Exclusive: Tulane Green Wave Defender Unlocks Daring Trait Under Spotlight

Tulane Green Wave defensive star Micah Robinson sat down with Tulane on SI to discuss his breakthrough as a ballhawk ahead of the challenge of North Texas.

Credit: Parker Waters - Tulane Athletics

The Tulane Green Wave have won games in different ways as they form a team identity, and the blueprint that beat the Rice Owls illuminates a defense that shines in critical moments.

Cornerback Micah Robinson rose to the challenge with grit, mental toughness, and ball skills—the trifecta of traits Tulane football needs to stifle the North Texas Mean Green offense.

He forced a fumble on third down in the second quarter, recovered by Sam Howard, punching the ball out with confidence. Robinson later used that technique to break up a fourth down pass with less than five minutes remaining. 

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Robinson recorded his first interception at the FBS level at the two-yard line. Micah Robinson sat down with Tulane on Sports Illustrated to discuss his breakout performance and how he draws strength from trust in his teammates and coaching ahead of their North Texas matchup.

Credit: Parker Waters - Tulane Athletics

When Micah Robinson and his counterpart on the boundary, Jonathan Edwards, transferred in the second portal window, their coverage abilities transformed Tulane's quarterback competition.

Edwards revealed rare speed, while Robinson showed potential as a ballhawk with two interceptions in training camp. That flash finally translated into confidence as a playmaker in crucial situations for Tulane.

He credited the advantage of the bye week, which provided time to diligently study Rice on film. Robinson's performance on critical downs was an important display of mental toughness as a leader in the secondary. 

"We build those moments throughout the week," Robinson explained. "It happens in the film study room and out here during practice. Coach McCleskey came over to the corners right before the fourth quarter and stressed midpointing the receivers. That was a play we had been working on all week, attacking the ball when the quarterback throws it." 

He acknowledged that the game is a little faster from the FCS to the FBS level with the quickness and physicality of the wide receivers. In his time at Furman University, he learned the importance of self-taught film study and sought guidance from teammate Cally Chizik, son of Gene Chizik, on what tendencies to look for on offense.

It was clear that something clicked for Robinson in Tulane's third week of conference play. While his interception was the highlight of his performance, his timing and aggressiveness in forcing a fumble and breaking up a pass were equally impressive.

Robinson credits his ball skills to a combination of playing fast, studying film to know what's coming, and his reaction time when the moment comes. 

"I've been playing this game for a long time. When I see the ball in the air, I would like to go get it, and that ball is usually mine when it is in the air."

Ballhawks will catch the eye of a head coach like Sumrall, even more so in critical moments.

"He's got a great feel in zone coverage, has good vision, ball skills, tracks it well," Jon Sumrall described of Robinson. "It was fun to see his on-the-ball production. He's been a pretty solid tackler for the most part. We've challenged him to come down and press a little bit more than he's used to. He's gotten better at that, but to see him have those critical plays was really cool."

An important trait of this year's Green Wave team is playing their standard of football. The defense set a tone that Robinson knows they must adhere to when facing their next opponent.

"We need to approach it how we usually approach it. We're not really worried as a defense. We just have to go out there and do what we do. We're going to have to play a lot of man (coverage) and put pressure on the quarterback. We feed off each other, and that's important for our mentality. When you see one person make a play, that makes everyone else on this defense want to do the same."

Robinson finds it easy to put his trust in his coaches and teammates under the culture Jon Sumrall brought to the program. Under a defensive-minded head coach and amidst what he calls a mature, experienced room, Robinson has seen his decision to transfer to Tulane translate.

They couldn't have asked for a more opportune time to click in the secondary as the Green Wave prepares for an explosive contest in North Texas with strong implications for their season hopes.

Defense wins championships, and turnovers win football games. Micah Robinson alone produced a pass breakup on fourth down, a third down forced fumble, and an interception to start the fourth quarter, setting a gritty standard for Tulane football in conference play.