Robinson brothers paving the way for Canadian football players
GUELPH, Ontario (BVM) — Football has always been a mainstay for the Robinson brothers. They grew up hearing about how their father and uncle competed, but now they’re forging their own path in the sport they love.
Football was introduced to Tavius and Keyon Robinson early and they were able to learn the game quickly. Learning valuable lessons from their uncle, Junior Robinson, who competed in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for 10 years and from their father, Patrick, who competed at the high school level.
For Ole Miss senior defensive lineman Tavius, who is the elder brother, the journey to be a top-tier football player hasn’t always been easy.
“Growing up in Canada, around my time, [I went] to U Sports, which is our equivalent to college, [it’s] the thing that everyone is shooting for,” Tavius said. “You played your high school football and then you wanted to get a scholarship to go to a U Sports school.”
Tavius was able to move on to the next level after competing with Guelph Collegiate Vocational. There he earned District 10 MVP, Lineman of the Year as a senior and won back-to-back D10 titles.
Tavius continued his football career at the University of Guelph. With the Gryphons, he developed a drive and found another level of competitiveness that he’d always been looking for.
“Guelph definitely played a big role in that [his development as a player],” Tavius said. “I also grew up in Guelph, so they were recruiting me from [my] freshman year of high school. When I got there, they gave me a chance to play early because of the work I put in. The coaches developed me, they allowed me to grow as a player and they helped me out to get me to where I am today.”
With the Gryphons, he tallied 65 total tackles (11.5 for loss) and 13.5 sacks in two seasons. He was also named to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) second-team in 2019. Following his second season with the Gryphons, the COVID-19 pandemic would cancel his junior season. His career seemed to be in jeopardy, but Tavius didn’t let the cancellation affect his athletic future for long.
Following the season’s cancellation, Tavius created a highlight tape and sent it out to D1 colleges looking for an opportunity to play. That’s when Ole Miss found his tape.
“I sent out [my] highlight tape and Twitter [helped a lot],” Tavius said. “They [Ole Miss] found my highlight tape [and] then they gave me the offer. So, I ended up being able to come down here and play while everything was shut down in Canada.”
For athletes like Tavius in Canada, it’s not always a sure thing to be going to play at the D1 level.
“You play your ball, you go to U Sports and then eventually you want to play in the CFL or get a shot in the NFL,” Tavius said. “That’s the path I was taking until I got this opportunity.”
Tavius was able to play for Rebels right away in 2020. And he had a great season for someone making the transition to high-level college football. He played in 10 games, recorded 18 total tackles (1.5 for loss) and one sack. He also missed time during fall camp due to a leg injury.
How bout that @Taviusrobinson sack eh! #landshark @TheRebelWalk
Really bad joke I know but let me have this lol pic.twitter.com/xmkGQzUHDB
— T.J. (@TJOxley1) November 15, 2020
“That was the first time I actually missed a practice,” Tavius said. “It was definitely different for me, but adversity in life makes you stronger. It was something that I needed to go through and it made me realize how much I love the game. When I was missing training camp and rehabbing, I just wanted to be back out there.”
Following his recovery and the 2020 season, Tavius was able to improve in 2021. He played in 11 games, had 28 total tackles (4.5 for loss) and recorded 3.5 sacks.
Tavius’ journey to Ole Miss is not only encouraging to him and other Canadians, but to his younger brother, Keyon, who is a junior at Guelph Collegiate Vocational.
Coaches, I’m officially reclassifying to the class of 2023 time to work 🤞🏾
— Keyon Robinson (@keyonrobinson21) February 12, 2022
At 6-foot-5 and playing wide receiver, Keyon usually outplays his opponents. But if it wasn’t for his brother, Keyon’s love and drive to compete on the football field may not be there today.
Keyon Robinson 2020/2021 Highlight Tape https://t.co/bpJlWHxLjB
— Keyon Robinson (@keyonrobinson21) November 15, 2021
“I would watch my brother play at his game and ever since I first stepped out on that field, I’ve just loved the game,” Keyon said.
As Keyon continues to compete, he is striving to make his own path, using his brother’s recent success as a means of motivation.
“It’s awesome to see my brother competing [at a high level],” Keyon said. “He’s been putting in a lot of hard work and I want to be like him one day. It’s inspiring that he’s my brother. I’m going to look up to him and I just want to be able to do the same thing that he’s doing right now. I’m so happy for him.”
Lil bro going to be special 🤞🏽 https://t.co/lc8AU3oa4u
— Tavius Robinson (@Taviusrobinson) November 15, 2021
Yet, with a ton of individual success, the two brothers both have something more important in mind when it comes to the gridiron. That’s making the pathway for Canadians to play college football at the highest level or the NFL more plausible.
“I want more Canadians to have this opportunity that I have and that other guys have,” Tavius said. “I want to be able to do my best and perform at the highest level, so more Canadians [can] get more [attention]. In the past couple of years more Canadians have been coming down to play D1 football, so that’s a driving force for me.”
Both the Robinson brothers have made their hometown of Guelph proud. With Tavius in the SEC and Keyon well on his way to being a great player, the dream of representing Canada is becoming a reality. Whether that be at the collegiate level or the NFL, it would be a dream come true for both brothers.
“My goal is to play in the NFL, that’s what I want to do,” Tavius said.
“It’d be awesome to represent my country,” Keyon said. “Canadians are slowly making their way to the states, slowly [making their way] into D1 programs. They [Canadians] are finally getting the recognition they deserve.”
