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, lombati Saturday - Septembe, 26, 2009 1
September " 2009 Football cl.
NY JETS 1990-1994
Switching coasts to follow Carroll,
Robinson coached the Jets' defensive
line. In 1994, he became New York's
defensive coordinator.
TEXAS 2004 DENVER BRONCOS 1995-2000
to the colle When the Broncos won back-to-back
ns in the NFL Super Bowls, Robinson's defenses
.onghorn defense were ranked No. 1 and No. 3 against
arned his fourth the run. And in three of his six sea-
sons, the Broncos had one of the NFL's
top 10 overall defenses.
SYRACUSE 2005-2008
After coaching for nearly 30 years,
Robinson was hired for the first time
as a head coach But after winning
just 10 games oser the course of four
r ~years, and posting the Orange's first
two i0-loss seasons ever, Robinson
was fired.
MICHUIAN 2002
Robinson approached Wolverine
coach Rich Rodriguez about the job
opening, and Rodriguez hired his
former Big East foe as his defensive
coordinator
rd. So they've to win. I don't like to lose. Those game when I was there. I think
sall. Plenty of are the things that motivate me, it was because Coach Wooden
I suspect. The challenge. had such an influence on every
program (at UCLA) and that was
lid you get What are the core roots one of them, fundamentals.
of your defenses? In 20 or 30 years, when
Coletto, my I'm still a believer in funda- you look ack at your time
Pacific), asked mentals. You got to learn how to u
and I were control your body. You got to be at Syracuse what do you
ete was a year able to learn how to maximize think you'll take away from
redshirted, he your body as far as leverage. You that?
but Pete was have to play with great effort.
tant) a year I mean, those are core things. Oh, I worked extremely hard.
ie and I would Enthusiasm. The fundamentals Very, very hard trying to get the
>gether wher- of the game are very important. thing headed in the right direc-
we'd talk and The longer I'm in coaching, tion. InmyheartIthinkwewere,
k, this is kind the more I believe that. John and I believe that you're going to
doing. Then Wooden used to always say, see - there's an opportunity for
osition coach, 'Greatteams keep getting better.' the new staff in there to reap the
interested in Because as some begin to fall off benefits. They still have a tough
Yeah, I really teaching their fundamentals as schedule. But anyway, I didn't
So we went to the season goes on and get more realize what a situation that I
ggested that I into the schematics, all of a sud- was in going into it and I didn't
to be a GA, so den, you'll see a decline in their realize how tough a schedule we
I took it. fundamentals, where as .those were going to play. Really, for
that continue to really hone in three or four years I think we
on the fundamentals, you'll see had a top-15 every year toughest
growth as the season goes on. schedule in the country. That's
At UCLA, we always took great tough while you're still trying
f there's one pride that we were a team that to reprogram the program. The
mdoing.Ilove always, we won every bowl See ROBINSON, Page 7B
Winning two Super Bowls
When Greg Robinson was Bowlyears.
the Denver Broncos' defensive Over those same seasons,
coordinator, one eventthatstole they forced 61 turnovers and
the show each season. sacked the quarterback 90
Even when Denver won times.
back-to-back Super Bowls in "When you win, there's only
1997 and 1998. so much credit, and it always
"Every year, we had a party went to the offense," Teerlink
at his house where he'd bring in said. "Greg did ahell of a job."
a pianist and we'd have a sing- " When Robinson arrived
a-long party and it was always in Denver, the team had just
a great time," former Broncos dabbled in free agency and had
and current Indianapolis Colts many new coaches. What he
defensive line coach John Teer- excelled at was working with
link said. "One of the highlights new faces.
of the year." Robinson's creativity
They'd sing "all the popular stretched to everything he did,
stuff" in duos and trios, and especially his motivational
play "name that tune." techniques.
While Robinson had an "He'll bring out boxing high-
innate talent to bring together a lights, hockey tapes, gun fights,
youngstaff,hiscoachingaccom- movie clips, things where peo-
plishments in Denver were ple are challenged and have to
overshadowed by the offen- rise to the occasion," Teerlink
sive accomplishments of John said. "I don't want to take away
Elway, one of the greatest quar- any of his secrets, but he'll put
terbacks of all time. suffon Friday nights that'll fire
"(We had) just fantastic the guys up."
numbers and fantastic stats that He fit in perfectly there, an
always got lost behind the John ability that he's brought with
Eiway, Terrelle Davis num- him alongthe many stops in his
hers, you know," Teerlink said. coaching career, and it trans-
"The fact that we had all those lated onto the field and into the
sacks, all those turnovers, and team's chemistry.
played so well on third downs "To delegate, to manage
always has kind of been forgot- and to organize to where all
ten, and I don't think Greg ever the parts are working together
got the credit for that that he - that's very hard to do, espe-
deserved." cially when you're diverse and
Robinson coached in Den- from different teams and dif-
ver from 1995 to 2000, leading ferent places," Teerlink said.
three top-10 overall defenses. "Everybody kind of wants to do
Against the run, the Broncos their thing and it was his job to
were especially potent, ranking tie it all together and package it
No. 1 and No. 3 in their Super and he did."
Going 10-37
Almost 10 years later, Rob- sity that I'd like to see," former
inson had his Syracuse coach- Syracuse running back and
ing staff watch the 1972 John NFL legend Jim Brown said
Wayne film, "The Cowboys," on ESPN's College GameDay in
which the coaches referenced September last year.
backtothroughouttheyear.The Syracuse Athletic Director
movie is associated with words Daryl Gross also publicly called
and phrases such as "survival Robinson's performance well
story," "hardship" and "fighting below Syracuse standards.
for whatyou believe in." "We're Syracuse. We should
All of those terms seemed beat Akron. It's that simple," he
appropriate during Robinson's said on GameDay, referencing
time with the orange, as he Syracuse's 14-point loss to the
wentfrom anationally celebrat- Zips, a bottom-dwelling Mid-
ed coordinator to a floundering American Conference team.
head coach. The days of Syracuse's 1959
It's truly startling how light- National Championship and
and-day different those closely Heisman winner Ernie Davis
associated with the program were buried in fans' memories
describe Robinson's career at as they witnessed Robinson's
Syracuse. downfall. The Orange never
There is the obvious reac- finished above another team in
tion. Syracuse was a Big East the Big East in his four years.
powerhouse, boasting winning But even with the lowly
season after winningseason for record, Robinson was still well-
as long as can be remembered. respected in the locker room.
No coach had ever lost 10games "He's very, very, very
in one season in Orange history. detailed, a great communica-
But that was before Robinson tor, great with the kids, a great
did it twice in his first three teacher," said former orange
years at the helm of the pro- secondary coach Jim Salgado,
gram. who now coaches at Cornell.
"I don't see the competitive "Not only teaching players, but
spirit that I'd like to see, I don't us coaches as well, makingsure
see the hitting that I'd like to you got all youri's dotted andt's
see. I don't see any of the inten- See SYRACUSE, Page 6B