Former Penn State linebacker expected to join West Coast Big Ten rival

When the spring transfer portal opened, James Franklin saw a few Nittany Lions jump at the chance for a fresh start. After grad transfer JB Nelson left for the portal before the spring window, redshirt freshman cornerback Jon Mitchell followed, and now both players could end up playing next season at Georgia Tech. But redshirt sophomore linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson appears to be heading for one of Penn State’s new West Coast Big Ten rivals: the USC Trojans.  

Ta’Mere Robinson predicted to transfer to USC

With redshirt junior linebacker Kobe King moving onto the NFL after an All-Big Ten season last year, Robinson figured to be in the mix for starting reps in the second level of new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’s defense. However, after playing 100 defensive snaps across eight games a season ago, the former high school safety turned off-ball linebacker opted for the transfer portal. 

The assumption with Nelson, Mitchell, and Robinson is that all three lost out on positional battles in Happy Valley this winter and spring. Nelson was almost certainly usurped by rising sophomore Cooper Cousins at guard, Mitchell was boxed out by junior Elliot Washington II and his phenomenal offseason, and Robinson was likely the odd man out between Dominic DeLuca, Anthony Speca, Keon Wylie, and Dakaari Nelson to start alongside Tony Rojas. 

Still, Robinson’s move came as a surprise after he played the fifth-most snaps among off-ball linebackers last season and Tyler Elsdon, who played just 34 more, exhausted his final year of eligibility. 

Last season, the Nittany Lions went out to LA and downed the Trojans 33-30 in overtime with a heroic performance from quarterback Drew Allar. Robinson did not see the field in that one, but with multiple predictions placed for the 6-foot-3, 225-pound linebacker to head to USC, evidently, he’s done enough to impress head coach Lincoln Riley and his revamped defensive staff. 

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren dominated that West Coast Big Ten matchup because USC didn’t have any defensive players to deal with such a size mismatch in coverage. Robinson may not have been able to shut down Warren either, but the former high school safety should fill an important role for new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. 

Penn State is not scheduled to play USC in 2025, but with Robinson’s three remaining seasons of eligibility, he’s likely to face his former team at some point.