Head Coach Greg Robinson Press Conference Transcript (1/11/05)
Introductory Press Conference
January 11, 2005
Opening Remarks:
“I’m very excited to be in front of you here today. It’s 10 years ago this month that I’m returning to New York and it’s exciting for me and exciting for my family. New York was a very special place for us. It was 15 years ago that my family and I made a long trek from California to New York. Really, it was a leap of faith and one that we never realized at the time how special it was going to be for us. New York has been a part of our lives, a part of our family, and really since the time we left, it has never left us. It’s always been there, for my children and for my wife and I. So, we’re very excited about returning.
"I come from a big family. I’m one of eight kids. This (Syracuse) is all about family, pride and passion. This school has a lot. It has provided for a lot of people. What I’d like to do right now, though, is talk about some people I’d like to thank. I’ve been waiting 30 years for this, so I have a lot to say (smiling). So, be prepared.
First of all, I should always start with my wife, Laura. She’s been a wonderful wife and a wonderful mother. She’s been so supportive of me. She’s helped me in so many ways. To be the kind of mother she’s been and to really raise our children – we have three, wonderful children – though they’re no longer children. It’s amazing what I’ve been able to get done because of her support. And I will tell you this, she’s going to be a wonderful head coachs’ wife. She does a remarkable job with the players. She treats them like her own kids. She’ll be very supportive and involved with our players and the coaching staff.
I’d like to thank (Chancellor and President) Dr. (Nancy) Cantor. First of all, it was very interesting in the interview process that late Sunday afternoon, Dr. Cantor asked me, ‘What do you feel the Chancellor of the university can do for you?’ And I said, ‘Well, what do you feel strongest about how you can help us?’ And she said, ‘Well, screen passing game and zone blitzes on defense are really my expertise.’ And I thought, ‘My, oh, my.’ Seriously, though, in my time with Dr. Cantor, the thing that I learned is that first of all, she’s very supportive of athletics and very supportive of football. She also has a keen interest in athletics, specifically in football. So, I’m very thankful for the relationship I was able to develop with her. I think it is great to have the Chancellor of your university who has an interest and really wants to support your program. That’s exciting to me.
Next, I’d like to thank Dr. Daryl Gross. Daryl is a person whom I’ve known for many, many years. We met first in New York with the Jets. Daryl is an outstanding person, high energy, high enthusiasm. It’s remarkable what he has accomplished at USC and, really, wherever he’s been. From the time we began talking about Syracuse University, you could feel his passion and it’s very exciting to me. I’m very thankful that he was that interested in really finding out about me. At the same time, I got to talk to Pete Carroll, who is a very close friend of mine, and I’ll talk about Pete here in a minute. I just know how strongly Pete feels about Daryl’s support and how he has been by Pete’s side. They’ve been tied at the hip for a number of years now. Obviously, they’ve been very, very successful together. And I’d like to believe that Daryl and I can do the same thing here at Syracuse.
I’d like to talk about Michael Dritz, a member of the board of trustees who was involved on Friday and Sunday in the interview process. It was obvious to me in talking to him about the University, how strong and passionate he feels about the University. His family, I think it’s almost 90 years of history with Syracuse University. I just liked the way he interacted. He asked questions, but he also shared feelings and thoughts and it was helpful to me and I know it’s going to be very, very helpful to have somebody as that kind of a resource about Syracuse and what it’s all about and it's history.
And lastly, I would like to mention Jed Hughes, who was on the search committee. I would make sure that I would definitely tell the Spencer Stuart search company that they do not get cheated with Jed Hughes because he knows the questions asked. Trust me, he can ask the tough ones. Going through the interview process, I thought it was done very, very well.
The next thing I’ll mention to you is about Syracuse University. I talked to you about family. It’s been very clear to me as I’ve really prepared myself to come to Syracuse University how close this University and it's people are and how they’re tied to the city of Syracuse, as well as the state of New York. I’m excited about that. I’m excited about being a part of the rich history and the traditions at Syracuse University, not just it's athletics department. The alumni stretch the world. That’s exciting to me – to be a part of that type of university. The academic institution that it is, the credibility that it has, not just in our country, but internationally.
