South Carolina already feeling positive impact of Travian Robertson
Shane Beamer and the South Carolina staff stood on the practice field while players wrapped up a workout.
The workout finished and as one of the Gamecocks’ defensive tackles left the field, he went out of his way to talk with Beamer about the newest addition to the defensive staff in Travian Robertson.
“He just pulled me aside–this was after Travian have been there for probably two weeks–and just said, ‘You got the right dude.’ He said he’s made us better already,” Beamer said.
“So our players have really taken to him and are excited about him being here. Nobody loves Carolina more than that guy does and to be able to get a former player back in the program–but then also a really talented coach–was a no-brainer for us.”
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Robertson took over in May, filling the role vacated by Jimmy Lindsey’s departure to LSU. He’s just the second defensive line coach the Gamecocks have had under Beamer. Lindsey was the initial hire on Beamer’s inaugural staff.
Robertson is no stranger to South Carolina, a former four-star and top-100 recruit who played for the Gamecocks while being part of some of the best defensive lines in program history.
It was a long route back home for someone who grew up in North Carolina, coaching at Georgia State and most recently at Tulane before heading to South Carolina. And being back home has been a big boost for the program so far.
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“Travian has been awesome. Awesome. Being a former player and a guy that was highly recruited out of the state of North Carolina and chose to come to South Carolina. Which we need to have more guys to do that now that I’m here,” Beamer said. “But he’s somebody that loves Carolina, his wife loves Carolina, great family. And he’s been awesome. He really has.”
Players have also noticed Robertson’s desire to be back at South Carolina as well.
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“He’s bringing passion. He wants us to be passionate,” Tonka Hemingway said. “He’s teaching us. He’s giving us a little memories and everything.”
The Gamecocks have some questions depth-wise about what the interior defensive line will look like, but there is a good foundation.
Hemingway returns off a career year in 2022 while the Gamecocks bring in blue-chip tackle Xzavier McLeod and four-star JUCO prospect Elijah Griffin to bolster that room.
It’s up to Robertson now to develop those guys and also glean some answers with camp approaching.
“It’s been good. We’ve already learned a couple of things from him. You know, he played the game,” Hemingway said. “So he can give us little tips, snippets.”
