_02.jpg) Robinson with theSyracuse Orange in 2024 | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Defensive coordinator |
| Team | Syracuse |
| Conference | ACC |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | (1985-05-25)May 25, 1985 (age 39) Camden, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 2004–2007 | Penn State |
| Position(s) | Defensive tackle,offensive guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2009–2010 | Penn State (GA) |
| 2011 | Penn State (GA/DL) |
| 2012–2013 | Penn State (DCR/NFLL) |
| 2014–2015 | Temple (DL) |
| 2016 | Temple (DL/RGC) |
| 2017 | Baylor (DL) |
| 2018–2021 | Texas A&M (DL) |
| 2022 | Texas A&M (DL/RGC) |
| 2023 | Texas A&M (DL/co-DC/AHC) |
| 2023 | Texas A&M (interim HC) |
| 2024–present | Syracuse (AHC/DC) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 1–2 |
| Bowls | 0-1 |
Elijah Robinson (born May 25, 1985) is anAmerican football coach and former player who is the defensive coordinator of theSyracuse Orange. He playedcollege football for thePenn State Nittany Lions and has coached them as well as theTemple Owls,Baylor Bears, andTexas A&M Aggies.
Robinson was born on May 25, 1985, and grew up inCamden, New Jersey.[1] He attendedCamden High School before transferring toWoodrow Wilson High School as asenior.[2] At Woodrow Wilson, he helped them win the state championship with a 15–0 record and was chosen first-team All-South Jersey atcenter while also totaling 13sacks on defense.[2][3] He committed to playcollege football for theTulane Green Wave and joined the team in 2003, but was ruled ineligible shortly before the season as he had not been approved by theNCAA Clearinghouse.[2] He stayed in shape, became eligible with a passingSAT score, and re-committed to thePenn State Nittany Lions.[2]
As afreshman in 2004 at Penn State, Robinson appeared in three games and had onetackle while playingdefensive tackle.[4] Heredshirted in 2005.[4] He moved to playing on theoffensive line in 2006.[4] In spring 2007, Robinson was injured in practice and, when being checked out, was discovered to have aspinal condition that made him at risk of beingparalyzed when playing football.[5] He then retired from football rather than take the risk from playing.[5] Robinson graduated from Penn State in 2008 with abachelor's degree and later earned amaster's degree in 2012.[3]
Robinson is a member of the Eta Alpha chapter of theIota Phi Theta fraternity.[6]
After graduating from Penn State, Robinson was agraduate assistant with the school from 2009 to 2011; he was an academic graduate assistant the first year and assisted the defense the following two years.[1] He also served as the defensive line coach for a portion of the 2011 season.[1] From 2012 to 2013, he served under coachBill O'Brien as the team's director of community relations andNational Football League (NFL) liaison.[3]
Robinson was hired as the defensive line coach for theTemple Owls in 2014.[7] He added the role of run game coordinator in 2016.[1] He helped three players earn first-team all-conference honors at Temple, including future NFL playerHaason Reddick, and in 2016 the team tied the program record with 10 wins while being a top-25 defense nationally for rush defense and yards allowed per attempt.[3] In 2017, he was hired underMatt Rhule to serve as the defensive line coach for theBaylor Bears.[8] He was hired as the defensive line coach of theTexas A&M Aggies in 2018.[1] He helped them rank ninth-best nationally in defense in 2020 and in 2021 the entire starting defensive line he coached was signed into the NFL.[3] He was made the team's run game coordinator in 2022 while retaining his role of defensive line coach, and in 2023 changed to being co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach in addition to defensive line coach.[3] After head coachJimbo Fisher was fired with two games remaining, Robinson was promoted to interim head coach.
On December 3, 2023, Robinson accepted the defensive coordinator position atSyracuse University.[9]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M Aggies(Southeastern Conference)(2023) | |||||||||
| 2023 | Texas A&M | 1–2 | 0–1 | 4th(West) | LTexas | ||||
| Texas A&M: | 1–2 | 0–1 | |||||||
| Total: | 1–2 | ||||||||
