Younger brothers often follow the example their older siblings set. For Monmouth’s Derek Robertson, the guidance of his brother Jimmy has helped the Hawks quarterback make program history multiple times over in just four games.

• Subscribe To FloFootball To Watch The 2024 College Football Season
• CAA Football Week 5 Schedule: Second Week Of Conference Play
• Video Game Numbers: College Football's Craziest Player Stats Of Week 4
• Best D2 Football Players In 2024. Here's The Top 100

Derek leads the Football Championship Subdivision in passing yards and touchdowns a month into the 2024 campaign. His 361 yards on a record 35 completions with two touchdowns helped the Hawks to a 45-42 win over FIU on Sept. 21, marking Monmouth’s first-ever defeat of a Bowl Subdivision opponent. Derek’s showing in Miami came one week after his 390-yard performance in a 51-22 rout of his former team, Maine, to open Coastal Athletic Association play. 

Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan has described Derek Robertson’s immediate success since transferring in from Maine as a byproduct of the quarterback quickly fitting into the program.

"To have Derek come into the program in January, it’s like he’s been here his entire life,” Callahan said. “He’s got a great relationship with the coaching staff, and we really haven’t missed a beat." 

The quarterback’s relationship with Monmouth’s coaches goes back long before Robertson became a Hawk – as far back as Derek can remember, really. That’s because his new quarterbacks coach and the team’s pass game coordinator is Jimmy Robertson, Derek’s older brother.

Jimmy joined Callahan’s staff in 2022 after five years as head coach of the NCAA Div. III Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham Devils football program. In his first two seasons at Monmouth, Jimmy Robertson coached Tony Muskett, who passed for 17 touchdowns and 1,997 yards in 2022; and Marquez McCray, who went for 21 touchdown passes and 2,602 yards in 2023.

McCray’s eligibility expiring left Monmouth in need of a starter quarterback for a third consecutive season. Derek needed a new home after entering the transfer portal.

“[Derek transferring to Monmouth] kind of came out of nowhere,” Jimmy said. “It’s not something we ever thought would have happened — it kind of just happened.”

Coming off his 25-touchdown and nearly 3,000-yard 2023 at Maine, Derek explored options. Moving within the CAA to Monmouth wasn’t the quarterback’s immediate intention, as he explained that he looked into various potential landing spots.

Monmouth was attractive in part, Derek explained, because of its proximity to his New York home. The opportunity to play for Callahan also influenced Robertson. 

"Coach Cal's a legend," Derek said. "He's got so much knowledge that he gives to every player, and he just loves us. You could you just feel it, you know that he wants what's best for us in every moment." 

And, of course, the brotherly love that comes from sibling bond contributed to Derek picking Monmouth. As he put it, it was an opportunity he "couldn't pass up." 

“I grew up looking up to [Jimmy] and my older brother Dennis, wanting to be like them,” Derek said.

The youngest of the three made good on that pursuit, following in his older brothers’ footsteps as starting quarterback at Iona Prep in New Rochelle, New York. Like Jimmy and Dennis before him, Derek parlayed his standout high school performance into a collegiate opportunity.

At Iona Prep, Dennis passed for 27 touchdowns as a junior and set a Westchester County record with 2,774 yards before moving onto Susquehanna University. Jimmy followed and set records of his own, leaving Rensselaer Poly with a bevy of passing marks at the end of his career in 2008.

Jimmy fondly recalls young Derek’s presence in those RPI days. 

“I remember when I was playing in college and he would be at my games, putting on my helmet after the games when he was waist-high," Jimmy said.  

Watching Derek's journey from being barely grade-school age and putting on his brother's oversized helmet to today being one of the most prolific passers in all of college football is gratifying for Jimmy — and not just for the success his younger brother's having on the field. 

Touchdowns are coming

Derek Robertson ➡️ Max James #FlyHawks pic.twitter.com/BmbOVI8NeA

— Monmouth Football (@MUHawksFB) August 5, 2024

Derek flourishing so early into his time at Monmouth, Jimmy said, reflects the younger Robertson's character. 

"There's a fine line of brother [relationship] and player-coach [dynamic]," Jimmy said. "But the biggest thing with Derek, we had no hesitation bringing him in because of just how mature he is. He's a leader, and he's a smart player. All of those are things you want in a player, so [coaching Derek] hasn't been difficult at all. And then other players gravitate towards that.

"So when he's setting the standard and living it every day," Jimmy continued, "It's easy to be able to coach him." 

In turn, Derek's place within Monmouth's gameplan looks effortless. His nation-leading passing output wouldn't be possible without the talented corps of Hawks pass-catchers, which includes Josh Derry. Derry ranks second among all FCS receivers with 470 yards through four games. 

At FIU, the passing attack worked in concert with an effective run game. Rodney Nelson is beginning to establish himself as a big-play threat among what Callahan calls Monmouth's "running-back by committee," boasting games of 91 and 117 yards vs. Maine and FIU. Sone Ntoh is a key part of that committee, too, rushing for three touchdowns in Week 4. 

Then, a stout offensive line makes both facets of the game click. No one understands the importance of this synchronicity more than Derek Robertson. 

"All the credit goes to everyone else on the offense," he said of his production. "All the skill[-position] guys: receivers, tight ends, running backs, and especially those big boys up front blocking. 

"They're the ones out there making the plays. I'm just lucky enough to be able to throw or hand off to them," he added. 

Derek also said he feels fortunate to be able to play for his brother — a sentiment that is very much mutual. 

“Seeing him grow up through the game from Pop Warner to high school, remembering when he was young and playing in the backyard, to actually doing it on the same [college] field now is remarkable," Jimmy said. "It’s just amazing for both of us.”

CAA Week 5 Football Schedule

Saturday, September 28

• Fordham vs. Monmouth: 1:00 p.m.
• Delaware St. vs. Campbell: 2:00 p.m.
• Richmond vs. Elon: 2:00 p.m.
• Maine vs UAlbany: 3:30 p.m.
• Sacred Heart vs. Delaware: 3:30 p.m.
• Morgan St. vs. Stony Brook: 3:30 p.m.
• Long Island vs. Villanova: 6:00 p.m.
• Hampton vs Willam & Mary: 6:00 p.m.

Archived Footage On FloFootball

Video footage from all events will be archived and stored in a video library for FloFootball subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription.

Watch The 2024 College Football Season On FloFootball 

FloFootball is the home of the best FCS, Division II and Division III football action all season long. 

Don't miss the latest college football action by bookmarking the FloFootball schedule page for the lastest games. 

Join the College Football Conversation

• Follow us on Twitter @FloFootball
• Follow us on Instagram @FloFootball
• Follow us on TikTok @FloFootball
• Watch us on YouTube
• Like us on Facebook