Chop Robinson building confidence through steady approach
When Chop Robinson arrived from Maryland this offseason, his objectives were clear. Transferring to Penn State with the intent of becoming a full-time defensive end, he’d needed to make physical changes.
Now listed at 6-foot-3, 242 pounds on Penn State’s official roster, Robinson went to work. Training with new strength coordinator Chuck Losey, the results were swift and noticeable.
“My upper body definitely got bigger from when I first got here, and I definitely got faster,” Robinson said. “It was crazy training and it helped my game a lot.
“It was Chuck Losey. His strength program is just insane. It is the best I’ve ever seen. The stuff we do to help build our body and keep us getting faster and stuff like that, it’s a crazy change.”
Chop Robinson’s first game
His first game as a Nittany Lion in the books, Robinson is beginning to enjoy the fruits of that labor.
Appearing in 57 defensive snaps, rotating heavily with starting end Nick Tarburton, Robinson finished with one solo tackle in his debut. But, as tallied by PFF, he also managed a quarterback hit and two hurries in the game.
Robinson and many of his Penn State defensive teammates weren’t able to hit paydirt, however. In a game that saw the Nittany Lions notch just two sacks on Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell, Robinson acknowledged the mindset of patience he carried with him through the performance as a pass rusher.
“Of course, it gets frustrating when you can’t get to the quarterback and he’s getting the ball out quick,” Robinson said. “But our teaching point was rush and always keep your hands up because he gets the ball out quick. The least you can do is bat the ball down.
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“It will benefit us because you never know when that play might happen when you will get to the quarterback. In your mind, you’re just telling yourself you just got to keep going because the more you keep going, the closer you’re gonna get there. So I think it’s benefited us a lot.”
Next steps
Turning his attention to Ohio and Penn State’s week two matchup at Beaver Stadium on Saturday (noon, ABC), Robinson’s next steps are twofold.
On the broader scale, he is continuing to work on his run stopping and focusing on his keys, he said. Grading out with a 23.8 for tackling on Thursday night, charged with two missed tackles on three chances, Robinson exhibited a stark contrast between defending the pass and run.
But with an eye toward steady improvement, a process he has embraced since his Penn State arrival last spring, Robinson said he’s making strides.
“I’m way more confident and way more comfortable,” Robinson said. “When I first started during August in camp, I was a little uncomfortable. But I knew as I take it day by day and learn little by little, it would help me. I would get better at the position. So I feel very confident and I love it.”
According to Penn State head coach James Franklin, Robinson is slated as a priority for racking up “a bunch of reps” against the Bobcats this weekend.
