April 13, 2011
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Scanning the huddle of UCF's mostly rebuilt defense recently, a revelation came over do-everything cornerback Josh Robinson.
Not only is Robinson, a junior-to-be, now one of the veterans on the defense, but much of the leadership duties for the unit now falls at his speedy feet.
``You look around here and realize that you don't have Derrick Hallman, you don't have Chance Henderson and you don't have Lawrence Young anymore, so I'm trying to be that leader for us now,'' Robinson said. ``I've got to be vocal and establish to these guys what this defense is all about and what it stands for.''
What Robinson has stood for in his first two seasons with UCF is big plays at the most critical of times. He led all freshmen in the nation in interceptions his first year on campus with six picks. And last season when quarterbacks intentionally shied away from him, he still had two interceptions and 13 pass breakups, which was good for 12th in the country.
And Robinson saved the best performance of his career for last in the Liberty Bowl when he bottled up Georgia's A.J. Green in the Knights' historic 10-6 victory. The superstar wide receiver, a likely top five pick in the NFL Draft later this month, didn't have a touchdown and never caught a pass for more than 18 yards despite having a major size advantage over the 5-foot-10 Robinson.
``I tried to let him know right away that I'm not just any other corner,'' Robinson said. ``We were talking trash and I know everyone saw that. But I had to let him know right away that I'm not every other corner out there. I showed him that I'd compete and go at him.''
Robinson also showed everyone that he is one of the best cornerbacks in the country and has the potential to play in the NFL someday. Already, he's been named to the Preseason All-American squad by the website, NationalChamps.net. And this spring, Robinson has been one of the standouts as the Knights wrap up their final full-scale workout on Thursday in preparation for Saturday's Black and Gold Spring Game at Bright House Networks Stadium. The scrimmage begins at 2 p.m.
Robinson is so immensely talented - he was also an honorable mention All-American pick as a punt returner - that he at times coasts through practice and drills and tries to get by on his talent alone. It's a habit that UCF head coach George O'Leary has tried to break with Robinson, especially if he wants to someday play professionally in the NFL.
``I think he can make that step for us, but he has to learn to compete every day. He got beat deep on a throw (recently in practice) and he has to understand that every day is game day and he can't just turn it on and turn it off,'' O'Leary said. ``He's a very good football player with a lot of talent, but he has to compete every day if he wants to get to the level that he wants to get to.''
Robinson said the ability to bring a consistent work ethic every day to practice has been something he's focused on. He had to grow up early in UCF's system, starting at cornerback almost from his first day on campus. Now, he and Kemal Ishmael have evolved into two of UCF's surest tacklers and their most vocal leaders.
``I'm going into my third season, so I've been here for a little minute now. I feel old when I see all of these new faces around here,'' Robinson said. ``I'm trying to be a leader. Coach has been stressing that he needs leaders and that's my game right there. When you are a leader, you are accountable and you bring everything you have every day. So I'm trying to be more of a leader for this team.''
He also knows that NFL scouts will likely be watching his every move this season, evaluating his abilities as a shutdown cornerback and also that as a dynamic punt returner. He took over the return duties at midseason last year and finished up ninth in the country in return average (15.2 yards).
He was frustrated at times last season when quarterbacks refused to throw the ball to his side of the field, but he did come up big in the postseason when SMU repeatedly challenged him in the Conference USA title game. Robinson was the defensive star of the 17-7 victory, registering seven tackles, a dazzling interception in which he wrestled the ball out of a receiver's hands and two more pass breakups.
``Initially, it was a sign of respect when teams would shy away from me. But then when they started coming at me, I was like, `OK, they feel like I can't shut anybody down.' So that got me locked in and I was out to prove myself,'' Robinson said. ``I feel like can do more than what I did last year. I felt like I fell off some from my freshman year, so I can really improve on all aspects this season and really prove who I am as a player.''
Do that and NFL scouts will undoubtedly be checking him out and the UCF defense could once again be the top overall unit in C-USA.
``I'm trying to keep (NFL prospects) as far back in my mind as I can because I'm trying to focus on the team goals, which are to repeat as conference champions,'' Robinson vowed. ``It's the team first and me second.''
Now that's leadership, and Robinson promises he's up to the challenge this season.
=====
Click here to receive the Knights Insider via email
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.