Fighting Irish WR Robinson decides to end college career
Published 2:42 am Thursday, June 16, 2016
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame’s Corey Robinson, the son of former NBA great David Robinson and the most experienced wide receiver on the Fighting Irish roster, is walking away from football because of multiple concussions.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound senior said Wednesday he had reached his decision “after much contemplation and prayer.” Robinson, who will continue with the team as a student assistant, said he was grateful for the opportunity to play at Notre Dame and looked “forward to a great senior year.”
Robinson had missed most of spring practice after suffering a concussion at one of the first few practices. He met in April with Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, a sports neurologist who specializes in concussion management and treatment.
Coach Brian Kelly said he knows it was a difficult decision for Robinson because he wanted to finish his four-year career on the field.
“He was so excited to lead a group of young receivers this fall,” Kelly said.
The Irish lost four of their top five receivers from last season. Torii Hunter Jr. was the only returner with more catches last season than Robinson, who has more games under his belt and finishes his career with 65 catches for 896 yards and seven touchdowns.
Robinson had a disappointing junior season as he struggled with dropped passes, finishing sixth on the team in receptions with 16 catches for 200 yards with one touchdown. He was second on the team as a sophomore with 40 catches for 539 yards and five touchdowns.
Robinson, who is from San Antonio, was elected student body president in February and is an outstanding student. He applied to be Rhodes scholar and to be a Fulbright scholar, but was unsuccessful in both. He has said he plans to apply again to be a Rhodes scholar, saying he wants to study “with the best and brightest minds.”
Kelly said Robinson set a remarkable example for Irish players “not only how to represent yourself on and off the field but also how working hard through adversity can lead to tremendous success.”