When the University of Kentucky football coaches researched their team’s off-season needs, adding a dynamic playmaker was high on the list at Wide Receiver.
They had no idea what was going to fall into their laps.
Enter Wan’Dale Robinson, the former 2018 Kentucky Mr. Football winner who wanted to return home.
Robinson, a 5-foot-9 receiver, was hired once in the UK during his stellar career at Western Hills High School before moving to Nebraska, where he spent the last two seasons as an integral part of the Cornhusker list.
The temptation to return home, however, was too great for him to refuse.
“I sat down with my dad and people close to me, and we just kind of talked at the end of the year,” Robinson told Curtis Burch on the Behind Kentucky Football podcast. “We just had the feeling that it would be better for me to visit the (transfer) portal, and then my mother also dealt with COVID.
“I definitely knew that I wanted to be closer to home, and it was just a perfect fit for me to come here with the new offense and things like that. I felt like landing here was perfect for me. “
And of course British trainers are enthusiastic.
In his freshman season in Nebraska, Robinson made 40 passes for 453 yards and two touchdowns – a program record for most receiving yards for a freshman – while rushing for 340 yards and three points.
In the second year, the native of Frankfurt had completed 51 receptions for 461 yards and a TD in eight games, in addition to 240 yards and an additional number of points on site.
Despite its production, Robinson said he wasn’t sure what the Kentucky reception would be like. As it turned out, the former four-star recruit was welcomed back with open arms by coach Mark Stoops.
“I was just glad to know,” said Robinson. “When they told me that, I felt like I could go back and nothing will be different than if I went there in my first year.
“Most of the people here welcomed me back and weren’t too mad at me. It was just a really good thing. “
And with the prospect of playing for former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who now plays for the Wildcats, Robinson is keen to get started.
“I’m really just trying to be in the office, learn the offense, do whatever I can – find little tips or things to do in the field and things like that in this offense,” Robinson said . “Really, just build the relationship, talk almost every day, watch some kind of movie – little things like that and get better with time.”
Robinson believes he will spend most of his time in the UK as the Wildcats’ slot receiver, using his speed and quickness to navigate routes rather than queuing as he walks back. He cited the Kansas City Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill as an influence on his playing style.
Finally, Robinson wants to follow in Hill’s footsteps – and he knows Coen can help him get there.
“He knows exactly how to look to be in the NFL,” said Robinson. “It’s just a really big deal. He can always choose little things that I could do and help me get better. “
Before moving on to the next level, however, Robinson focuses on enjoying his time in Kentucky.
“I feel a lot better just being here,” he said. “That’s nothing against Nebraska. I loved my time in Nebraska, but it just has to do with being at home and the feeling I have here is really great.
“I’m really, really happy that I decided to come back.”
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