The 2018 campaign is the fifth at NSU for Rob Robinson. He was named the 19th head football coach in school history on Dec. 19, 2013.
In 2016, the RiverHawks had nine players named All-MIAA and 14 student-athletes who were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Northeastern State set NCAA era records in its passing game with Diminic McKinzy setting season marks in passing yards and touchdown passes. In the 2016 off-season NSU had Steffon Herd representing the program at the next level with a NFL Rookie Invite to the Los Angles Rams off-season mini-camp.
The RiverHawks earned their first win under Robinson in 2015 and ended the campaign with a 3-8 record. The team featured nine All-MIAA performers and 16 MIAA Academic Honor Roll honorees.
Robinson’s inaugural season with the program in 2014 saw the team post a 0-11 overall record and a 0-11 mark in the MIAA. The team featured one All-MIAA Third Team member and six All-MIAA Honorable Mention performers. NSU had one player named MIAA Scholar-Athlete and 14 that landed on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Ross Dvorak was also named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® NCAA Division II Second Team.
Prior to his arrival in Tahlequah, Robinson spent 12 years under Craig Schurig as a member of the Washburn Ichabod coaching staff. He was the offensive coordinator for the last four seasons. He also directed the running backs from 2007-13 and coached the wide receivers from 2002-06. He served as the recruiting coordinator from 2002-10 and was the academic coordinator from 2010-13.
Robinson was an integral member of a Washburn staff that completely turned around the Ichabod program. Washburn averaged 3.3 wins from 1989-03 and had just one winning season, but the Ichabods averaged 7.9 wins from 2004-13 and posted 10 straight winning campaigns.
Washburn competed in the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs three times in a nine-year span (2005, ‘07, ‘11) and captured the first MIAA Championship in school history in 2005. The Ichabods also won the 2004 Mineral Water Bowl and the 2010 Kanza Bowl.
In Robinson’s first season as offensive coordinator, he led Washburn to 10th in the nation in scoring offense (37.2 ppg) and 10th nationally in total offense (460.3 ypg). Washburn ranked fifth in the nation in total offense (481.5 ypg) and 11th in scoring offense (38.6 ppg) in 2011, and the Ichabods were once again 11th in the country in scoring offense (40.9 ppg) in 2013.
The 2011 campaign was arguably the best in school history, as WU won a school-record 10 games and lost just three. One of those victories included a 52-49 triumph over Abilene Christian in the first round of the NCAA Division II Football Championship, marking the first playoff win in school history.
Robinson is the second former coordinator under Schurig’s tutelage to become the head coach of another program, joining Fort Hays State’s Chris Brown.
At Washburn, Robinson coached two players who earned All-American distinction. He also had six players receive various all-region awards and 18 players who landed All-MIAA accolades at either wide receiver, running back, fullback, or kick returner. He guided the top two offenses and the top two passing seasons in school history. In 2011, he directed quarterback Dane Simoneau to a second-place finish for the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year Award (Harlon Hill Trophy). Simoneau tossed 38 touchdowns and became the first Ichabod signal caller to throw for more than 4,000 yards.
In 2007, Robinson’s first as running backs coach, he guided Ra’Shawn Mosley to the school’s all-time rushing crown as he finished with 1,199 yards, four shy of the Ichabod single-season record. Washburn notched the third-highest single-season rushing total in school history with 2,351 yards on 495 carries with 29 touchdowns. Ichabod Brandon Walker earned All-MIAA Second Team honors and Mosley finished as an honorable mention all-conference pick. In the kickoff return game, Cary Williams averaged 28.6 yards per return to finish 10th in the nation. He was named to the All-MIAA First Team.
While coaching the Ichabod wide receivers, Robinson guided four of the top seven receivers in school history. Those included two All-MIAA selections, an all-region receiver and Sam Sissom, the No. 4 receiver all-time in the MIAA and Washburn’s career leader in receiving yards and receptions. In 2004, Sissom became only the third Washburn receiver to go over the 1,000-yard mark as the Ichabods broke the school record for most passing yards in a season.
Robinson spent the 2001 season at Pittsburg State as a graduate assistant, coaching the defensive backs with Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig. The Gorillas won the MIAA Championship that year.
Robinson received a bachelor of art degree in history from William Jewell College in 2000. He was a four-year letterman and three-year starter for the Cardinals at fullback. He was named the 1997 and ‘98 Special Teams Player of the Year and was an all-conference selection his junior season. He was named to the Player’s Leadership Committee and to the All-Heart of American Conference Third Team as a senior.
Robinson and his wife Jes have two sons, Tabor and Beckett, and one daughter, Grier.
