Duce Robinson Is a Big Play Trojan

After a complicated recruitment, USC’s pursuit of Duce Robinson is paying off

The true freshman wide receiver and two-sport star is one of the brightest spots in the program’s future and has earned playing time in crucial games

WR Duce Robinson sprints for a long gain with a pass against Washington last week at the Coliseum. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Luca Evans (OC Register)  —  LOS ANGELES — Redemption came swift, and frankly unexpected, for Duce Robinson.

On a third-and-8 during the first quarter of Saturday’s loss to Washington, the freshman receiver found himself lined up on the outside in the most crucial game of the season. And lo and behold, he found himself wide open across the middle of the field, quarterback Caleb Williams firing a pass at him high and hard.

And a potential touchdown clunked off Robinson’s fingers.

It felt like a complete deflation of momentum in the moment, a true freshman who had gotten a shot unable to capitalize. It was defeating, Robinson said, in the moment; you could see it in his body language, outside receivers Dennis Simmons coach said. Robinson returned to the sideline, teammates grouping around him, telling him he’d have another shot to make a play.

“I don’t think any of us,” he said on Wednesday, smiling, “knew it was gonna be that soon.”

After the only three-and-out of an otherwise surgical night for the Huskies’ offense, Robinson (jersey switched to #88) trotted back out with the special teams unit, burst through the line, and stuck the lanky arms of his 6-foot-6 frame out for an emphatic blocked punt, setting up a Williams touchdown run on a silver platter.

“True character of a man is how he responds to adversity … I think that leveled him out, ground him, and gave him his confidence to continue to play through the rest of the game,” Simmons said.

It’s a little generous at this point, perhaps, to call Robinson a man; despite a beard and natural self-assuredness, he’s still growing in both frame and understanding of the collegiate game, committing a key late-game holding call on a USC drive. But the fact he was even in the game in a key fourth-quarter situation speaks volumes to Simmons and the staff’s rapid trust in Robinson, a top 2023 recruit out of Pinnacle High in Phoenix who carved out a rotational role against Washington.

And through a largely disappointing season for USC (7-3 overall, 5-2 Pac-12), Robinson is one of the program’s brightest points for the future, with potentially dominant size and a gazelle’s speed to match.

“He’s gon’ be an animal,” running back MarShawn Lloyd said earlier this season. “He’s 6-foot-6, he’s going to grow more into his body … y’all don’t see it, plays that we see, it’s only going to get better.”

It took effort, too, to get dual-sport athlete Robinson to USC, a truly unique commitment journey that – considering all factors – might be head coach Lincoln Riley’s biggest recruiting win since taking over the program. Robinson and his family, Pinnacle High coach Dana Zupke said, were “carefully” looking at schools that demonstrated a willingness for football and baseball programs to work together so Robinson could play both. And that plan appears to have held, as Robinson said earlier this fall that he has been in constant contact with Trojans baseball coach Andy Stankiewicz and Riley was “completely on board with it.”

His recruitment within football, too, was complex. Robinson has always taken pride in his combination of size and athletic ability; that 6-6 frame, though, often led college teams to typecast him as a tight end, Zupke said.

“Duce wasn’t real high on that,” Zupke said, “and to (USC’s) credit, they shifted their lens towards him and started getting their receivers coach more involved.”

Riley, Robinson said, saw the way his body had evolved, and viewed him as a wideout. And he made an immediate impact in garbage time during three blowout wins to start the season, racking up 186 yards on a variety of long grabs; predictably, he then went quiet amid a stacked receiver’s room, but he showcased enough in practice to earn crucial snaps against Washington.

And not long after the blocked punt, he got another measure of redemption, too: catching a 43-yard pass from Williams.

“If I can get a little bit better every day,” Robinson said Wednesday, “eventually you’re gonna look back and you’re not even gonna know where you were.”

