ATHENS — There’s a “Georgia Way” in Coach Kirby Smart’s program, and in his second year in the program co-defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson is more comfortable navigating it.
Robinson, who helped lead Alabama’s defense in Nick Saban’s final two years as the Tide’s head coach, was candid speaking on Wednesday about how coaches have to adjust and learn new teams, just like players.
“Being here for the second year, you kind of know how things go, all right, so it gives you a little time to understand what you don’t have to worry about,” said Robinson, a former Auburn All-SEC defensive back and NFL player who has risen quickly in the coaching ranks.
“When you look at our staff. we have a lot of continuity on our staff, (some) going into the second year, that means a lot.”
Defensive backs coach Donte Williams is entering his second year working on the back end with Robinson with Andrew Thacker moving from quality control for defense to overseeing nickels/stars this season.
Smart is involved in all units of the team, but is particularly on top of the secondary, as he was also a former All-SEC safety and has a level of expertise — and particularity — that he insists on.
Robinson, like other defensive backs coaches before him at UGA, has had to learn the head coach’s ways so he could keep his messaging in line and on point.
“Coach (Charles) Kelly, who’s the head coach over there at Jacksonville State, he used to always say to me, you know, you got sinkholes and you got potholes,” Robinson said, referring to the well-traveled — and well-respected — Kelly, who was an assistant in five different Power 4 programs in the seven years leading up to him getting the Jacksonville State head coaching job.
“A pothole, you’re going to hit those at the University of Georgia, you can guarantee that, all right, you’re dealing with Coach Smart every single day, probably going to hit a pothole or two and do something you’re not supposed to do,” Robinson said. “But the sinkhole is what you need to be avoided, so now going into year two I mean I know the sinkholes and I know things that we’re not going to do and we kind of stay away from those.”
Robinson was known as a popular and passionate coach while at Alabama, former Tide defender Dallas Turner sharing how he “brought a lot of juice and swagger,” and “held everyone accountable” to the highest standards.
Robinson, with one season of learning under his belt in Athens, is in prime position to help co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann get the most out of the players on defense and bring out the fierce mentality Smart is looking for.
To that point, Smart spoke on Wednesday about wanting a “burning inferno” of energy from his players throughout the action in practices and on game days.
Robinson noted on Wednesday that the secondary, in particular, has a great deal of youth and newness about it that’s put rising sophomore safety KJ Bolden in position to lead more.
“We’re looking around and I’m looking for a guy that’s been here for a long time, and there aren’t many of those guys,” Robinson said. “It’s a bunch of guys that are new, first time in the scheme and we do a little of different things.”
Bolden, by nature, isn’t the most vocal of players, but Robinson said he understands the need and has accepted the role.
“He’s taken the role really seriously, and he’s doing a really good job with it,” Robinson said. “…. and really helping the new guys.”
Indeed, the progress of Robinson and Bolden — star coach and star player — represents the sort of growth and development Smart has talked about this offseason as being key for the program to reach its zenith.
Robinson is impressed with how this Georgia football team embraces the daily challenges and have made adjustments to the demanding standards that have led Smart to two national titles and three SEC championships.
“You really have to love football to do what we do,” Robinson said. “Our kids, all kudos to those guys. They work hard. They’re coached hard. They’re demanded on hard. And because of that they have success.”
