There was some surprising news to come out of Lincoln shortly after the end of the 2020 season, with top playmaker Wan’Dale Robinson deciding to enter his name into the NCAA transfer portal. He quickly made the decision to return to his home state and finish his college football career at Kentucky.

After leading the team in receiving last year and being utilized in the running game for the Huskers, it was a shocking move. Robinson had seen plenty of playing time at Nebraska and was on track to be one of the top playmakers in the B1G in the 2021 season.

But Robinson wanted the opportunity to be utilized in a different way offensively. He said that the offense Kentucky is implementing, and how he’ll be used, should elevate his stock for the NFL.

“With (Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen), whenever I decided to enter the portal and teams started talking to me, I just really wanted to visually see, OK, what are the things you want to do with me? And he literally pulled out the film of (Rams receiver) Cooper Kupp, and he was like, ‘These are the routes you’re gonna run and I promise we’ll be able to get you touches out in space,’” Robinson said on the Saturday Down South Podcast. “Me being able to actually visualize and see it in an NFL game, that helped me a lot too knowing it translates to the next level.

“Then I was really just able to make that decision to decide to come home and play in a pro-style system.”

Robinson also made it clear that he has “nothing but love” for Nebraska. He indicated that several from the Husker fanbase reached out to him after his decision to leave the program and wished him well at Kentucky.

In two seasons at Nebraska, Robinson totaled 914 receiving yards, 580 rushing yards and scored 7 total touchdowns. He was the team’s leading receiver in 2020, hauling in 51 receptions for 461 yards and a touchdown. Robinson also piled up 240 yards and a score on the ground.

Robinson will still have three years of eligibility to use — if he chooses — with the Wildcats.