Spring football practices started for the Owls Tuesday, March 20. They took the field though without potential starting quarterback, rising sophomore Chris Robison.

Head football coach Lane Kiffin reported after practice that Robison was suspended from all football activities for “not doing things right off the field.”

Multiple sources close to the program told Jake Elman of the Palm Beach Post that Robinson’s suspension was related to academics as he was absent from a recent tutoring session.

“Very disappointing.” said Kiffin about the situation. “Like I just told our players, you’ve got choices. We can’t make the choices for you. If you don’t make the right choices, there’s punishment for it. I think our punishment is probably more severe than most people would be. We want to teach our guys you’ve got to do everything right.”

Kiffin reported that Robison “can be back any day” as long as he does “what he’s supposed to do.”

Apparently that day was just two days later, in time for the second spring practice. Kiffin met with Robison on March 21, where Robison “thanked me (Kiffin) for it and said (it) really kind of embarrassed him nationally and humbled him.”

Kiffin said that not only did “he (Robision) hurt himself but he hurt his team. We tried to run basically two practices on two fields with only three quarterbacks.”

During Robison’s absence, rising redshirt sophomore De’Andre Johnson, took most of the first team snaps. They split snaps evenly upon Robison’s return, with Johnson going first.

This isn’t the first time that the former four-star quarterback has gotten in trouble with his team.

While attending the University of Oklahoma Robison was arrested back in April of 2017 due to public intoxication. He was then kicked off the team that summer prior to transferring to FAU in August.

He had to sit the season out but was the quarterback for the scout team though, at one-point drawing comparisons to former Heisman winner Johnny Manziel from Kiffin.

Johnson is expected to be Robison’s biggest competition for the starting job. He is the only one of the Owls five quarterbacks listed on the roster to receive playing time last season at the position.

He went 2-for-3 for 5 yards and an interception in action against Navy in the home opener. He sat out the rest of the season though due to blood clots in his arm but has since been medically cleared to return.

Kiffin and the Owls have just four more weeks of practices before the spring game Saturday, April 21st at FAU Stadium at 4 p.m.

Matt Brown is a contributing writer with the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @mattyb407.