Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/83057
Surging sophomore Allen Robinson goes deep against Navy OPEN SEASON LORI SHONTZ | B L U E WH I T E c O N T R I B U T O R During spring drills, wide receivers coach Stan Hixon pays special atten- tion during the one-on-one drills. Cer- tain receivers, he said, are always open. Certain receivers, he said, are always able to separate themselves from the defensive backs. Last spring, it was rising sophomore Allen Robinson. "He's 6-2, 6-3, and the DBs are 5-9, 5-10ish, and they kinda hold you and grab you," Hixon said. "He did the best job getting off them and getting open." And that's where Robinson has spent much of his time this season – wide open, in perfect position to grab a pass from Matt McGloin. Against Navy, Robinson caught five passes for 136 yards and three touch- downs, becoming the first Penn State receiver since Graham Zug in 2009 to catch three TD passes in a game. After three games, he has 24 catches. The Penn State single-season sophomore record is 48, held by Bobby Engram (in 1993) and Deon Butler (in 2006). Last season's leading receiver, Derek Moye, caught 40. "I'm just open based on coverage and stuff, and Matt's been able to make some great reads," said Robin- son, who talks quickly, running his sentences together, and says little about himself. That's not just modesty. Coach Bill O'Brien said the offense is designed so that Robinson is in a formation that gives him a chance to be facing only single coverage. "So a lot of time, he's singled up," O'Brien said. "That's a part of the read. It's not like we're just saying, 'Throw to Allen Robinson no matter what.' Allen knows that, and Matt knows that." Nonetheless, Robinson and McGloin have developed a particular rapport. Over the summer, they spent at least an hour together, several days a week, looking to develop chemistry. Robinson knew that would be im- Jonh Beale portant; McGloin's favorite receiver from last season, Derek Moye, gradu- ated. Then Justin Brown transferred to Oklahoma, putting more of the pressure on Robinson, and just last week Shawney Kersey left the team for personal reasons. By that point, however, Robinson had established himself as the go-to guy, and Kersey's absence was barely noticeable Saturday. Robinson caught a 45-yard pass - Penn State's longest play from scrim- mage - on the opening drive and then a 45-yard touchdown pass on the sec- ond drive. He added a 2-yard touch- down in the second quarter and then, late in the third quarter, he found himself in exactly the right spot. McGloin was throwing to freshman Trevor Williams, and the ball was tipped up high in the air, like a volley- ball set. "The ball bounces like that," McGloin said, "it's the longest two sec- onds of the quarterback's life." Not to worry. Robinson, running his typical, crisp route, kept moving to the ball. "I was able to get up under it," he said, "and it was in the end S E P T E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 2 6 zone." Touchdown No. 3. Robinson deflected credit for his careful route-running, too, saying that O'Brien and Hixon had "harped on" precise routes since winter prac- tices. "We've been doing footwork drills," he said, "and there's always pressure to go as hard as possible." Not of which is to say that Robinson doesn't have more work to do. He dropped a few passes earlier in the season, but he didn't have trouble with that Saturday. Hixson said Robinson is "doing a better job of catching the ball in his hands." No Penn State player has ever caught more than 63 passes in a sea- son (Engram in 1995, and O.J. Mc- Duffie in 1992). Robinson, after three games, is on pace for 96. While it may be a stretch for him to average eight catches a game over the Big Ten sea- son, there's no doubt he'll be a threat. And if defenses decide to key on Robinson? "It wouldn't be too smart," McGloin said. "We have a ton of weapons at wideout, and if they want to, I'll throw to the tight ends or the other wideouts." B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . c O M READY FOR TAKEOFF Robinson's three touchdowns were the most by a Penn State receiver since Graham Zug caught three in 2009.