PENN STATE Robinson's 'multiback' role not his idea of glory

He's been playing tailback and receiver, not his desired quarterback position.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- It's no secret that Penn State coach Joe Paterno thinks highly of Michael Robinson.
Last year, Robinson was Penn State's secret weapon as a "multiback," playing quarterback, tailback and wide receiver. He has started the last two games at tailback, and Paterno even thinks Robinson could play that position in the NFL.
It's a scenario that would elate most college football players. But not Robinson.
"I wouldn't say it's my biggest nightmare, because my biggest nightmare is not playing," Robinson said. "Let's just say it's a bad dream."
Expectations
Robinson came to Penn State to play quarterback, and that's what he still wants to do. But outside a few trick plays and some injury relief, Robinson has been relegated to multiback, a position that doesn't even have a definition.
The problem is that Penn State already has a quarterback, Zack Mills, who helped lead the team back from an 0-4 start his freshman year and to the Capital One Bowl last year.
Mills, too, is among Robinson's biggest supporters, mainly because Mills knows what Robinson is going through.
"He gets a lot of credit for hanging in there," Mills said. "I know he doesn't want to do it, but I give him a lot of credit for sticking with it and doing it for the team right now."
Robinson got his first start at quarterback last month against Wisconsin, while Mills was out with an injury. He started again against Purdue and Iowa, but was quickly pulled in favor of the healthy Mills in the game against Iowa.
Paterno planned to let the two fight it out for the starting spot against Ohio State, but Mills -- who got the start -- had his best passing game of the season, completing 27 of 42 passes for 253 yards and a touchdown. Robinson never got in.
Since then, Robinson has been playing tailback and wide receiver, occasionally sneaking in at quarterback for a trick play or when the game is already in hand.
Making room
Meanwhile, Paterno has pulled back from Austin Scott and Tony Hunt, two freshmen who carried the bulk of the rushing responsibilities through the middle of the season.
"Right now, our problem is Michael Robinson can do a better job asking him to do what we're doing right now than the tailbacks can, because they're young and there's some things that are not quite right," Paterno said.
Even Paterno admits it's a problem. Robinson has to practice with the quarterbacks if he's going to be ready to take over in case Mills is injured or struggles, but he's too good a player to keep on the sidelines.
"We've got to have him in the football game. But I think, eventually, he's got to be able to challenge to be a quarterback. I think he is a quarterback," Paterno said. "There's a lot of people who think maybe in the back of my mind he's a tailback. He's not a tailback -- he's a quarterback."
Robinson was Penn State's leading rusher in Saturday's 52-7 rout of Indiana, gaining 85 yards on 11 carries. He also threw a 57-yard pass to the tight end on a trick play that had Mills split wide, then threw a 30-yard touchdown pass after Mills was taken out.
Appeal
After the game, Robinson appealed to the media to make his case to Paterno.
"Hopefully y'all like me enough to tell him to play me at quarterback," Robinson said.
He may not need the media's help.
Robinson will start at tailback Saturday at Michigan State, but Paterno said that next spring Robinson will have a chance to battle Mills for the starting spot.
"We'll have a battle in the spring, and that's fine," Paterno said. "That's a nice battle to have."