Beyond the Orange: Nathan Robinson

Tennessee defensive lineman Nathan Robinson joined Beyond the Orange sponsored by Knoxville Smiles this week to discuss his journey from injury after injury to a consistent performer on Saturday’s for the Vols.

“I remember it vividly, it was the Syracuse game and Jackson (Moi) had just gone down and I knew I was going to play but it was play two or three and Nathan you are up already and I’m like ok,” Robinson recalled of his first real action in orange. “The first play was a false start and then Josh got good B gap penetration and that’s when I swept around for a good QB hit and I just remember getting up and I saw Caleb Herring pointing at me from the sideline and I just felt it click.”

So where has his game grown the most?

“Probably just simple stuff like get off and hand placement,” Robinson said. “Being really intentional about those first two steps off the ball is something I struggled with when I first got here. It’s nowhere it needs to be but that initial get off and going to change the line of scrimmage as coach G would say I feel like it has taken steps.”

Robinson was an outside linebacker in high school. Now he plays on the interior of the defensive line. His body has certainly grown quite a bit.

“I remember it was when Coach Golesh was still with the staff and he was recruiting me but I knew Coach G was recruiting me so I knew where it was headed,” Robinson said. “I put on a bunch of weight before my senior year and got up to 270. Coach Golesh came by and was like who is this guy? That’s when I knew it was going to be defensive tackle and not defensive end.”

Watch the full episode of Beyond the Orange below.