LSU Gold

Tommie Robinson Season 2024

LSU
Tommie Robinson
Title
Asst. Head Coach/Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Email
football@lsu.edu
Phone
(225) 578-1151
Hometown
Phenix City, Ala.
Alma Mater
Troy (1985)

Hometown: Phenix City, Ala.
Alma Mater: Troy
Graduating Year: 1985
Experience: 2 Years

Tommie Robinson, a highly-respected coach who has spent time at the highest level of college football and in the NFL, is in his third season at LSU as the Tigers’ running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Robinson also serves as assistant head coach.

In his first two years with the Tigers, Robinson’s running back room has produced back-to-back 1,000-yard rushers in Derrius Guice and Nick Brossette. Guice accumulated 1,251 rushing yards to go with 11 TDs in 2017, while Brossette, in his first season as a starter, logged 1,039 yards and 14 touchdowns, in 2018.

As a senior in 2018, Brossette ranked seventh in the SEC in rushing yards and he was third in the league in rushing TDs. As a unit, LSU averaged 173.6 yards per game and finished third in the SEC in rushing touchdowns with 29.

In his first year at LSU, Robinson oversaw a unit that featured two of the most productive players at running back in school history in Guice and Darrel Williams. The duo combined for 2,071 yards and 20 rushing TDs. Guice had his second-straight 1,000-yard rushing season, while Williams accounted for 820 yards and nine scores. Williams finished third on the team in receptions (23), and was second in receiving yards (331). Williams also became the first player in LSU history with 100 yards rushing and receiving the same game, accomplishing the feat in a win over Ole Miss (103 rushing, 105 receiving).

As a unit, LSU’s ground game produced 207.6 yards per game and 4.8 yards a carry, both among the top five in the rugged SEC.

Guice went on to become a second round draft pick of the Washington Redskins, while Williams signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Robinson, who was named the 2017 Pac-12 Recruiter of the Year by 247Sports, joined the LSU staff in 2017 after spending the 2016 season at Southern Cal as the running backs coach and run game coordinator for Rose Bowl Champion Trojans.

In 2016, Robinson was part of an offensive staff that saw the Trojans average 34.4 points and 477.1 total yards a contest. Southern Cal capped the 2016 season with a 52-49 win over Penn State to claim the school’s first Rose Bowl title since 2009.

Robinson’s coaching career spans over 30 years, which includes three years with the Dallas Cowboys (1998-2000) and three with the Arizona Cardinals (2010-12).

In his three years with the Dallas Cowboys, Robinson served as an offensive assistant working primarily with the wide receivers, including future NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin. Robinson also spent time assisting with the Dallas special teams. In his three years at Dallas, the Cowboys won the NFC East Division in 1988 with a 10-6 mark and then reached the NFL Playoffs the following season.

At Arizona, Robinson coached Beanie Wells, who became the first player in franchise history to rush for at least 1,000 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Wells also set the franchise record with 228 rushing yards against the St. Louis Rams in 2011. Former LSU standout Patrick Peterson played two seasons for the Cardinals while Robinson was part of the Arizona coaching staff.

Prior to joining the USC staff, Robinson coached running backs at Texas for two years (2014-15). In 2013, Robinson was the running backs coach and passing game coordinator for Southern Cal, where he was part of a coaching staff that included Ed Orgeron.

Robinson has helped teams appear in 12 bowl games and the NFL playoffs twice. Other coaching stops for Robinson include serving as a graduate assistant at Arkansas in 1991, running backs coach at Utah State in 1992-93, four years as running backs coach at TCU from 1994-97.

After his three-year stint with Dallas, Robinson joined the staff at Oklahoma State, coaching running backs for the Cowboys in 2001 where he helped the development of Tatum Bell, who would later become a second round NFL Draft pick.

He followed that with four years at Georgia Tech, the first as wide receivers coach and then tight ends coach for the next three years. In his first season at Georgia Tech, Kerry Watkins led the ACC in receptions with 71 and ranked No. 2 in the league in receiving yards with 1,050.

Robinson coached the running backs at Memphis in 2006 and then held the same position at Miami (Fla.) from 2007-09 before returning to the NFL to coach running backs for the Cardinals.

During his various college stops, he also served minority coaching internships with the New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.

Robinson got his coaching start at Woodham High School in Pensacola, Florida, where he spent two years. He followed that three years at his alma mater, Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama, before joining the Arkansas staff as a graduate assistant in 1991.

He was a 3-year starter at strong safety and team captain as a senior at Troy State, where he was a member of the 1984 Division II national championship team. He received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Troy State in 1985.
Robinson was born on April 4, 1963. He and his wife, Lartonyar, have three children: sons Dantrell and Trey, and daughter Towanda.

THE ROBINSON FILE
Year at LSU: Third (appointed February 9, 2017)
Birthdate: April 4, 1963
Hometown: Phenix City, Ala.
Wife: Lartonyar
Children: Dantrell, Towanda, Trey
High School: Central High School (Phenix City, Ala.)
Alma Mater: Troy State (1985)

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1982-86 Troy State (strong safety)

COACHING EXPERIENCE
1986-87 Woodham (Pensacola, Fla.) High School (assistant coach)
1988-90 Central (Phenix City, Ala.) High School (assistant coach)
1991 Arkansas (graduate assistant)
1992-93 Utah State (running backs)
1994-97 TCU (wide receivers)
1998-00 Dallas Cowboys (offensive assistant/wide receivers/special teams)
2001 Oklahoma State (running backs)
2002-05 Georgia Tech (wide receivers, 2002; tight ends, 2003-05)
2006 Memphis (running backs)
2007-09 Miami (Fla.) (running backs)
2010-12 Arizona Cardinals (running backs)
2013 Southern Cal (running backs/pass game coordinator)
2014-15 Texas (running backs)
2016 Southern Cal (running backs/run game coordinator)
2017-19 LSU (running backs/recruiting coordinator/assistant head coach)

BOWL EXPERIENCE
As a coach
Season Bowl Team Opponent Results
1991 Independence Arkansas Georgia L, 24-15
1993 Las Vegas Utah State Ball State W, 42-33
1994 Independence TCU Virginia L, 20-10
2002 Silicon Valley Georgia Tech Fresno State L, 30-21
2003 Humanitarian Georgia Tech Tulsa W, 52-10
2004 Champs Sports Georgia Tech Syracuse W, 51-14
2008 Emerald Miami (Fla.) California L, 24-17
2009 Champs Sports Miami (Fla.) Wisconsin L, 20-14
2013 Las Vegas Southern Cal Fresno State W, 45-20
2014 Texas Texas Arkansas L, 31-7
2016 Rose Southern Cal Penn State W, 52-49
2017 Citrus LSU Notre Dame L, 21-17
2018 Fiesta LSU UCF W, 40-32