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 04: Duce Robinson #19 of the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)In a disappointing USC season, true frosh WR Duce Robinson has been one of the brightest points for the future, with dominant size and a gazelle’s speed to match. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

ocregister.com

_______

TrojanDailyBlog members —  We always encourage you to add factual information, insight, divergent opinions, or new topics to the TDB that don’t necessarily pertain to any particular moderator post or member comment.

SUBSCRIBE HERE TO RECEIVE NOTICE OF NEW COMMENTS OR REPLIES.
Notify of
44 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
volunteerTrojan
Major Genius
November 9, 2023 6:52 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

What channel?

volunteerTrojan
Major Genius
November 9, 2023 6:59 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Thanks, gonna jump on it.

Steveg
Major Genius
Steveg
Offline
November 9, 2023 4:52 pm

Duce is going to be that guy by next year. 6’6″ is tough to defend and he reminds me of another really tall receiver we had a couple of years ago.

Chris
Major Genius
Chris
Offline
November 9, 2023 5:31 pm
Reply to  Steveg

Duce may be great but Drake was a different level. Dude didn’t even to be open, just throw it his way and he willed the catch.

Steveg
Major Genius
Steveg
Offline
November 9, 2023 5:53 pm
Reply to  Chris

Maybe I said it wrong. Drake is really really hard to duplicate. I was just thinking about the size out there to throw to.

Chris
Major Genius
Chris
Offline
November 9, 2023 6:13 pm
Reply to  Steveg

I totally understood, he is going to be awesome. Drake is just so competitive. His 3/4 of a season is the best from a USC WR I have seen.

TrojanRon
Noble Genius
TrojanRon
Offline
November 10, 2023 4:01 am
Reply to  Chris

Drake London also played on the USC Basketball team before he focused on football his final season. You are right in that he didn’t have to be open, just throw it a little high and he would leap up and get it. I wish Drake had a more accomplished QB in Atlanta to throw to him in the NFL. He’s still making some great catches at that level. I haven’t seen enough of Duce to form an opinion. He’s certainly got the size, but he also has the drops. Hopefully, he fixes that and gets more balls thrown his way… Read more »

Trojanfanatic
Noble Genius
Trojanfanatic
Offline
November 9, 2023 2:57 pm

What’s so strange, and frankly most troubling, is he actually believes thousands of Trojan fans are buying his fantasy talk that everything is great, we’ve progressed, the future is bright. Not even fanboys are buying it. Can he possibly really believe you can win a natty with a soft temperament team and a defense that couldn’t stop St. John Bosco ? I’m not sure what we have here. 

HOF19
Noble Genius
HOF19
Offline
November 9, 2023 1:36 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

At least interview Kwiatkowski and see if how interested he would be and (based on the interview ) is he what SC is looking for at DC .

Chris
Major Genius
Chris
Offline
November 9, 2023 2:15 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I am not worried about it at all unless he goes the “no one had this guy on their radar” route. Just go get a proven guy. There’s 5 or 6 names on the list that are no brainer guys. They have produced and will be huge upgrades immediately. Don’t get creative, just press the administration to open the checkbook.

Steveg
Major Genius
Steveg
Offline
November 9, 2023 4:28 pm
Reply to  Chris

I think the AD has had some input and she probably knows more that we think she does. She helped put together some good staffs at WA.

USC1988
Noble Genius
USC1988
Offline
November 9, 2023 4:51 pm
Reply to  Steveg

the new AD just got here … her input wasn’t needed on this mess
only thing LR need from her is the checkbook

Steveg
Major Genius
Steveg
Offline
November 9, 2023 5:51 pm
Reply to  USC1988

She who carries the checkbook is in charge. I’m married, I know.

USC1988
Noble Genius
USC1988
Offline
November 9, 2023 4:49 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

This guy just received a big raise

Steveg
Major Genius
Steveg
Offline
November 9, 2023 4:53 pm
Reply to  USC1988

Texas will pay whatever they need to in order to keep him.

