Elijah Robinson’s end game is Hawaii.
Robinson, a graduate transfer from East Carolina, said he will ink a scholarship agreement with the University of Hawaii football team on Dec. 21, the first day of the early signing period. He plans to enroll at UH for the Jan. 9 start of the 2023 spring semester, and participate in the Rainbow Warriors’ offseason conditioning program and spring training.
Robinson, who earned a degree in business management in May, is expected to compete at defensive end for the Warriors. He has one season of eligibility remaining, although he will petition for a medical exemption that would allow him to play through the 2024 season. Robinson missed the entire 2021 season because of a hand injury.
The opportunity to compete at end factored in his decision to choose UH. Robinson, who is 6 feet 4 and 250 pounds, did not feel comfortable in ECU’s three-man front. He said he was aligned as the 3-technique tackle — across from the guard and tackle — about “90% of the time.”
UH’s scheme uses the ends as pass rushers and edge setters.
Robinson also was impressed with UH’s coaches, particularly head coach Timmy Chang, who was an assistant coach at Nevada before signing with his alma mater in January.
“I have a teammate at ECU who came from Nevada,” Robinson said of outside linebacker Jack Powers. “He played for Coach Chang. I’ve heard nothing but great things about the staff. Talking with them, I love the brotherhood they’re building there. I love the environment.”
Robinson said he entered the portal at the end of the 2022 season “to hurry up and find my (next) home for the start of January and not be rushing so much.” By applying for a transfer, he will not play in the Dec. 27 Birmingham Bowl.
Robinson said he also drew interest from Marshall, Nevada, Colorado State, New Mexico and Alabama A&M.
Robinson grew up in Wilmington, N.C., where television shows “Dawson’s Creek” and “One Tree Hill” were filmed, and attended Ashley High, where he participated in football, basketball, wrestling and lacrosse. But football was his favorite.
When he was 4, he played tackle football in a youth league for kids ages 7 and younger. “I was wearing pads before 4 years old,” Robinson said. “My dad would put me in pads when I was 3, and I would run at him and ‘tackle’ him while he was on his knees. I was in a three-point stance as soon as I learned how to walk.”
In his lone season at Louisburg College, Robinson went from 195 pounds to 255 pounds. He then transferred to ECU.
