Dominic Robinson wasn’t always crazy about New York state. The only life he knew was California when his father Greg, now head coach at Syracuse, was hired from UCLA by the New York Jets in 1990.

‘I promised my dad I would give my savings account, which was probably about $120, and my new bike for Christmas if he didn’t move us to the Jets,’ Dominic Robinson said. ‘I was so terrified of it.’

Fifteen years later, Dominic realizes the move wasn’t so bad. As the son of a football coach, Robinson has lived through his father.

He and Kevin Gilbride, both graduate assistants with the Syracuse football team, are two of a kind. As sons of NFL coaches, they grew up on the sidelines alongside their athletic idols and accrued life experiences through the different cities they’ve lived in.

Gilbride’s father, also named Kevin and now a quarterbacks coach with the New York Giants, coached with four different NFL teams. Greg Robinson spent time with four NFL teams as well before joining Texas as its co-defensive coordinator in 2004.

Gilbride became a graduate assistant before the 2003-2004 season at SU a year after playing backup quarterback and baseball at Hawaii. Robinson worked as a freelance writer and in the admissions office of his alma mater, but decided he couldn’t keep himself away from football either when his father was hired at SU last year.

You could listen to their stories for hours. How Dominic spent two Super Bowls on the sidelines with the Denver Broncos. How Kevin carried the cord to his father’s headset when he was the head coach of the San Diego Chargers.

They’ve met the stars, the John Elways and Terrell Davises and Bill Romanowskis of the world, but they are still hungry and humbled by the experience of being a graduate assistant.

‘It feels really natural,’ Robinson said. ‘I spent all my life being a ball boy and then during my summers in college I spent a lot of time working with the team and sitting in on meetings. I’ve really had a chance to be with my dad throughout his career.’

Robinson said their days begin at 6:30 a.m. in the Iocolano-Petty Football Complex and usually end around midnight. Somewhere in the middle, they try to go to class, break down film, attend practice, coach the scout team and work with their position players. Robinson helps with the offensive line; Gilbride with the tight ends.

Gilbride studies Instructional Design Development and Evaluation in the School of Education. Robinson studies Cultural Foundations of Education.

There were times growing up when it wasn’t easy being the son of a pro football coach, like when they’d be forced to pack up and move on to the next NFL city or when their fathers’ teams struggled.

During Robinson’s four seasons in New York in the early 1990s, the Jets went 32-48. Gilbride’s father went 6-16 as head coach of the San Diego Chargers from 1997-98.

‘As a kid, you grow up defending (your father) a lot,’ Robinson said. ‘As a teenager, I was always writing letters to the press explaining why they were wrong. As a coach, you are so immersed in getting it right that you don’t have time to worry about who’s thinking what.’

Gilbride has learned to deal with the tough times as well.

‘Your skin gets thick quick,’ he said. ‘When I was really young, it gets to you. But my dad sat me down and said, ‘Kev, do you see me getting bothered by that? If they knew that much about it, they would be coaching.”

That’s why when many Syracuse fans are losing hope about their football program, Robinson and Gilbride’s confidence isn’t shaken. They’re sure the mix of young assistants and veteran sages on the SU coaching staff can turn the Orange around.

In particular, Major Applewhite has made their lives as grad assistants easier while sharing a wealth of experience with the quarterbacks.

‘There’s too many good coaches and too much good work and too many good players, that things are eventually gonna click with this team and the city’s gonna be real proud,’ Robinson said.

Gilbride said he talks to his father before and after every game. His dream is to reunite with him on the same sideline someday.

Robinson hopes to stay in coaching, but right now his focus is on fixing the Orange. He’s moved out of his parents’ house in the Syracuse area and now has his own place.

With athletic director Daryl Gross’ commitment to his new coaching staff, Robinson doesn’t have to worry about leaving New York – at least for a while.

Tim Gorman is sports editor of The Daily Orange, where his columns appear regularly. You can e-mail him at tpgorman@gmail.com

Published on November 15, 2005 at 12:00 pm