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
November 9, 2023 5:45 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

One fan web site quoting a rumor from another fan web site. Hard hitting news! This guy won’t be available til after the Big 12 CCG Dec. 2 and then later if they make the playoffs. I would think getting someone good well before signing day Dec. 20th will vital for recruits to commit.

volunteerTrojan
Major Genius
November 9, 2023 5:50 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Hmm, another DC from Texas? Call me a bit jaded at the moment.

Steveg
Major Genius
Steveg
Offline
November 9, 2023 5:52 pm

I see where you are coming from.

volunteerTrojan
Major Genius
November 9, 2023 5:56 pm
Reply to  Steveg

I’d prefer a candidate from either the SEC or B1G over the B12 or P12. Closer to the style of football we will face starting in, well, about 3 games.

HOF19
Noble Genius
HOF19
Offline
November 9, 2023 11:56 am

Any chance any (or maybe 1 or 2 what the heck) of the Defensive coaches of Texas available ?

USC1988
Noble Genius
USC1988
Offline
November 9, 2023 4:52 pm
Reply to  HOF19

Texas is paying their staff and recruits $$$$$ to get Suck from destroying another program

USC1988
Noble Genius
USC1988
Offline
November 9, 2023 7:29 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Indeed … Suck the HC at Texas, who would ever thought that after ODing at USC. Kiffy doesn’t really want to be at Ole Miss, especially with his ‘pal’ Suck having a big time gig, but he is lucky to have any job. The guy is the Billy Martin of football. Been fired what? 4 or 5 times? and with more to come, no doubt. Strange dude.

Jamaica
Noble Genius
Jamaica
Offline
November 9, 2023 5:38 pm
Reply to  USC1988

Seems to me this Indiana D analyst Leonhard is a better fit since he knows the Big 10 conference and has a very good record of building up defenses.
I would look at a DC that has coached in the Big 10 conference with success.

Chris
Major Genius
Chris
Offline
November 9, 2023 11:30 am

What’s Harbaugh going to receive as punishment for cheating? Clearly he did it, which everyone tries. He just went the extra mile and didn’t try and cover his tracks. I’m guessing a slap on the wrist.

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
November 9, 2023 11:40 am
Reply to  Chris

I saw a headline that he is ready to sue the NCAA if he is punished.

Chris
Major Genius
Chris
Offline
November 9, 2023 12:01 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

100%

USC1988
Noble Genius
USC1988
Offline
November 9, 2023 12:16 pm
Reply to  Chris

Always a favorite ‘the NCAA was so mad at the SEC, they put a Pac 10 team on probation’

Steveg
Major Genius
Steveg
Offline
November 9, 2023 4:24 pm
Reply to  USC1988

And yet it was so true. Funny how the SEC always skates by.

2manyyears
Genius Member
2manyyears
Offline
November 9, 2023 10:42 am
2manyyears
Genius Member
2manyyears
Offline
November 10, 2023 7:59 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Perhaps it is time to not worry about what LR thinks. Someone higher up on the food chain should tell him what is best for SC.

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
November 9, 2023 9:27 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Mark Sanchez says the “next step” for USC will be to go get those “big dudes” that normally go to Georgia and Bama. He should be in the know. Hope he is right.

Steveg
Major Genius
Steveg
Offline
November 9, 2023 4:25 pm
Reply to  Golden Trojan

Sanchez is right and USC has to get into the game 100% and put those Brinks trucks into action.

TrojanRon
Noble Genius
TrojanRon
Offline
November 9, 2023 5:03 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Having Caleb Williams, Juju Watkins and Isaiah Coller playing the same weekend reminds me of my days at SC when we had Anthony Davis, Gus Williams and a solid women’s basketball program in 1974 when I was a sophomore. Cheryl Miller came along a little later and, in my opinion, revolutionized women’s basketball. I attended one of her first games in person and could not believe how she could shoot a jump shot. In an era when most all of the women were shooting with two hands, Cheryl shot the ball with her right hand using the left as a… Read more »

Golden Trojan
Major Genius
November 9, 2023 8:03 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Who would have thought USC, over the next 2 years anyway, would be looking at basketball for success in BIG10 sports.