When I think about Syracuse University since 1950, four football coaches and the traditions that they’ve upheld from Coach (Ben) Schwaltzwalder and the history that he had here, Coach (Frank)Maloney, to obviously Coach (Dick) MacPherson, and with (Coach) Paul Pasqualoni. These men have really done a tremendous job over a long period of time of upholding the tradition and building on it – each in his own way, a special way. I’m very honored. I take great pride in being the next in that line. I really, really look forward to upholding the traditions and standards that they’ve set and really working very hard to even raise the bar in all areas. These are men that yes, they’re fine football coaches, but they’re more than just football coaches. It’s what they’ve done as a part of this University and what they’ve done for so many student-athletes and the development of the people who have participated with them. It’s very, very important to me to make sure that I’m upholding those high, high standards, even trying to take it up as all of them have tried to do.
When I think about Syracuse University since 1950, four football coaches and the traditions that they’ve upheld from Coach (Ben) Schwaltzwalder and the history that he had here, Coach (Frank)Maloney, to obviously Coach (Dick) MacPherson, and with (Coach) Paul Pasqualoni. These men have really done a tremendous job over a long period of time of upholding the tradition and building on it – each in his own way, a special way. I’m very honored. I take great pride in being the next in that line. I really, really look forward to upholding the traditions and standards that they’ve set and really working very hard to even raise the bar in all areas. These are men that yes, they’re fine football coaches, but they’re more than just football coaches. It’s what they’ve done as a part of this University and what they’ve done for so many student-athletes and the development of the people who have participated with them. It’s very, very important to me to make sure that I’m upholding those high, high standards, even trying to take it up as all of them have tried to do.
There have been some great, great legends who have passed through the halls of Syracuse University. All of you are aware of the names. You talk about Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Larry Csonka and Floyd Little. And I know I could go on and on and on. It’s exciting to me to be a part of that kind of tradition. At the same time, I’ve had good fortune, while in the National Football League, of coaching several players who have come from Syracuse University. When you talk about the profile that you’re looking for at Syracuse University, as football players, as student-athletes – there are the five players – and I’m not just selecting five – these are the five with whom I have worked.
I start with Rob Moore from Hempstead, N.Y. What an amazing athlete. What a truly, truly special player, but more importantly, what a wonderful person from the day he came to us at the New York Jets. I was able to see him first-hand as he grew. He had to overcome the adversity of being a rookie. I’ve watched his career. I watched what he did there on Long Island, for the community. I know how he gave back to Syracuse University. I’ve watched him over his 12 years in the NFL. In his last year I was with the Kansas City Chiefs and he was with the Arizona Cardinals and he was still, as always, before the ball game, there to greet me. What a person.
I had Paul Frase who I coached at the Jets. Paul was an outstanding college football player. He was a journeyman player in pro football who just clawed and scratched. He was able to play eight or nine years, I believe. Paul was a person I watched right there with him. I watched him transition as he married and really, between his wife and his son, it was a miracle. His son had a really critical brain disease that was a very rare one at the time. Paul was told Joshua probably wouldn’t live three weeks. It might have started three days, it turned to three weeks. It turned to three years. And, right now, Josh, at nine, is still living. He still has troubles, but they’ve fought the adversity. I’ve watched Paul – what a person.
I was with Art Monk in the last years of his career. Here’s a person who was a perennial Pro-Bowl football player and on his way to being a Hall of Fame football player. What do I remember most? I remember in training camp, his first year with us at the Jets, where all of a sudden, I’m watching the practice film and the first team is taking their reps against our defense and there’s a guy in the back that’s going in motion and running 10 yards behind the offense, but he’s mimicking the man in front of him, what he’s going to do on the play. It’s Art Monk in his 13th year of football. To be able sit with Art and his family, my wife and my kids at the little circus they have there in Manhattan and to see what kind of family man he is was special.
