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By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation

Coming off a state championship at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, N.J., where he earned all-state and All-South Jersey honors, Elijah Robinson dreamed of playing in the NFL one day. But for the 6-2, 290-pound defensive tackle, those dreams ended when he suffered a neck injury prior to his sophomore season at Penn State.

"It was tough. It kind of wakes you up that this special game we love can be ended at any time," said the 32-year-old Robinson, in his first year as Baylor's defensive line coach after three years with Matt Rhule at Temple University. "But, I was around people that cared about me. And it was more than just football, they gave me opportunities to better my life outside the football field. I remember the coaches telling me, 'There's more to life than just football.'''

It's the same message that Robinson now shares with his players, while still trying to help them fulfill the dreams he once shared. One of his pupils, Temple University defensive end Haason Reddick, was the 13th player taken overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals after starting his career as a walk-on running back and safety.

"Just to see his story, where he started and where he finished . . .," Robinson said. "He started as a walk-on, and he made the move to defensive line, wasn't selfish at all. He bought into the team and he bought into our brand. He competed every day and it worked out pretty well for him, got his name called in the first round."

While his own playing career didn't pan out, Robinson said going to Penn State was "probably one of the best decisions I ever made in my life." He became a student coach after his injury, spent three years as a grad assistant and then stayed on two years as director of community relations and NFL liaison under head coach Bill O'Brien.

"Just the things we learned there about taking care of the little things ÃÆ'Æ' ¢ÃƒÆ' ¢' ¬" being on time, doing all the right things," Robinson said. "It kind of molded me to the man I am today. And I share the same experience with a few guys here on this staff with (Director of Athletic Performance) Jeremy Scott and Coach Rhule and (assistant athletics performance coach) Tyrone Smith. I had a chance to be mentored by Larry Johnson, who was not just a great coach but a great father figure for me. I made some great friends and had a great experience there."

Joining Rhule on his staff at Temple in 2014, Robinson was reunited with one of his boyhood friends, cornerbacks coach Fran Brown.

"Our relationship started with our parents. Our parents were friends and hung out," Robinson said. "We just grew up together, we were treated as family. We actually have the same godfather, so we have many connections there. . . . I remember he called me with the opportunity to coach with him and Coach Rhule at Temple. I'm five minutes away from Philadelphia in Camden, New Jersey, and had a chance to come back and be around my family and also coach with some guys that were trying to get a new thing going."

Robinson has also had the chance to learn under veteran defensive coordinator Phil Snow at Temple and now Baylor.

"He's a genius," Robinson said. "You talk about the players learning, as a coach it's been beneficial to me just learning how to coach the details and preaching details, details, details. It's been a blessing to work with him. I've learned so much, not just from the front four aspect but the defense as a whole, understanding all the little things."

Now, he stresses those same things to a group of defensive linemen that includes veteran ends Brian Nance and KJ Smith and tackles Ira Lewis, Michael Johnson, Bravvion Roy and Tyrone Hunt.

"Everybody has been studying their playbooks and listening to everything Coach E has been preaching to us: effort, technique and giving everything," Nance said. "We all love Coach E. He's the best coach we've had. He pushes us to be the best. He holds us to high standards, he never changes. We just want to make him proud, but also make ourselves proud."

The Bears have massaged the depth, with Smith and Greg Roberts doubling at end and tackle, redshirt freshman Deonte Williams switching from linebacker to defensive end and getting more consistent production from ends Xavier Jones and Jamie Jacobs.

"I'm rotating every defensive lineman we have," Robinson said. "Right now, I've been rotating up to 12 to 15 guys. It's a long season, things happen. You may not play someone in the first three games, then they have to play later on in the season. So, you've got to get everybody ready. They may have to play at some point."

Before going into game-week prep for the Sept. 2 season opener against Liberty, the Bears will wrap up practices this week with afternoon practices on Wednesday and Friday and a morning workout on Saturday.

For football season or single-game ticket information, call the Baylor Athletics Ticket Office at 254-710-1000 or go online at baylorbears.com/footballtickets.