Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1505736
1 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Penn State great Michael Robinson knows the Big Ten well. In 2005, his lone season as the Nittany Lions' full-time starting quarterback, Robinson helped the team shrug off two consecutive losing campaigns, guiding them to a conference championship and a triple- overtime victory over Florida State in the Orange Bowl. He was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Robinson later spent eight seasons in the NFL as a fullback and special teams standout. His football career seemed to be over when he suffered liver and kidney problems and lost 30 pounds due to an adverse reaction to a prescription medication, but he recovered and re- signed with the Seattle Seahawks just in time to take part in their 2013 league championship drive. He caught a 7-yard pass in the Seahawks' 43-8 rout of Den- ver in Super Bowl XLVIII. Robinson retired after that game and now is returning to his roots as a mem- ber of NBC's new "Big Ten Saturday Night" crew. The Richmond, Va., native will call some games as a color com- mentator, including the Penn State- Delaware clash in September. He will also be part of the network's pregame show, which will originate from various conference towns weekly. "I'm a big preparer," Robinson said. "It started with my quarterback days at Penn State. Sometimes it gets me in trouble; I overprepare sometimes. But at the end of the day, I'm excited to be working in the Big Ten with NBC." Robinson is one of two former Penn State quarterbacks who will be part of the network's coverage team. Todd Blackledge, leader of the Lions' 1982 national championship squad, will also call games for NBC. BWI caught up with Robinson at Big Ten Media Days in July to learn more about his journey. BWI: How did the challenges you experienced at PSU in 2003 and 2004 shape you and your teammates ahead of the 2005 season? ROBINSON: "Each of those years we were trying to win the Big Ten, but we knew we didn't have a great recruit- ing class coming in. We knew that there were some people within the university at the time that were trying to get our head coach [Joe Paterno] out of there. We all knew that. It wasn't a secret around the locker room. "That time period made me fall in love with the process. Obviously, that process ended up with us in the Or- ange Bowl, the Big Ten title, all of those things, with an opportunity to go to the National Football League." BWI: What stands out to you when you look back on the ups and downs of your pro career? ROBINSON: "I got to my eighth year in the league, and my liver and kidneys failed based off some medicine that a team gave me. I could have very easily tried to sue the team. I could have very easily gotten upset, but at the end of the day, you look and you say, 'That's a championship roster Seattle's got. I would love to get back on that team'. "You go through the adversity that you have to go through to ultimately get to where you want to go. Winning a Su- per Bowl, putting your name in indel- ible ink, getting the Lombardi Trophy is kind of what I wanted, even in 2003, 2004. … So, yeah, it definitely helped me in my life." BWI: What is your outlook on Penn State's expected starter at quarterback this year, Drew Allar? ROBINSON: "I'm expecting a big year out of Drew. The offensive line is solid, the defense is returning a lot of starters, and they have a good run game. "I don't think they're going to be ask- ing him to win the games with his arm, which is a good thing to say when you're at the quarterback position." BWI: What does being part of the initial NBC Big Ten broadcast team mean to you? ROBINSON: "Being a part of this package completes my football life. I'm able to be around athletes on almost ev- ery step of the journey, and it just helps me continue to cover the game like I want to." BWI: Finally, what does it mean to be on the same broadcast team with Todd Blackledge? ROBINSON: "He was always that figurehead in the Penn State quarter- back room that we all were chasing. Being able to work alongside him, be- ing able to work alongside some great people, it's humbling. "I've always watched Todd really closely, even when I was playing. He keeps it all the way real, and that's all you can ask for." ■ After winning an Orange Bowl at Penn State and a Super Bowl in Seattle, Robinson moved into broadcasting. He will be part of NBC's Big Ten coverage team this fall. PHOTO BY GREG PICKEL Sitting Down With Former PSU Quarterback Michael Robinson