There was Pat Kelly. Pat Kelly – what a character. This guy was as bright as they came. He was at the Jets, and at the Broncos, went on and was doing a wonderful job on Wall Street. Pat was the kind of guy who he could turn a lockeroom because of the way he could disrupt it with his sense of humor. He could take over a whole football team. He was a guy who everybody not only remembered as a player, but also as a person. Sadly, we lost Pat not too long ago. He is always remembered for what he was – a special person.
I had Eric Downing at the Kansas City Chiefs – third-round draft pick. Eric is out of East Side High School in Paterson, New Jersey. Eric’s a great example of it’s not where you’re from, it’s what you’re all about. I watched Eric as he’s worked his tail off to be a football player and to continue to develop, always with that smile on his face, always a giving, caring person. His mother is a wonderful woman.
So, I’ve had the opportunity to coach five players from Syracuse and I understand what the profile is all about, what we’re looking for. If we can find those people, we’re doing well. Then all of a sudden, I’m looking through a book and it’s “A Season of Life,” by Joe Ehrmann and I didn’t have a clue that Joe Ehrmann was from Syracuse. I really didn’t even put it all together and all of a sudden boom, there it is. Here’s a guy – what a story. His accomplishments and his relationship with his younger brother. So, to me, this is a special place. These are special people. I am very honored and look forward to continuing to work to bring in those types of people to Syracuse University and to help us win football games, but also to be successful in a lot of other ways.
So, I’ve had the opportunity to coach five players from Syracuse and I understand what the profile is all about, what we’re looking for. If we can find those people, we’re doing well. Then all of a sudden, I’m looking through a book and it’s “A Season of Life,” by Joe Ehrmann and I didn’t have a clue that Joe Ehrmann was from Syracuse. I really didn’t even put it all together and all of a sudden boom, there it is. Here’s a guy – what a story. His accomplishments and his relationship with his younger brother. So, to me, this is a special place. These are special people. I am very honored and look forward to continuing to work to bring in those types of people to Syracuse University and to help us win football games, but also to be successful in a lot of other ways.
I had a chance to meet with a couple of the seniors here just a few minutes ago – Damien Rhodes and Anthony Smith, very nice young men. I’m looking forward to meeting all these players, but especially those seniors because this is their year coming up and I know how important it is to them.
Quickly, I’ll just talk about my vision and what I see. I think that’s what it’s got to be – a vision. Where are we now? What is the current reality and what is our vision? It’s got to be a vision that I have that is so strong that it pulls others up to it. I see that someday this program is going to be a model of excellence for a lot of schools. To do that, you have to be very, very successful. You must win, in a way that’s very special, like this program has done in the past. I look for it to be a program that others want to emulate. It takes a lot. I believe the way to do it is you build it on trust. You build it on discipline. You build it on perserverance. I think that if you can really focus on those areas, I think we have a chance to be successful. At the same time, we’re going to enjoy ourselves. As a football team, we’re going to enjoy the struggle. We’re going to find ways to have fun doing it. But, it’s going to be a lot of hard work. I’m looking forward to getting this group together and all of us getting on the same page and going from there."
Robinson on what it’s been like to accept his first head coaching position:
“In my second year of coaching, Pete Carroll and I decided that we were ready to be head coaches. So, we applied as co-head coaches to Occidental University out in Los Angeles. For a day or two, we kind of got their interest. But, then they looked at our resume and all of a sudden they kind of slowed. I’ve always dreamed to be a head football coach. Quite frankly, it was always to be a college head football coach. I really never had any dreams of being a professional coach or a head coach. It was always to be a college head coach. So, it’s been a long time coming. But, am I excited about it? I’m really excited that it’s coming now. The road was a long, hard road, but I’m really glad. I tell the story that after 26 years of coaching and winning two Super Bowls and a lot of other things that I’ve been a part of, very fortunate to be a part of. I thought I was prepared to do it all and then I went to work for Dick Vermeil. It was amazing how much I didn’t know. I really, really felt that the three years I spent with him were very, very valuable, not that they weren’t in other places, but I really remember at that time thinking, ‘it’s time for me to get my job.’ But, after spending those years with Dick, it really was a wonderful experience. And then to have the good fortune to go back to a great university like the University of Texas. By going back and to be coaching college kids again, clearly it came to me. I mean so clear to me in the spring of last year that I realized I’d forgotten how much I loved the experience of coaching college football. What I also learned was that after 14 years of an NFL experience and 297 football games that I coached in those 14 years, that I really had a lot more to offer to these young people. I know that I’ve become a lot more empathetic, a lot more compassionate and I have a lot more patience for college kids. When I left college coaching back in 1990, my children were 10, 8 and 6. When I returned, they were 25, 23 and 21 and my youngest was a senior in college. So, I learned a lot about young people. I feel that I’m much better prepared and I’m very, very excited and I can still move. I can still move, trust me.”
