Robinson ready for first start at QB

Robinson ready for first start at QB
AP Photos PXG101-102
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By DAN LEWERENZ
Associated Press Writer
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- With Saturday likely to be his first collegiate start at quarterback, Michael Robinson is trying to keep his goals simple.
So what does he aim to do?
"Get a first down. That's about all I can say," Robinson said. "I can't guarantee anything, but we're going to try to get a first down and, this game, try to keep our defense off the field a little bit more. Hopefully this game we can get a first down on the first drive."
Easier said than done.
Every team that has played Penn State (2-3) -- including lowly Temple and Kent State -- has held the Nittany Lions to three-and-out on its first possession. Against Minnesota, Penn State lost the first possession after the Gophers opened with an onside kick.
And through five games, the Nittany Lions have just one first-quarter touchdown, and that one came late in the quarter against Kent State with the Golden Flashes already up 10-0.
It's a problem that has vexed the players as well as the fans. Some fans booed after Zack Mills led Penn State to an opening three-and-out last week against Minnesota, and Mills has said each week that the team needs to do a better job in the first quarter.
This week, that job goes to Robinson after Mills sprained his left knee in the second quarter against Minnesota.
"Zack is day-by-day," coach Joe Paterno said. "He didn't do a thing yesterday, and I'd doubt he'd do anything today or tomorrow. The medical people say it's a mild sprain, a mild knee sprain, and we're glad it's not as serious as we thought it was during the game.
"I hate to get into the medical area, because I don't know enough about it. But I doubt if we'd have him this week. It's a long shot."
That leaves Robinson, who has developed a reputation as a runner and who threw for 178 yards in relief against the Gophers.
"He's a guy that they've tried to get the ball in his hands, because he's such a good athlete and he's such a threat," Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez said. "He threw the ball pretty well against Minnesota, so he presents a lot of problems, and basically you're adding another runner into their running game."
In fact, this won't be Robinson's first start. Last year, he started at tailback against Michigan in a formation intended to confuse the Wolverines. He also started at fullback against Auburn in the Capital One Bowl, then again at tailback in the first two games of this year.
But Robinson's most substantial playing experience came against Minnesota, when Mills' injury left him to lead the Nittany Lions' failed rally. Robinson led both of Penn State's scoring drives against the Gophers,as well as a failed drive at the end of the first half that ended in a controversial interception, and the game's final drive, which ended when Robinson overthrew Gerald Smith in the end zone on fourth down.
It was that last drive, Robinson said, that has taught him the most -- but only after he agonized about missing three passes into the end zone.
"I (agonized) for probably the first two hours. But that's one thing about being a quarterback is you have to have a short memory," Robinson said. "I can't say I've forgotten about it, but I've learned something from it. Hopefully, with that experience I can go into this week making better judgments and throwing the ball a little bit better."