Liam Coen calls on Tayvion Robinson to step up as playmaker

Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen is pushing Tayvion Robinson to be the best he can be in 2023. One of just two upperclassmen in the receivers room, Robinson will not only have to step up with his play but also be a leader on the field.

The Wildcats are expected to start Robinson along with a pair of second-year receivers in Barion Brown and Dane Key. Speaking in a press conference following Tuesday’s practice, Coen set his expectations for the wideout entering the 2023 season.

“We need Tayvion Robinson to step up and be a playmaker for us” he said. “We need Tayvion Robinson to step up and be consistent, tough, physical and be a leader. I think he has some of those capabilities. I know he can catch the football in traffic. I know he can make people miss. We need to get him involved in our own way but then also him playing for his teammates. Playing with his teammates and having a lot of fun doing it.”

A fifth-year senior, Robinson is set to enter his second year in Lexington after transferring from Virginia Tech in 2022. He came in with high expectations as the No. 7 receiver according to On3’s Transfer Portal Player Rankings.

Robinson exploded in the season opener against Miami (OH) to record six catches for 136 yards. He followed that up two weeks later with seven catches for a season-high 147 yards and two touchdowns in a contest versus Northern Illinois. However, he dropped off from there as he never recorded more than 50 yards receiving in any game going forward.

Coen will hope to get Robinson to return to form early this season. The offensive coordinator returns to Kentucky after leading the Wildcats in 2021 before taking a brief one-year stint with the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams. He helped UK to average 32.3 points per game in his last season in Lexington as it finished with a 10-3 record, one of just four 10-win seasons in program history.

Likewise, Tayvion Robinson said Coen, whom he originally committed to play for in 2022, is a big reason why he returned to Kentucky this year.

“Very comfortable. More so myself and in offensive coordinator, coach Coen,” the receiver told KSR. “That was the guy I came in to play for so having him back has been a blessing for everybody on this team.

“I probably had a smile from ear to ear, honestly. He came back at a time I was deciding on what I would do. Technically, I could have left last year. I wanted to come back, I felt like I needed to come back, and now I get a chance to play for him.”

Kentucky will also have a new quarterback this season as NC State transfer Devin Leary takes the reigns with Will Levis on to the NFL. Robinson will hope he can build a connection with him as he aims to get back on track.

The Wildcats are set to kick off the year on Sept. 2 against Ball State.