The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
What it means to be a Longhorn: Brian Robison
08.18.2019 | Football, T-Association, Track & Field / Cross Country
Read the third in a 14-part series on the Hall of Honor class of 2019.
This is the third of a 14-part series celebrating the Hall of Honor class of 2019. In these first-person vignettes, each inductee shares his/her thoughts on 'What it means to be a Longhorn.' Thirteen former University of Texas student-athletes and one former UT System administrator will be inducted on Friday, Aug. 30 into the Hall of Honor. Tickets for the Hall of Honor banquet are available at TexasSports.com/tickets.
Brian Robison Hall of Honor bio
Being from East Texas, and I'm reluctant to say this, but I actually kind of grew up being a fan of Texas A&M. My favorite team was the Florida State Seminoles and I always wanted to go there, but I liked A&M growing up and I used to watch them a lot. Things started changing for me as I got older and saw Ricky Williams play and I saw what Mack Brown was doing with the program. I started becoming of a fan of The University of Texas and the tides really started to shift going into high school.
Coming out of high school, I had one stipulation for whichever college I went to. I wanted to be able to play football AND throw in track. When I was getting recruited, I made sure that every coach knew that was a priority for me, and Texas was one of the schools that always showed interest.
One thing that stood out for me happened when I was in high school. I came down to compete at the Texas Relays, and I really liked the vibe of Austin and the vibe on campus. Darryl Drake, who was recruiting me and was the wide receivers coach at Texas, had asked me to talk with Mack Brown when I was in town for the Texas Relays. After throwing in the Relays, my mom and I walked across the street to speak with Coach Brown and he began talking about what the Longhorns could do for me and how I'd be a great fit, speaking like I was already a Longhorn. I was totally blown away. I hadn't expected to get any kind of offer like that, especially not that day.
My mom had to take a step back and asked, "Okay, so we're a little confused. Are you offering Brian or what are we talking about?" Mack said, "Oh, yes ma'am, Mrs. Robison. I thought you knew that. I apologize, yes, we're offering Brian."
It was completely unexpected. We went back home and started thinking about it. To me, it was above and beyond any other place we went. I ended up committing a week later.
There were a handful of schools that I had enjoyed visiting, but Texas ended up tops on my list. Everything from the programs, to how many games they were winning, to how they were a national powerhouse, the coaching staffs, the facilities and the city of Austin. I fell in love with it.
What stuck out to me from the beginning was the camaraderie of the student-athletes from across all sports around campus. There was a feeling of togetherness. We all embraced that we were doing this together - the swimming and diving team, the basketball team, the football team, track and all the teams. It was nice to have those people around you that were going through the same things on campus. As a student-athlete, things are not always easy, especially at The University of Texas where there is tough competition in the classroom and on the field. But you always had someone that you could talk to about life and how to strive and be successful.
There is one saying on campus that truly explains it all for me: "The pride and winning tradition of The University of Texas will not be entrusted to the weak or the timid."
I had great coaches while I was in Austin, and they each cared about me as a person as much as they did as an athlete. Mack Brown, Greg Robinson, Gene Chizik and Oscar Giles taught me so much about both life and football. They had trust in me and my abilities, and I was able to play a lot as a young guy, be around a bunch of great players and be a part of some great games those first two years.
My last two years in 2005 and '06, the success we had as a team in both football and track are what have stuck with me the most. Those are great memories. We were able to go to Texas and become Big 12 Champions on the track, and I was the Big 12 Champion in the shot and in the discus ring and a national runner-up in shot put. I still hate saying runner-up. Then winning a National Championship in football and playing in back-to-back Rose Bowls. Those two years were really special to me and some of my fondest memories.
The University of Texas prepared me for so much, as a professional football player, a professional shot putter, and even in life in general, including raising a family and how to be ready for real-world situations.
Athletically, I was around so many athletes that were at the top of their game. We had so many athletes that went to the NFL, they prepared me to play football at the NFL level. I don't feel like the game really changed much when I went to the NFL. Things were just like they were at The University of Texas. We played such stiff competition, and we were always in the film room and always preparing for the next game. I think that helped me going into the NFL, because I realized the importance of making sure that I was as mentally prepared as I was physically prepared.
Texas is a top university athletically and academically. From every class I took, I have been able to apply what I learned to real-life situations, whether that is relationships with people, how to handle yourself with class on and off the field, and for what I am doing now with my foundation and how to run it in the right way. The University of Texas provided me with tools I use each and every day that help me be successful.
