Notre Dame Receiver Target Jason Robinson Goes In Depth On His USC De-Commitment

Despite being committed to USC since September of 2021, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly star wide receiver Jason Robinson Jr. is a player that Notre Dame fans have had their eyes set on for some time. On Valentine’s Day, Robinson opted to decommit from his Trojan pledge.

Any time a decommitment happens, people tend to hypothesize and speculate what led to that decision. For Robinson, it was an incredibly difficult decision. In a recent interview with Irish Breakdown, the California star went in depth on his decision making process and what ultimately led to that announcement.

Jason’s mother, Miki Robinson, also added her perspective into the process. From the conversations, it came down to not what USC could or couldn’t provide but making sure that they weren’t making a rushed decision seeing what all the schools had to offer.

“I just didn’t want to leave anything on the table and regret my decision,” Jason said. “I love USC and appreciate the opportunity they presented to me. We had a real conversation and I know that they are going to look around as well and I completely understand that.”

This was a decision that the star pass catcher was wrestling with for awhile. According to his mother, the family did their best to help Jason make a sound decision and make sure that they consider every possible outcome or reason to make it.

“It had been on his mind for a while,” Miki Robinson said. “When it surfaced, we talked about it and played about it. Regardless of the result, Jason was going to do things tastefully and classfully.

“For me, I believe that a commitment means that you are in no matter what,” she continued to explain. “It was a tough decision but I understand what his mentality was through the decision making process and I respect how he went about it. He’s grown so much and I am proud of how mature he was throughout.”

For people unfamiliar with Long Beach Poly, it is a tremendous school with a deep history of producing great football players. It is also in the Trojan’s backyard which has created a bit of a pipeline to the school.

Robinson made that commitment to USC during the early portions of his sophomore season in 2021. At that time, it felt like the best decision. It is, however, not the only decision. There are other fits out there and in large, there are still a lot of opportunities that the Robinson family has not experienced.

“His grandfather was a big USC fan so I do think that originally played a big role,” said Miki. “With him making the commitment so early, I don’t think he got the chance to really experience the whole process, the courting from the schools and seeing it all.

“How do you know you don’t want to be there if you haven’t been?” she added. “He’s a Southern California kid. That’s what he’s known and there is a lot that he hadn’t had the chance to experience.”

In the end, this decision wasn’t easy. Yes, it was made to have those experiences and truly find the best fit, but there was a deep admiration for the USC program.

Despite that obvious pressure on Jason to stay true to that original pledge, he did what was best for him. He also made sure that is was something he was comfortable with before making the decision. No stone was left unturned or conversation left unsaid.

“This wasn’t just a decision that popped up out of nowhere,” Miki explained. “As a family, we talked a lot about it. We sat down and asked a lot of questions. We didn’t want him to keep asking himself if he made the right decision.

“He wrote down all the pros and cons to sticking with USC or decommitting. We talked about the good and the bad with making that decision and he clearly understood the risk.”

She even talked a bit more in depth about that process. This wasn’t just a gut feeling or an impulse decision. This was about as thorough of a decision process that you will see from a seventeen year old, a compliment not only to Jason but to the rest of his family involved.

“Some of the questions that Jason considered were: What are your reasons for making the decisions? What are the things you can benefit from? What can go wrong?” Miki said. “He had to consider a lot of different things and I believe he made the decision that was best for him.

“As a parent, it’s about what is best for Jason,” she added. “This decision wasn’t to benefit me. This was about helping him make an informed decision that was best for him and his future.”

So now what is the next step? There will be a lot of conversations with schools, coaches and continuing to build relationships. You can also count on some school visits being made in the future.

Before that chaos begins, Robinson is once again making a thorough plan. He knows what he wants and the next few months will be about finding it.

“I’m still feeling the process out right now and figuring out the next steps,” Robinson explained. “I was committed to USC for so long that I want to make sure I give other schools a real look. I don’t want to make an emotional decision. It’s about taking my time and making sure I see everything I can to find the best fit.

“I am looking for a school that will cater to my interests off the field,” Robinson continued. “I’m really interested in fashion and science so I want to fulfill all my interests off of the field as well. I’m looking for the environment, the staff and the vibes of the campus.

“Can I see myself there? Will I be successful in all areas? There needs to just be that feeling that I belong there.”

Regardless of what the final decision is, the Robinson family has proven that it will stick together no matter what. From his mother, his father and his younger brothers Jadyn and Skylar, they have all been an important part of this process and have given nothing but support throughout.

Jason understands how lucky he is to have his support system. It is something that not every kid is fortunate enough to have.

“It has meant a lot to me,” Robinson said. “It’s been the biggest thing really. My family is the backbone and the support for me throughout the process and the decision. I know that they are all behind me no matter what.

“I’m trying to lead the way for my brothers,” he continued. “The goal is to make things easier for us all. We have big goals and just really want to make our dreams come true.”

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