Why Penn State DE Chop Robinson could be a star pass rusher sooner rather than later
Chop Robinson knew he had his man right where he wanted him. The Penn State defensive end gave Purdue offensive tackle Eric Miller a fake inside, getting him off balance. That was enough for Robinson, who switched his momentum and got outside with a clear avenue to Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell.
He grabbed O’Connell and ripped him to the ground just after the quarterback released the ball for an incomplete pass, giving Penn State a 35-31 win over Purdue in its season opener.
“I hesitated like I was going inside and he fell for that move,” Robinson said with a smile. “And I just bended the corner on the edge and I seen the quarterback right there. It was a great play and a great feeling.”
The Nittany Lion may not have earned the sack, but he showed what will be required of him this season. Robinson is one of the key players on the defense and flashed the game-breaking upside Penn State requires along its defensive line — and is a player that could be a star sooner rather than later.
Despite not earning the sack, the sophomore defensive end put an end to the game on its final play by not allowing to get a clean pass off. And it’s not as if O’Connell held onto the ball looking for a heave. Robinson pressured him almost immediately and eliminated any chance of letting a play develop.
That’s the type of timely play that the Nittany Lions needed to beat the Boilermakers on the road.
That doesn’t mean he’s going to make that play all the time, however. At least, not yet. But eventually he will, and his coach knows what that can do for the defense.
“From our perspective (Robinson) is very important,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said. “He’s done a nice job for us in camp. He’s getting more comfortable, more confident, every single day. ... We feel like he can help our defense in a significant way. I’m excited about him continuing to grow and continue to grow his role within the scheme.”
Robinson, who is a former Maryland Terrapin who transferred to Penn State during the offseason, is aware of what he needs to do to continue growing as a defensive end and get himself on the field more. He might be as quick as any player in the conference off the line of scrimmage, but that can only get a player so far.
There’s a level of consistency and experience he can only acquire with more time on the field. And there’s more to defensive end than just pinning your ears back and chasing opposing quarterbacks. You must also contribute against the run, shooting gaps and occupying blockers when necessary. Robinson isn’t where he wants to be just yet in that regard.
“The main thing (to improve on) is stopping the run and focusing on my keys,” he said. “I think I have to build my upper body up more to be able to stop the run with the big o-linemen in the Big Ten, of course. I would say that’s the main thing.”
He has the tools to get there relatively quickly. The 6-foot-3, 242-pound defensive end has the length and power to be a force no matter what the offense calls. But right now he isn’t. Instead he must focus on improving those inconsistencies and closing the gap between himself and the starters ahead of him on the depth chart.
For now, that means playing more limited snaps and heading onto the field when his name is called rather than at the start of the game. And once he lines up, he’s usually doing so with one goal in mind — get after the quarterback. That type of limited role can be fun, but Robinson still yearns for more.
“Of course I want to be in there every snap,” Robinson said. “But I also have things to work on in the run game with my feet and my hands and focusing on my keys. But I think as time goes on, as I keep working on that, I’ll be able to fix that more and stop the run.”
That time will surely come for the Nittany Lion defensive end, and it may come soon. He’s not starting yet, but he could be before the season is over. Saturday against Ohio he will be able to pin his ears back and get after it. Maybe it takes time for him to become the all-around player Franklin and his program need at defensive end.
But the value he brings chasing those quarterbacks is plenty for the time being. With how he played in game one, sack No. 1 as a Nittany Lion should be right around the corner.
Frankly, sack No. 10 might not be that far away either.
