Robinson family tree grows University football

Coaches Bryan and Jason have Wildcats off to 2-0 start with father, E.C., as mentor.

- By Eric SONDHEIMER

ERIC SONDHEIMER Los Angeles Times.

BRYAN ROBINSON must teach football from scratch. Said the head coach, "It's fun but also challenging."

E.C. Robinson turned 80 last month. He was head coach at Locke High when Darian Hagen and Sirr Parker were standout City Section football players in the 1980s and ’90s. Then he went to coach at University.

Now one of his sons, Bryan, is head coach at University, with another son, Jason, the offensive coordinator, and he’s serving as a proud “consultant.”

Together, they're trying to resurrect a University program that was down to fewer than 25 players three years ago. The roster has increased to more than 70, with the return of a junior varsity team, and the Robinsons are committed to “restoring pride” in the program.

It’s a true Los Angeles story, with Bryan calling it “about homecoming, mentorship and generational impact.”