Travian Robertson considers the impact Brad Lawing had on his career

Former South Carolina star Travian Robertson was hired as the defensive line coach at his alma mater earlier this week.

Robertson credits his time playing for the Gamecocks and under former South Carolina defensive line coach Brad Lawing for helping him get to this point.

Lawing coached Robertson during all five of his seasons in Columbia and helped develop him into an NFL player. After his playing career was over, Robertson eventually transitioned into coaching. He learned a lot from Lawing about being a coach.

“Coach Lawing was great for me. He’s a special guy for me, and our relationship that we had, it’s a lot different than others,” Robertson said. “He really, really poured his all into us, and we played for him. We played fast for him.”

Robertson was a part of a star-studded defensive line at South Carolina that also included eventual No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney, as well as another eventual first-round pick in Melvin Ingram.

Lawing did an excellent job of motivating the group and pushing each player to be their best.

“He helped us practice hard. As you know, Clowney, Melvin, all of us. And one thing I do know is he called me one night, and he said, ‘Travian,’ he said, ‘I really didn’t coach you guys,’” Robertson recalled. “He said, ‘You guys played your butt off. I just made sure y’all stayed out of trouble.’ And he was like, ‘So you guys were great players. You guys helped me out more as a coach than I did you as a player.’”

Robertson was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL draft and spent four seasons in the NFL, also playing for the Seahawks and Redskins.

The former team captain at South Carolina also coached at Georgia State and most recently at Tulane, where he helped the Green Wave to a 12-2 record and Cotton Bowl win over Southern Cal last season.

It all started with Lawing, though, who recruited Robertson when he was at North Carolina and South Carolina. Lawing convinced Robertson to sign with the Gamecocks and now he’s back at his alma mater on staff under head coach Shane Beamer.

“He’s got a special place in his heart for me. He offered me when I was a puppy in high school. He was at one school, then came over to the great Carolina. And he offered me here,” Robertson said. “Once I saw that he believed in me at multiple stops, I trusted him and he helped me become the player that I was while I was here.”