BIG TEN Seven Nittany Lions battle at tailback

There could even be a true freshman in the backfield at Penn State this fall.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- As Penn State prepares for a season in which a freshman might start at tailback, a player who did just that returned to describe the experience.
D.J. Dozier was on campus this week for the unveiling of a new Wheaties box featuring Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. The only Nittany Lion running back ever to lead the team in rushing four straight years, Dozier told the story of his first significant playing time as a freshman.
"I get in there, and one of my first plays I fumble," Dozier said. "Knowing Joe -- or at least what I thought I knew -- I thought I'd come back and get reamed out. But he just said, 'Son, get your head up because you have to go back in there.' "
Paterno, who said he was honored and humbled to be on the Wheaties box, has had to show the same type of patience this preseason with his stable of running backs. No fewer than seven players are competing for the chance to replace Heisman Trophy candidate Larry Johnson, who was a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs.
No starter has emerged
The team has completed what Paterno called the most difficult part of camp and a starting running back has yet to emerge.
"We've tried a lot of kids there, and I'm going to have to be evasive about it," he said. "But I'm not going to kid you, I think there's three or four kids who could do the job, and maybe a fifth."
Mike Gasparato, who was Larry Johnson's backup last season and ran 32 times for 158 yards, was injured early in camp but is back to full health, Paterno said. Fifth-year senior Ricky Upton shed 10 pounds in the offseason and is also battling for the job.
Paterno wouldn't say if he hoped to pick a starter or if he would employ a rotation.
"It's not just a question of what you want to do," he said. "Part of it is a matter of what's fair to the kids."
Redshirt freshman Donnie Johnson and true freshmen Austin Scott and Rodney Kinlaw could follow Dozier's path and earn their way on the field early in their careers, but Paterno isn't giving any clues.
"Right now, it's up in the air as to who's going to play and how much they're going to play," Paterno said.
Wild card candidate
The wild card in the race is backup quarterback Michael Robinson. Paterno has said all along that Robinson would have every chance to challenge incumbent Zack Mills for his job.
Paterno indicated this week, though, that Mills has secured his spot.
"It would take a very unusual performance by Michael Robinson to beat out Zack Mills, because he [Mills] is that good," Paterno said. "You seem to forget that Zack carried this football team at times last year."
Robinson, who lined up at wide receiver and started at tailback against Michigan last season, could find himself bouncing around the offense all season.
"Of course you want to get a player like him on the field," Paterno said.