How wide receiver Tayvion Robinson is learning to talk the talk for Kentucky football

FB: Rich Scangarello 09-20-22 from UK Sports Video on Vimeo.

LEXINGTON — Kentucky’s obvious need was a draw for Tayvion Robinson.

When the wide receiver sought a transfer destination from Virginia Tech last December, it didn’t take much research to spot the opportunity UK offered. Gone were Wan’Dale Robinson’s 104 catches and Josh Ali’s 41. There wasn’t a Wildcat returning who’d caught more than 13 balls in 2021.

But UK was set to lose more than just receptions for its wide receiver room.

There were talented freshmen on the way, but Kentucky would lack a veteran presence, a talented top dog in the receiver corps who could groom the newbies.

And that drew Robinson, too.

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Yes, the NFL-style offense was a draw. So was its on-field engineer, quarterback Will Levis. But after learning the leadership ropes from Virginia Tech receiver Tre Turner, Robinson also wanted to try his hand at guiding young players.

“(Turner) was a very big leader, a vocal guy on the offense,” Robinson said. “I was always the guy to lead more through example when I was there. Here, I’ve become more vocal and it’s been awesome, honestly.”

Awesome, but not always easy.

Though Robinson has made a mostly smooth adjustment — through three games he’s tied for the UK lead in catches (13) and is second in receiving yards (202) — there are times when getting out of his comfort zone gets downright uncomfortable.

“You almost feel a little cringe when you do speak out because you’ve never done it,” Robinson said. “But when you're a guy on offense in any system that makes plays and you've proven it, I feel like guys will listen to you — as long as you do the things you’re supposed to do.”

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And if Robinson has struggled adapting to a new role, UK’s fresh-faced wide receivers haven’t noticed.

Freshman Barion Brown called Robinson “a big brother” who points out the mistakes he makes in route running. Fellow frosh Dane Key said the senior is “a role model for the group,” the go-to source for a receiver with “a question about anything.”

“Tayvion’s one of the first guys to you if you make a play,” Key said. “If you make a block, he’s gonna be the first one there patting you on the helmet. Anything you do, Tayvion, the leader of the group, will be the one to come pick you up and make sure you know that he notices.”

That’s essential for a Kentucky receiving corps with big talent but little tenure.

“If we didn’t bring Tayvion in, we’d have had nobody in the room with serious experience,” UK receivers coach Scott Woodward said. “He’s been there, he’s done it and he’s done it at a high level.”

Now he’s being asked to do more.

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As are the rest of Kentucky’s receivers.

The newcomers are off to a strong start. Key has 13 catches for a team-high 226 yards and three touchdowns, the latter of which is tied for the UK freshmen record. Brown has caught nine balls for 99 yards and has a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, which ended a UK drought of 13 years.

Still, for their performance in last week’s 31-0 win against Youngstown State, the wideouts were targeted as much after the game as during. Offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello lamented some routes run in error. He spotted some missed blocks.

And though Woodward said his group has “worked their butt off” in that regard, he conceded there were opportunities that "could have been explosive plays and we screwed it up" with missed blocks against the Penguins.

At his Monday news conference ahead of Saturday’s game against Northern Illinois, UK head coach Mark Stoops was asked if it’s hard for receivers to learn the finer points of blocking when they’re catching so many passes and cracked, “They’re going to learn or they won’t be catching passes.”

Robinson already has learned those lessons. Now he’s being asked to help teach them.

And though “like all of us,” Scangarello said, Robinson has room to improve, he’s so far been the leader UK hoped he could be.

“He's a veteran and he knows the game, and on top of that he's a very highly intelligent player,” Scangarello said. “So for him, the game is very slowed down.”

It’s still speedy for some of his younger teammates.

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Key noted this week that in high school he could “loaf on a block” and likely not pay the price. College is a different world. And Robinson is playing his part in imparting those lessons.

He’s learning to do it with his voice, but his habit remains less telling and more showing. He knows his teammates are watching, so he tries to “lock in” on blocks, to set an example with his routes.

It’s part of why he’s here.

“I love seeing those guys learning,” Robinson said. “I love seeing them correct a mistake. I love seeing them figure something out on their own without the help, just seeing that development and knowledge. It’s been awesome, something I’ll definitely cherish in my one year I’ve been here.”

Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brett Dawson and bdawson@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @BDawsonWrites.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Transfer WR Tayvion Robinson becoming vocal leader for UK football