Birmingham Bowl 2015: Auburn vs. Memphis

Auburn running back Jovon Robinson (29) runs through Memphis defenders during the first half of the Birmingham Bowl Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015, at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

(JULIE BENNETT)

Jovon Robinson felt he was "stereotyped and disrespected" by the Tigers coaching staff and believes his dismissal from the football program was an overreaction by coach Gus Malzahn due to his leniency in disciplining former receiver D'haquille Williams prior to dismissing him last year, the former Auburn running back told AL.com.

Robinson spoke with AL.com hours following his dismissal from Auburn, which was announced by Malzahn following the team's first fall camp practice Wednesday afternoon.

"Everything about (the) Auburn coaching staff is not what it seems," Robinson wrote in a message to AL.com. "Just because I don't walk around with (a) fake smile, they feel like they (can) say or try to force anything.

"I was stereotyped and disrespected. The football players are not happy with this."

Robinson, who was in line to be Auburn's starting running back after rushing for 639 yards and three touchdowns in eight games last season, would not elaborate on the details as to why he was dismissed but did deny a report by ESPN and several rumors about the cause.

ESPN's Brett McMurphy reported via Twitter, per an anonymous source, that Robinson was dismissed for missing classes and meetings and "continued inattention to detail in everything."

Robinson told AL.com, "it's nothing about me missing class or not paying attention" and denied being involved in an altercation or failing drug tests.

Offensive lineman Austin Golson said the players support whatever Malzahn decides to do.

"No one player is going to be able to take down our team," Golson said. "So I believe that we're going to respond well and just keep practicing. We have plenty of other options that will be able to help us out. I think we're all going to be fine."

Though he would not say the nature of the wrongdoing that caused his dismissal, Robinson believes Malzahn was overreacting following his tolerance of several distractions by Williams last year prior to his eventual dismissal for an altercation at a local bar that ended with then-teammate Xavier Dampeer suffering a broken jaw.

"People in the camp always compared me to (Williams)," Robinson said. "Why I don't know."

Asked specifically if the Williams situation impacted his thought process in dismissing Robinson, Malzahn said, "I'll just say this year there's going to be no distractions."

The Memphis native hoped to be Auburn's next 1,000-yard rusher, but instead will need to look elsewhere to complete his college career.

Robinson said there "never was a real relationship between" himself and Malzahn, who has dismissed his team's best offensive player in back-to-back years.

"I don't want to go back and forth," Robinson said. "If he feel(s) like the team is better without me maybe it wasn't meant to be."