Robinson on how he knew Syracuse was the right job for him and if he talked to anyone to seek advice:
“Quite frankly, I had been contacted even this year about some jobs to see if I even had an interest. Really, I told people that I wasn’t interested. When all of a sudden, there was an interest in the Syracuse job, I was excited because I spent five years in New York and also knowing the history of this program and knowing about this school and the different people I had been affiliated with, as I mentioned, from Syracuse University, I knew this was a great opportunity. Knowing the coaches that have coached here and what they’ve accomplished and I know the condition that this program is in, what Paul has done here and the kind of people he has attracted to this school, there wasn’t any question in my mind. I didn’t have to talk to a lot of people, really, to be honest with you. Did I? Yeah, I did. Really, when I say that, I really didn’t talk a lot about it. I knew that this was an excellent job. I talked a little bit to Daryl and the people that are in the decision-making process, but that was really more what it was about.”
Robinson on what he knows of the condition of the Syracuse football program:
“I know they were in a bowl game. I know they had a winning season. I think sometimes you can come into a program that is just in shambles and it’s got a lot of work ahead of it, a ton of work ahead of it. Or sometimes, you can follow a legend and you’ve got no chance. But, I think that this is a program that is very stable. There’s obviously good football players here and I think the profile has been in place here for a long time, so I’m just looking forward to enthusiastically, with a lot of energy, hit the streets running and get it going again.”
Robinson on what kind of adjustment it will be for him to recruit college student-athletes again after such a long career in the pros:
“They sent me out last spring and I was out and about. Two days after our season ended, I made like five home visits in two days, so it was kind of like riding a bike. Quite frankly, I was excited about going into homes because my children have been through college. My son played football in college, my daughter plays lacrosse in college. My other daughter is a manager of the women’s tennis team at UCLA. So, I’ve watched. I’ve seen. I know what those parents want for their kids. I want very much to be involved in that recruiting process. I’ve grown. I’ve matured. I’ve been a parent, so recruiting to me is exciting right now. I know that the parents I’ve spend time with are going to feel comfortable that I’m going to provide for their children a very, very good environment. It’s going to be geared toward their development as a student, as a person, as an athlete. So, I look at my years in the NFL as an opportunity just to continue to grow and develop. Getting that opportunity to come back and spend that year at Texas has been very valuable to me.”
Robinson on what kind of style Syracuse will play under his leadership:
“I am going to coach the defense, very similar to what Pete did. Pete’s been very successful. It’s where my expertise is. Offensively, we’re going to be a balanced offense. We know that we have to run the football. We have to have the ability to run the football, but we’re going to throw the football and throw it well, with precision. Really work to be a very, very good passing team. I think coaching is about having the ability to adapt to what you have. I’ve always stated that even when I was in the NFL they asked me, every year it’s always a little different. You tweak it because it’s what you’re strengths are and what your weaknesses are. I look forward to this spring, the off-season, to really analyze and study what we have. But, I know what I’m looking for, as far as having that balance on offense and having that aggressive style of defense and having a group of coaches that will coach in the manner that I think is best for a place like Syracuse University.”
