Newcomer Q&A: Thalen Robinson

I know you've been on campus for a while now, but how did the adjustment go for you?

"It's great. Arlington's a big city, but almost a small city kind of vibe. Columbia, you can tell it tries to impersonate like a bigger city with the downtown, but I like it. I know the players really helped me adjust as well and treated everything like home. I consider most of them just like family by the way how hard we work together and everything like that."

What's been a bigger adjustment: College life or football?

"I mean, I didn't have any classes (Monday) and (Monday) was my first day. I guess I'm going to be able to tell today because I have two classes today. But adjusting over here wasn't too bad. I anticipated being homesick, but I already know everybody here is going through the same stuff. I mean, everyone here is homesick. It's just gonna be like that. It really isn't too hard to adjust. The competition here's just crazy so if you're a competitive person you just fit right in."

Is that the biggest difference from high school to college?

"Oh yeah. That and the tempo. Everything's faster and everyone just breeds competition. If competition seems like it isn't right during practice then we make sure that everyone turns that around."

What position do they have you working at mostly?

"Offensive guard. Mostly the right side."

I know a lot of times a redshirt is just assumed for a lineman. What was your attitude coming in?

"Like I said about being competitive, I'm going to be the most competitive person out there. If that means that I earn my way to playing, to not getting redshirted and playing this season, then that's great. But if not, it's going to be a year for me to mentor and just help get better and prepare and get ready for all the other people who are in front of me. But like I said, I'm a competitive person and I'm going to take every opportunity that comes my way."

The coaches have mentioned your name a couple of times. Have they talked to you about what the plan might be as far as playing or redshirting?

"I'm waiting to see and just being patient with it, but also just taking care of everything I can control. I think the offensive line is doing a great job just trying to stay locked in and take every practice (day by day)."

I know Brad Davis recruited you, but sometimes it's different when you're with a guy every day. What's he been like since you've been here?

"Basically the same person I imagined in recruiting. Like I told a bunch of other people, he was the only coach that was just completely serious with me during my recruitment, but at the same time didn't make me feel uncomfortable. He made sure I knew that he wanted me. He's going to coach you hard, he's going to yell at you and all that stuff. I don't take offense to coaching like that. It's exactly the way I thought it was going to be when he was recruiting me."