinator with Duane Akina, along with being linebackers coach, for the 2004 season, which culminated with an 11-1 record as the Longhorns won their first BCS Bowl and Rose Bowl Championship with a victory over Michigan. That season, Texas held its opponents to 320.1 yards (23rd NCAA) and 17.9 points per game (18th NCAA). The Horns also ranked 16th in rushing defense (107.4 ypg).
“As Mack and I talked, I could see the position was one where they wanted to take advantage of my experiences in football,” Robinson said. “The key things to me were, number one, I didn't want to be intrusive to the coaches. Obviously, I've worked with (co-offensive coordinator) Major (Applewhite) and he worked with me at Syracuse, and I know very well how he is and how he ticks, and I know that I can share information that I might find and give him a perspective. I know he'll take and use it the best that he can or not, depending on what he's thinking. In (defensive coordinator) Manny (Diaz's) case, I don't want it in any way for him to feel like he has someone looking over his shoulder at all. That's not what I'm there for. I don't want to in any way inhibit him or any of the coaches. Mack and I talked about that, and that was important to me. I want these coaches to know that I'm there for them and just to be helpful and provide any information I can find, to review, study and provide them data that they'll have access to. That was really important to me and Mack agreed that was the right way. That's how I see this working.”
Prior to Texas, Robinson spent 10 of his 14 years coaching in the NFL as a defensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs (2001-03), Denver Broncos (1995-2000) and New York Jets (1994). He was the Jets' defensive line coach for four seasons (1990-93) prior to his appointment as defensive coordinator.
Robinson was the Broncos' defensive coordinator during the organization's back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1997 and 1998. His teams qualified for the playoffs in seven of his 14 seasons in professional football.
Before his NFL career, Robinson spent eight years with the UCLA Bruins, coaching the defensive line for seven seasons (1982-88) and serving as offensive coordinator in 1989. Robinson also had collegiate stints at N.C. State (1980-81), Cal State Fullerton (1977-79) and the University of the Pacific (1975-76).
A Los Angeles, Calif., native, Robinson played linebacker at Bakersfield Community College before playing center, tight end and linebacker at Pacific. He graduated from Pacific with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1975. Robinson and his wife, Laura, have three children, Dominic, Lindsay and Leslie.
