Know Your (new) Coach: Greg Robinson

Buh-bye Shafer. Hello Mr. Robinson....
It's official. Greg Robinson is our new defensive coordinator. In the weirdest swap ever Shafer goes to Syracuse to become their D-coordinator and Robinson was fired as Syracuse's head coach and becomes our D-coordinator.
Geez, I hope we got a player to be named later or something too?....

Originally from LA, Coach Robinson has a long resume both in the NFL and the NCAA beginning in the 1970s where he played linebacker at Bakersfield Community College. He transferred to Pacific, graduating there with a degree in political science in 1975.

He worked his way thru the collegiate ranks at the University of the Pacific (1975-76), Cal State Fullerton (1977-79), and North Carolina State (1980-81).
He headed back to LA in the early 80s where he coached UCLA's D-line from 1982-88, adding O-line responsibilities in 1989. During that time UCLA won 3 Rose Bowls one each over Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa (in the '82, '83, and '85 seasons).

The Siren Song of the NFL then grabbed hold and Robinson headed to the New York J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS as their D-line coordinator from 1990-1993 and then defensive coordinator in 1994.

Then he was woo'd by the Denver Broncos to finish out the decade as their defensive coordinator, garnering back-to-back Super Bowl Championships in 1997 and 1998 while there.
Feeling that itch once more, off he went to the Kansas City Chief for 3 years going 21-11 during that time.

I guess two rings was enough? so Robinson went back to college and Austin, TX where he was the defensive coordinator in 2004-5 winning a fourth Rose Bowl (yep, beating Michigan that year 37-38.....ok really Vince Young beat Michigan and Robinson's defense allowed 37 but his D gets credit somehow too). His Longhorn defense ranked 18th in scoring defense and 23rd in total defense that year.

He then got a head coaching position at Syracuse where he has not been very successful at all, and in fact, was fired. His record from 2005-2008 leading the Orangemen was 10-37. Brian at mgoblog explains why he is not very excited about this hire at all....and well, I trust Brian.
MGoBlue is spinning this one hard by including quotes from the likes of Mack Brown and Derrick Johnson. Oh dear.

I don't get it. While Robinson has tons of experience, he seems to have peaked and is at the end of his career, so why add him to the staff? Ok, to be nice, maybe he's just not head coach material and does better focusing on only one thing. But it seems spurious to say that he is the best coach out there right now. Not that I'm smart enough to come up with other names for you, but this is just weird. At the risk of getting slapped with a suspension a la Sean Avery why hire someone else's cast off???
Maybe he's the cheapest??? The blogosphere says he'll get what Shafer made (about 265K) and given all the money Bill Martin has to give WVU for Rich Rod, funds are kinda tight over in Schembechler Hall. So we got a bargain. Turn on the blue light, eh?
I'd hate to think that Rich Rod was looking for someone with more experience than he, and that this is his Yoda? Um, don't take any head coaching advice Rich Rod ok......

But, the players apparently LOVE this guy according to Chris Burke over at mlive.com
This is the quote from Derrick Johnson, 2004 Nagurski Trophy and Butkus Award winner at Texas, from mgoblue.com
"The first thing I think about when I think of Coach Robinson is his passion for coaching and love of the game. He's a players coach who is very patient with his players and works well with everyone. He knows how to get his point across about what he expects and has you prepared for everything on game day. He's a guy who has a lot of experience and has won Super Bowls so you know he knows what he's doing. Then, when you get working in his defense, you really see it because he puts you in a position to make plays. He's always adding in new wrinkles for the defense to keep the offense off balance. When he came in my senior year, he tweaked his defense to the players we had and helped me become a better player. I was making plays before that but his style allowed me to make even more and all over the field. He was great for Texas and I think he'll do great things at Michigan."
Maybe he can inspire the D to play well and play hard? I tried to look at some Syracuse blogs to get their take on Robinson...and....well....they care about Basketball a whole heck of a lot more than Football so I've got no read on it that way. Maybe that was the issue? Robinson is a great coach who belongs at a great football school???

I dunno. What do you guys know about this?