Robinson on whether he has an offensive coordinator in mind:
“I’ve discussed coaching positions with many people, both offensively and defensively. At this time, I don’t think it’s appropriate to mention names. But, I know that I’m looking for specific types of people. It’s a quality. It’s a quality that I think Dr. Cantor shows, that I think Daryl Gross shows, and that I like to believe, I show. These are high-energy people that can maintain it for a period of time. But, they’re also enthusiastic. I think there’s a difference. I think I’m looking for very intelligent coaches that are fine, fine teachers. And then I’m looking for people of great integrity. When you talk about trust and discipline and perserverance, you need special people that are going to help develop those areas. So those are the qualities that we are going to look for in our coaches, as well as our players.”
Robinson on whether he will retain staff members:
“I think it’s very important that the first bit of recruiting that I do is to recruit right here on campus. Hopefully, tomorrow, I’m going to sit down with coaches. I do look forward to talking to those staff members. I think it’s the right thing to do. Obviously, there have been good coaches that have been here. Many of them, I would say all of them, come very well recommended.”
Robinson on the community’s reaction to the program and the challenge he faces to bring fans back to the program:
“As I mentioned to you, my vision is that someday everybody is going to want to be a part of this place. They’re going to wonder what it is. What is so special? To attract the very best talent, that’s important. To attract the very best character, all those things, all those ingredients that I’ve talked about…I can’t wait. I can’t wait. This is a state with a lot of pride and a lot of passion. I believe we start with the state of New York and then the states that border New York. I mean you look at the 25 football players in the NFL, 18 of those players come from either New York or states that border New York, so we need to hit this area hard. They need to be able to see the vision that we’re talking about. I’m very excited about getting out and addressing all those things with the people close to home and abroad. There are people from all over this country that are participating in athletics at this university. So, yes, to answer your question, I’m real excited about getting out and challenging anybody to come that fits the profile.”
Robinson on the adjustment to head coaching:
“The biggest adjustment probably is a few of the unknowns that have to get answered. Getting to know the people within the program here. The support staff, the trainers. All those people that deal with football players per say – the strength and conditioning staff, the trainers, all of the people in the academic services program. Those kinds of things are still the types of things that are unknown to me, but I believe this. I mention that I come from a big family. I can tell already that within these walls, it’s a family affair. I’m looking forward to being part of a team and being part of a family, so that’s what it is. It’s developing relationships with these people so that we can all work together, not independent contractors, but a group, that is really working together. So, I think those are the things that are the biggest challenges right now for me, to get to know these people and let’s get on the same page.”
Robinson on whether he met any of the current players on the team today:
“I think there’s a limited number of players around right now. If I’m not mistaken, the first day of classes is the 18th of January and I would hope that on the 18th that we can get the word out before then to everybody that I would hopefully be able to meet with the players then. But, like I said, I’ve already met with a couple of players today, just briefly, just introducing myself. But, especially, the senior football players, I really look forward to meeting with them because I think they so much have to extend themselves to get this new program started. To get it started, I’m going to need their help.”
Robinson on what his top priority will be in getting started? Assembling a coaching staff?
“Yes, I would think that getting a staff together and reaching the players, student-athletes that are here right now, as well as their families. Those are the top priorities. At the same time, I know there are a number of commitments from student-athletes right now that I would just ask them to be patient for just a short period of time as I take care of in-house business. I think they can all appreciate that. If they were in position here, there’s a lot of young people that are wondering and it’s important that I answer some of their questions for them. If I can reach these people and let them know that if they’re just patient, I’m going to get out there with our staff and get to them as quickly as possible.”
