USC-Penn State Rose Bowl perfect spot for Phenix City family reunion

The granddaddy of them all — the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. — will serve as a nice backdrop for a family reunion for two cousins from Phenix City over the next week.

On Jan. 2 when Southern Cal meets Penn State, Tommie Robinson and Christian Campbell will know that family is on the other sideline. Robinson is completing the first year of his second stint as a Southern Cal assistant coach. Campbell is a junior defensive back for Penn State with designs on playing at the next level.

“We have a pretty close-knit family,” said Robinson. “When I look across that field and see him in that Penn State uniform, I am going to be so proud.”

Robinson and Campbell are a generation apart, but both were raised in Phenix City and learned the basics of the game at Central High School, a renowned football factory that has produced Hall of Fame players. Robinson’s father, Tommie Lee Robinson, and Campbell’s grandfather, Larry Wright, were brothers. Both men are now deceased.

“This is crazy,” Campbell said. “It’s a blessing to be playing in the Rose Bowl, playing USC. But then we are playing against ‘Key Man’s’ team.”

Key Man?

Robinson may be coaching the in the big time, but when you talk to someone from Phenix City, they always revert to his high school and neighborhood nickname, “Key Man.”

In addition to a family reunion, the game will highlight two south Phenix City guys at different places in their football journeys.

Robinson, 53, has been coaching on the high school, college and NFL level for three decades now. He went from Central to Troy University, then he traveled the country coaching. He spent five years as a high school assistant — the last three at Central in the late 1980s.

From there, he took off, coaching at Utah State, Texas Christian, Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, Miami, Texas and now USC. In between he was on the staff with the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals.

But there is one thing in the football universe he has never done.

“This will be the first time I have been in the Rose Bowl game,” Robinson said. “Oh, I have been in the stadium a few times, but I have never been in that game.”

If Robinson has never been in the Rose Bowl, he should look at what his kid cousin will be experiencing at age 21.

“I am so excited about going to Los Angeles,” Campbell said. “I have never been to California. When this all started, I never thought I would be going to the Rose Bowl.”

Campbell was not sure he would get the opportunity to play big-time college football when he was coming out of Central in 2014. He was being recruited by a number of smaller colleges and drawing the attention of second-tier Big Ten schools when he played in the Alabama-Mississippi high school all-star game.

Playing safety, he had one big hit, several tackles and almost came away with an interception.

“After that game, my recruitment really started,” Campbell said.

Penn State Coach James Franklin became part of Campbell’s journey when he was still the head coach at Vanderbilt. He was recruiting Campbell to be a Commodore when Franklin was selected coach of the troubled Penn State program.

Campbell was already being recruited by Big Ten schools Minnesota and Indiana. With Franklin now in State College, Penn State became an option for Campbell. Robinson was at Southern Cal at the time and the Trojans, like a lot of other powerhouse programs, put Robinson on their recruiting boards if some targeted commitments went in another direction.

“I talked to Key Man and he told me I was on their board,” Campbell said. “Sure, I would have wanted to go to USC, but that didn’t happen.”

While he talked to his cousin, Campbell followed Franklin.

“I wanted to follow him to Penn State, even though I’m from the South because I trust him that much,” Campbell said. “And it has been the right decision because he has treated me like family. I made the decision to trust him and my heart.”

Robinson said that Campbell was one of those players who needed a chance and a place to shine.

“I know he’s my cousin, but when you look at the film, it spoke for itself,” Robinson said.

Robinson and Franklin have known each other a long time, both participating in an NFL internship program early in their careers.

“We had a discussion about him,” Robinson said. “But I also talked to his mother, Pam.”

Campbell clearly found a home at Penn State, though he has battled through a series of injuries last year that held him back. He had an interception earlier this season in a rout of Purdue. He had 24 tackles despite missing two games at midseason because of injuries.

“I love where I am right now,” Campbell said. “I could not ask for anything better. I am playing at a great school with great tradition.”

As a broadcast journalism major, Campbell is also working toward life after college, whatever that holds.

“My goal is to play on Sundays,” Campbell said. “That is what I want to do and that is what I have dreamed about doing. When I grew up in Phenix City, all I learned — all I know, really — is football. And I love it.”

At 6-foot-2, 194 pounds, Campbell will have another year at Penn State to mature and try to reach the NFL. Robinson, with contacts in the NFL, will put in a good word for his cousin when the time comes.

“I have been on that level as a coach and I know what it takes,” Robinson said. “I will help him and advise him as much as I can when the time comes. We all want Chris to do well.”

But for now, there is a family reunion in California.

“When it became a possibility that we would play Penn State in the Rose Bowl, I told my son, Trey, who is a freshman playing at Northern Arizona,” Robinson said. “You should have heard his reaction, it was, ‘No way. Wow. I get to see my boy Chris.’”

Robinson said he will be thinking about family.

“I will think about my dad and Chris’ grandfather,” Robinson said. “I know Chris was really close to his granddad.”

But he will also be thinking about home, more than 3,000 miles away.

“For the two of us, everything started in Phenix City,” Robinson said. “He may be at Penn State and I may be at USC, but for both of us, it started in Phenix City at Central High School. The good thing, Phenix City will be represented in Pasadena on Jan. 2.”

This story was originally published December 24, 2016 at 3:25 PM with the headline "USC-Penn State Rose Bowl perfect spot for Phenix City family reunion."