Kelly Robertson

Kelly Robertson Player, University of Houston
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After numerous detours on an epic journey in search of his dream, Robertson, the former PN-G and West Orange-Stark schoolboy standout, has finally found a home.

With two-a-days only a couple of weeks away, Robertson is poised and ready to become the starting quarterback at the University of Houston.
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"It's really surprising that Kelly could lay out from the game as long as he did and come back and perform at the level he has," says the Cougars' second-year head coach.
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In search of furthering his shot at a pro baseball career, Robertson transferred the following summer to junior college powerhouse, Dixie JC, in Dixie, Utah.

While at Dixie, Robertson had a sensational season, leading his team in hitting (.439), RBIs, on-base percentage, and walks.He thought his dream of being drafted was about to become a reality.

Although Dixie finished No. 2 in the nation with a 51-7 record and Kelly had a terrific year, a nagging knee injury prevented him from being drafted.But he pressed forward and signed to play baseball for Western Kentucky of the Sun Belt Conference in the fall of 1999.

The injured knee continued to cause major problems during his first and only semester at Western Kentucky (he received a medical redshirt).The injury, coupled with the fact he was "burned out on baseball," led Robertson to make the decision to come back home to Port Neches after just one semester.His quest for a pro baseball career had finally come to an end.

He actually enrolled at Lamar University and became a fulltime college student for the first time.But a strange twist of fortune, coupled with the discovery his ailing knee only needed rehab, not surgery, was about to send Robertson in another altogether different direction.

Robertson would receive the "break" he had hoped for, that of getting yet another shot at playing college football, in a most unlikely manner.

Older brother Ryan, also a former star PN-G quarterback and catcher, and at the time a AAA player in the Florida Marlins organization, ran into University of Houston assistant Bradley Peveto, who was in Southeast Texas on a recruiting visit in the spring of 2000.

Orangefield-native Peveto, who had originally signed Kelly to the Northwestern football scholarship while he was an assistant there in 1996, asked the older Robertson how his younger brother was doing.Ryan shared with Peveto that although Kelly's baseball career was over, his desire to play college football still burned brightly.

Peveto and the Coogs just happened to be looking for another QB, so he relayed a message to Kelly to give him a call.He did and the stage was set for what could become one of the most remarkable stories in Division I football.

The youngest son of Joe and Donna Robertson now has his eyes permanently affixed on leading the Houston Cougars back to prominence.It's a goal that's almost inconceivable, considering Robertson hasn't stepped on a football field since Bill Clinton was in the first year of his second term as president.

"It's taken a long path to get here.It's really amazing what's transpired over the past few years," nodded Robertson, who earned a scholarship this year after walking on at Houston last season."All I wanted when I came here was a chance ... an opportunity, and that's what I got.So far I've been fortunate enough to make the best of it."

When queried about whether it was worth it to move around so much in his career (three high schools, four colleges), Robertson says it's actually made him a more mature, confident athlete.

"In hindsight, I wish I could have stayed at PN-G.But I feel everything happens for a reason," he added."But when all is said and done, you finally find the pieces to the puzzle and find out why you've had to endure such a long, winding road."

He says having to prove himself in so many different situations over the years has helped him handle pressure better.

Robertson also noted that even though baseball had been his primary focus previously, he never really got football out of his system after a stellar schoolboy career.He told of watching college quarterbacks on television and trying to figure out how they would handle different situations.He also threw the football with his roommates whenever possible.

Now he'll get the chance to do it for real.

After walking on at Cougarland, Kelly received much of the reps last spring since heir apparent junior-to-be Bubba Teague had to sit out with grade problems.

"Even if Bubba (Teague) had been there in the spring, I think I still would have had a great shot at winning the job," says Robertson."With all the struggles I've had to deal with over the years, getting out on the football field last year actually felt natural."

Following a 3-8 2000 season, the Cougars instituted a new offense in February; a fact that Robertson feels will help improve his team's chances in the upcoming season.
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There's no substitute for a quarterback's overall knowledge of the system and Kelly has demonstrated that his work ethic on and off the field is excellent."

Robertson won't have the luxury of easing himself back into football against a bunch of cupcakes.After opening with Rice, UH travels to Georgia, hosts Texas in a game being televised on ESPN2, then faces TCU.

As the season approaches, and his incredible journey takes a Cinderalla-type twist, Robertson stresses how much the support of his parents (Joe and Donna) has meant to him.

"They've been incredible.