Kirk Herbstreit slams Ellis Robinson for late-game after-play penalty vs. Alabama

In the most critical moment of the game, Ellis Robinson may have cost Georgia a chance to pull off a come-from-behind win against Alabama. A 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty was called against Robinson for leaping into a pile attempting to stop Ty Simpson. Officials ruled Simpson gained the first down but the yardage might turn out to be crucial.

Watching the replays, ESPN color commentator Kirk Herbstreit slammed Robinson for the decision. Herbstreit could not believe his eyes, really.

“What in the world are you thinking here?” Herbstreit asked. “The play is over. It’s over, whistle — what in the world? This isn’t practice. What the hell are you thinking? That’s 15 yards you just cost the team.”

The ESPN broadcast then went to commercial due to the two-minute timeout. When they came back, a different replay showed Georgia head coach Kirby Smart directly talking to Ellis. Herbstreit assumed the message was something along the lines of “be smart.”

Robinson is considered one of the more talented players in all of college football. The redshirt freshman was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect coming out of high school. Only Ohio State star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith ranked higher than him in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Learning moments are still taking place, though. Unfortunately, this one comes in a tough spot for Georgia late in the fourth quarter. Herbstreit, a neutral observer from the booth, did not seem too thrilled with the penalty. You have to imagine Smart voices his displeasure in the coming days too.

Ellis Robinson continues to bring a ton of hype

Penalty or no penalty, there is a ton of hope the type of player Robinson can become. Smart continued to hype him up during the preseason, talking about the effort Robinson puts in on the practice field.

“He’s improving, and he’s working hard,” Smart said back in August. Ellis competes in practice, and he can play physical,” Smart said. “He doesn’t always do it, and he needs to do it more consistently. But he is not shy or afraid of contact, and he’s got ball skills. He makes plays on the ball a lot, and that’s a big part of being a corner.”

No matter how this game turns out, Robinson gets another chance to prove himself next Saturday. Georgia remains in Athens for an SEC game against the Kentucky Wildcats. A long season remains in front of the Bulldogs.