Training Camp Advice I’d Give Every College Football Player
The plays fade. The people stay.
Ever have things not go your way?
Ever feel like you just can’t catch a break?
Ever find yourself thinking, I’ve got to make a change?
Welcome to the life of a college football player.
Over the weekend, I had lunch with three of my teammates from the University of Pittsburgh—Brandon Miree, Shawn Robinson, and Robb Butler. All of us came to Pitt with big dreams. And like most athletes, we all experienced moments we never saw coming.
But as we sat there in Manhattan Beach—laughing, trading stories, meeting each other’s partners—I couldn’t stop smiling.
I’m about to kick off my training camp tour around the Big Ten. And every August, something in my body just wakes up. Like it knows. The urge to run sprints. To lift. To sweat. But more than anything, to bond.
It’s been over 20 years since we were teammates. But the connection we formed in those hot summer workouts—and yes, during triple sessions—has never faded.
Brandon Miree was a prized recruit. He didn’t start at Pitt—he started at Alabama. But when he arrived, he became one of the most dominant rushers in recent program history.
Shawn Robinson came out of Ohio as a dynamic, dual-threat athlete. He played on both sides of the ball in his college career. Things didn’t go perfectly, but when they clicked, he was one of the top cover corners in the Big East.
Robb Butler signed out of Perry High School with major fanfare. But then came the injuries. The depth chart. The battle in his own head. Robb and I played the same position. He got hurt, I played. I got hurt, he played. Eventually, he left Pitt for Robert Morris. He got married. Became a father. And made it to the NFL.
I stayed. I went from walk-on to scholarship player.
Through all of that here’s the truth about college football: It never goes the way you expect. Not for the 5-Star. Not for the walk-on.
But how you navigate it? That’s the story.
How you respond? That’s what defines your journey.
And here's what I was reminded of over lunch—when the games are over and the snaps are done, the bond only gets stronger.
I can’t recall many plays from our careers.
A pick by Shawn. A route from Robb. Brandon’s big day at Virginia Tech.
(And yeah—they all jokingly reminded me of the time I didn’t make a play against Miami.)
But what I remember most…are the men.
And I’m so damn grateful we reconnected.
Back in the early 2000’s Robb, Shawn and Brandon allowed me to feel seen as a player, and a friend. And I hope they would say the same thing in return.
So if you’re in a locker room right now, wondering:
Am I going to play?
Am I getting screwed?
Where do I stand on the depth chart?
Do yourself a favor: stop.
Stop stressing about your status.
And start seeing the people around you.
Because they’re not just your teammates.
They might be your lifelong friends.
The ones who will always show up. Always have your back.
The ones who’ll laugh with you over lunch in 20 years.
And if you pour into that bond—if you really commit to it—you might just have one of the greatest training camps of your life.
So when frustration hits, when doubt creeps in, don’t pull away.
Lean in. To your teammates. To the game. To the love that this sport offers up for free.
Because two decades later, you’d give anything for just one more day of camp with them. Even if it had to be a triple session.
Off to Penn State.
Much love. Stay steady.
And of course, Hail to Pitt.
—Yogi
Good “life” advice; be it football or any pursuit in life.