PITTSBURGH — Brashear Bulls four-star linebacker and Penn State commit Ta’Mere Robinson tore his ACL and MCL during the 2021 football season, missing the end of his junior year and now all of his senior year because of it.
Brashear completed a winless 2022 season with a loss to Westinghouse in its final game on Thursday night at Cupples Stadium on Pittsburgh’s South Side. The Bulls not having Robinson — rated as the top player in the City League — was a major part of their tough season, and it’s been equally as hard for Robinson to watch on the sidelines for the last 51 weeks.
While most recruits are able to use their senior seasons to put out one last round of film for college coaches, Robinson was confined to the sidelines. Although Robinson’s national ranking dropped after a year off, he’s still rated as one of the top 300 prospects in the country across the major recruiting platforms.
Robinson said that he used the frustration of a missed opportunity as a chance to refine his leadership ability.
“I’ve definitely been a coach to the players, my teammates. Making sure they’re right and doing what they need to do,” Robinson said. “It’s definitely been hard, a long process … just standing on the sidelines every game.”
Robinson said that Penn State’s incoming freshman class has a group chat where they communicate with head coach James Franklin. Franklin asks the recruits to send in game film each week as they get to know each other as players and people.
“Everybody’s sending theirs and I’m watching them like ‘Dang, I wish I was putting my tape out,’” Robinson said. “Just watching my guys ball out and put their tape in the group chat, it’s just definitely an honor, just watching them and calling them my teammates.”
Robinson said his rehab is going well, and he’s excited to join the Nittany Lions in January as an early enrollee.
“My rehab is good, I actually feel pretty good. My knee’s getting better,” Robinson said. “I’m super excited. This class we’ve got coming in, and then the 2022 class from last year, we’ve got something special. We’re gonna make it far, hopefully get the natty.”
PSU will never sniff a natty under Franklin…