Texas' Keilan Robinson now wants to make some noise against Alabama
Since he arrived at Texas, Keilan Robinson hasn't spent much time speaking publicly about his two years at Alabama.
The Texas running back has participated in only two press conferences since he transferred in. After a 31-23 loss at West Virginia last season, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound back was asked about comments that Alabama coach Nick Saban had made that week about his departure. Robinson didn't take the bait and declined to comment.
Last month, a reporter asked Robinson if this season's game against Alabama was circled on his calendar. After wondering aloud if the Alabama game was during the first or second week of the season, Robinson retorted that "we can talk about that when we get there."
Well, we finally got there. No. 1 Alabama will travel to Austin this weekend for the first time since 1922.
Robinson, though, wasn't among the seven players that Texas made available to the media on Monday. But then even in his own locker room, Robinson hasn't made his ties to the Crimson Tide a talking point.
"I wouldn't say he's said a whole lot," running back Roschon Johnson said.
Playing against his old team, Robinson will get a chance to make a statement with his play. He's listed as the third-string running back on the depth chart.
Last year, Robinson averaged 7.2 yards over his 45 rushing attempts and 8.1 yards over his seven receptions. Two of his three touchdown runs covered 49 and 65 yards. He has one 100-yard performance — that 111-yard game at West Virginia last year.
"You can put him anywhere," Texas running back Bijan Robinson said. "He's a do-it-all guy and I like to see him back there with me because you know, he takes a lot off of me, off the quarterback. He's a huge part of this team and we need him a lot."
Speaking after the Longhorns opened their season with a 52-10 win over Louisiana-Monroe, Bijan Robinson noted that Robinson's versatility was also an asset for the special teams. Hours earlier, Keilan Robinson scored the first touchdown of UT's season on the return of a blocked punt.
Last season, Robinson also blocked a punt for the Longhorns. That play turned into a safety for Texas in a rout of Rice.
Robinson said that before last season, he wasn't used to playing on special teams. When he was a high school All-American and four-star recruit, "special teams was whatever." Robinson didn't gain much special teams experience during the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Alabama, either.
"Last year, (Texas special teams coordinator Jeff) Banks just threw me out there and was like, 'Go wild." That's pretty much just what I did," Robinson said. "Even now, it's just natural. I just run and yeah, I just end up making plays."
Football isn't Robinson’s only interest. He recently began making music under the stage name “K Rob.”
Growing up in Washington, D.C., Robinson would always do freestyle raps with his friends. “Everybody where I’m from,” he explained, “that’s what we do.” The idea of putting together a mixtape was even floated in middle school.
But since Texas didn’t reach a bowl game in 2021 and Robinson contracted COVID-19 when he went home, he had plenty of time on his hands this past winter. So he recorded his first song in January. An album entitled “Reborn” came out during the spring. A music video for his song "Outta Pocket" hit the internet last month.
As for his process, Robinson usually finds beats that he wants to use and has a couple of producers that he likes to work with. He doesn’t write down any lyrics. When he gets in front of a microphone, “I just go in there and just close my eyes and whatever comes to my head and out of my mouth is what I end up putting out.”
Said defensive lineman Byron Murphy II: "I like Keilan's music, I really do. I feel like he's very talented, he takes it serious. He plays in a locker room all the time, so I ain't got no choice but to listen to it."
Said defensive tackle Keondre Koburn: "I love his music. I play his music every once in awhile. He's very talented, you see on the field, and he's talented outside the field. All support and blessings for him."
Robinson has worked before in a studio with Coburn, although neither player is willing to boast about how that song ended up. As for any future collaborations with his Texas teammates?
"Everybody in the locker room freestyles, but I don't think nobody else takes it as seriously as me," Robinson said before joking that, "I tell them, I'll get on one of y'all's songs, (you aren't) getting on one of mine. I'm kind of a seasoned vet at this point."
On Saturday, Texas fans will hope to hear Robinson’s name called after a long run or a big play on special teams. One day, though, he wants to hear his name at the stadium as his music is played.
"I might know somebody that can help with that," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. "We've got some work to do there, so we'll see."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Former Alabama transfer Keilan Robinson eager to play his old team