John Robinson, one of the most recognizable and successful football coaches in California history, has been hired as a senior consultant at LSU under Ed Orgeron.
Robinson was a founding Board member of the Lott IMPACT Trophy. “He was a valued and integral part of our organization and a dear friend,” said John Hamilton, the Chairman of the Board of the Lott Trophy. “I congratulate Ed Orgeron on hiring Coach Robinson and I wish John and his wife Beverly all the best.”)
Robinson, who guided the Trojans to the 1978 national championship and five Pac-10 championships, last coached in college at UNLV in 2004.
“I want to welcome Coach Robinson and his wife Miss Beverly to the LSU family,” Orgeron said in a statement. “Coach has been a great friend and mentor to me and he will be a very valuable resource for us in growing our championship culture at LSU.”
Robinson, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009, will assist Orgeron in the daily planning of practice, personnel and game planning, according to the statement.
Robinson, 83, coached USC from 1976 to 1982 and then again from 1993 to 1997. In between, he coached the Rams, leading his teams to the NFL playoffs six times, including two appearances in the NFC Championship Game.
Robinson has an overall college coaching record of 132-77-4 and an NFL regular-season record of 75-68. He went 4-6 in the NFL playoffs.
In 12 seasons at USC, Robinson guided the Trojans to a 104-35-4 overall mark. His teams went 28-42 in six seasons at UNLV from 1999 to 2004. He coached two Heisman Trophy winners, Charles White and Marcus Allen, as well as 18 All-Americans, including Ronne Lott.