Robinson on exactly how far back he and Pete Carroll go:
“When I was a tight end and he was a safety and he knew that the pot pass was coming to me, he knew it was coming. We knew each other intimately on that play. We’ve known each other for quite some time. We were teammates. We were known as the Young Turks together at the University of Pacific when we were the two graduate assistants on that staff. I think Pete was the one that created the problems that got us that nickname, but then we traveled together to North Carolina State University. I was there for two years with him and then we were together again for five years at the Jets. Pete and I have a lot of history. His wife, my wife, and Pete and I – the four of us – all were at school at Pacific together. We have a relationship and it’s one that on the basketball court, he thinks he has the advantage, but he pays for it. Trust me. We always played basketball on Saturday mornings when we were at the Jets before we’d go on a road trip. Pete went to the hole and tried to hit a layup and all of a sudden, there was a foul committed. Pete needed to get some stitches. We had a Sunday night ball game against the Miami Dolphins and Pete had stitches. He did a nice job of makeup on it. So, anyway, we have quite a relationship. Pete’s a great guy and he’s done a remarkable job at USC. Pete better stay away from New York, that’s all I’ve got to say. He’s got no chance.”
Robinson on whether he’s had a chance to step back and reflect on the past year of his life:
“I was the victim of Peyton Manning. Obviously, I haven’t been the last. Really, it was a very interesting day back then. Again, it comes down to what I call perserverance. You have enough confidence in yourself that you know. As I told other people that day, that really we were a 13-3 football team and I thought in my heart it might have been the finest coaching job I had done in 29 years to get that defense back and to be able to create the energy and enthusiasm that our team displayed throughout the year and our defense was a big part of it. It just wasn’t working there at the end. You know what? This is what it’s all about. It’s peaks and valleys and dealing with it. My wife and I, we talked about it. We talked about it yesterday. We’re proud of it because the two of us hung tough. We’ve been rewarded for it in a very special way.”
Robinson on his time with Dick Vermeil:
“Dick has a great quote. He says that the greatest gift one can give himself is the gift of self-discipline. I think that Dick is a believer that discipline is critical in a program, but discipline is a learned trait. It’s about teaching and helping people to develop a discipline, as opposed to putting restrictive measures on people. At times, there are situations when some are less mature than others, but that’s one of the qualities in Dick that I really watched. I think his quality of trusting people, he’s very unique. He trusts everybody. It was more of those types of things. It wasn’t X’s and O’s. It was more about that and interpersonal relationships with people. I realized that those were things that I’ve really always craved and liked and wanted to be around. I just got a full dose of that from him over a three-year period of time.”
“Dick realized that he couldn’t put that restrictive behavior that he used to put on himself, you can’t put it on others. And he’s learned to temper his style. I just think his whole perspective of life is different. Over a 14-year period of time when he didn’t coach, I think he came to grips with all of that. I really did enjoy the three years I was with Dick.”
Robinson on what he meant when he got to Texas and said that he was making a career change:
“Well, people were asking me about going back to professional football. My intent was not to go back to professional football. I could have stayed in professional football. No, I was making a career change to come back to college football. And then, within a short period of time, I knew that I was doing the right thing.”
Robinson on his pro experience:
“No, I was never bitter, never bitter. Denver was a great experience for me. We had some of the greatest years in the history of the NFL. First of all, bitter is not me. It goes back to your discussion of me leaving a year ago. I understood the scenario. I really didn’t have a problem with it. I didn’t necessarily want to leave, but at the same time, I didn’t want to shackle Dick to a point that through his unbounding loyalty, I'd be a distraction. So anyway, no, I just think that once I went back, I remembered why I started coaching. I started coaching to give back what I got out of football.”
“That’s the media. That wasn’t Dick Vermeil. The reason that we decided to leave is because we didn’t want the media distraction to be something that was going to distract the players or the rest of the team. So, with that in mind, that was the right thing to do. Scapegoat is a term used by the outside world. I know what we did. We accomplished a lot. As I mentioned here today, at that time, it might have been my greatest year coaching. Really, I believe that.”
Robinson on whether he’s been on campus and whether he’s seen the facilities:
“I just got here at noon, so I didn’t get a lot of time to get around. This is New York. Texas is Texas. Believe me, I lived in Denver for six years and I was in Kansas City for three years and weather is weather and winter is winter and I have no problem with that.”
“Again, that’s a perception (that the facilities at SU do not compare to those at Texas). I don’t know that. As a matter of fact, I can’t tell you that I’ve checked all the facilities out. But, I don’t know if the facilities make the difference. I think people make the difference. Do you always want to have top-notch facilities for your athletes to train and all of that? Sure. But, my intent right now is about people and not necessarily about the facilities. That’s really Daryl’s area of expertise.”
Robinson on whether SU is going to give him the financial resources to go out and hire the people he wants to hire:
“I think that all those things when you talk money, that’s more in Daryl’s area. I feel comfortable with the questions I have asked that we’re going to do just fine.”
Robinson on who the most influential person in his life has been:
“I think I would have to start with my father. My father was a prisoner of war in World War II. My mother put him through law school. He traveled through law school, then became a lawyer and accomplished a lot. One time, he was the trial lawyer of the year in the state of California. He was on the board of governors in the state of California, was vice president of the state bar in the state of California, and was later a superior court judge. In our house, we grew up around religion, law, and football and not necessarily in that order. But, my father was a great influence. Because my father was so hard-working, my mother was obviously a woman who raised us, but he truly was probably the most influential person in my life. He passed away I think three years now. He played football at Loyola University out in Los Angeles for a short period of time. I would say that that’s the one person. But, there have been many others that have influenced me, obviously, especially in the coaching world. I go through it. I talk about head coaches that I worked for. Chester Caddas gave me my job. Jim Coletto. Jim was as fine a fundamental football coach that I was ever around. I learned a lot from him. He was my position coach as well. Monty Kiffen – someday they’ll talk about him as one of the great defensive minds in the game of football and to spend the time I did with Monty, two different times. Terry Donahue, he’s a legend at UCLA. He was a real role model for me. Obviously, Pete and I, we’ve grown up sharing our thoughts together. I can’t say enough about Pete and our relationship and how we developed together. Mike Shanahan, might be one of the finest football minds in the game. I talked about Dick Vermeil. I turn to Mack Brown and I say this is the person that gave me the opportunity to come back and be myself and really just go out and coach the way I believe in coaching. That’s special to me and I thank him for it. I really, really do appreciate what he’s done for me.”
Robinson on his fiery style:
“That’s my style. I’m enthusiastic. The game is played with emotion. You’re always trying to keep that level of emotion going for 60 minutes and it’s a challenge, as a coach, a coaching staff, it’s a challenge to maintain and not lose it. Not get too caught up in it. It’s a part of coaching, I believe.”
Robinson when asked what needs to be fixed at Syracuse immediately:
“I can’t tell you that I’ve been able to assess everything about the program. I’ve been busy getting ready for a bowl game myself. So, I can’t tell you that I’m an expert on Syracuse football in the recent history. That’s part of what my job is about now. But, I do know that we’ve got to go out and work to get the very best talent that we can. If we can get the kind of talent that I talked about, the same kind of makeup of those people I talked about, we’ll be very successful.”
Robinson on what interested him about the Syracuse job:
“You’re talking about a program that’s steeped in great tradition. Here it is, a BIG EAST team that’s obviously very competitive in the BIG EAST. It’s a conference that had a BCS representative. It’s a great institution. I’m particular about going to a place that I feel comfortable being able to go out and deliver the message for. I think this school fits my style and the things I believe in. So, I think that’s very important.”
Robinson on whether or not he’s talked to Paul Pasqualoni:
“I haven’t yet, but I expect to talk to him soon. I just got the job. I didn’t think it would be appropriate to call him, but I will. I really look forward to talking to Paul and just expressing to him my feelings and hopefully glean some knowledge from him. He’ll be able to share so much.”
Robinson on how aware he is about the community's attitudes towards the program and whether or not he will get out in the public to talk to people:
“Yes, that’s me. I look forward to that, to delivering our message. You can tell that Syracuse is a community. It’s the university and the community of Syracuse University and the city of Syracuse and upstate New York and all of New York and the surrounding areas, the states that border it. I think that’s critical, that we get out and deliver the message about what we’re going to be about. I look forward to that. I’ve got to coach football, though. But, I’d like to think that I’ve got a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm. I’m more than willing to do what it takes to be part of the team.”
