Penn State to tangle with Michigan's "dangerous" Denard Robinson

With dreadlocks and untied shoelaces flying as he makes another long run for Michigan, Denard Robinson has rocketed into the conversation identifying the best college football player in the United States.

However, his work thus far this season raises the question: How could a quarterback with this much talent take so long to grab the attention of the college football nation?

The 6-foot, 193-pound sophomore came from Deerfield Beach, Fla., as a four-star recruit with great speed (4.32 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and an arm that generated nearly 4,800 passing yards as a three-year high school starter. Yet when the time came for Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez to choose a starting quarterback in 2009, he went with a different freshman, Tate Fourcier.

Robinson eventually discovered that it took more than just off-the-chart talent to succeed at the highest level of college football.

"I felt like I was ready to play, but I didn't get to know the offense," he said earlier this week. "It's probably a good thing what Coach did.

"It was a learning experience. It was time for me to learn the offense and lead the team. To be able to lead the team, I have to learn

what everybody is doing in the offense. Last year, I learned to be patient. I worked hard in the off-season."

The numbers are impressive. Robinson, who leads the Wolverines into Beaver Stadium Saturday night to play Penn State, is second in the nation in both rushing (1,096 yards) and total offense (averaging 345 yards per game) as the leader of Michigan's fast-paced spread attack.

He is the first player in NCAA history to run and pass for at least 200 yards in two games: Notre Dame (502 total yards) and Indiana (494).

Penn State coach Joe Paterno is, to put it mildly, impressed with him.

"He's awfully dangerous," Paterno said. "He's got great instincts running with the football. He throws the ball well when they decide he's going to. But he's tough to rush. He's tough to get after, because he moves so well."

There is more to Robinson's success, however, than just physical tools.

"He's one of those guys that's just different," Indiana coach Bill Lynch said. "He's got speed. He's got awareness. He's got instincts and he's a very, very good passer as well.

"Some athletes are just different. They not only have talent, but also competitiveness and a sense of how to play the game."

Robinson has run with or passed the football on 56.5 percent of the Wolverines' snaps, averaging 8.63 yards per play. He keeps the pace quick; Michigan is just 94th in the country in average time of possession (28 minutes, 32 seconds) but is second in total offense (532 yards) and tied for 17th in scoring average (36 points).

Rodriguez said he is pleased with what Robinson has achieved to this point, but he thinks there is more.

"He has not nearly reached his potential yet," the coach said. "He's eager to prove himself. He's as humble a guy as you'd ever want to meet. I think he can get there and will continue to work to get there in the future."

Of course, with Robinson so involved in the offense, some bumps and bruises are to be expected.

Robinson injured his left knee on Sept. 25 against Bowling Green but came back the following week and fashioned a big game at Indiana. Robinson hurt his throwing shoulder one week later against Michigan State and aggravated the injury two weeks ago against Iowa.

He threw four interceptions with the shoulder injury but wouldn't use it as an excuse. Now, coming off a bye week, Robinson said he is healthy.

"Nothing is hurting right now," he said. "I'm doing pretty good."

That's bad news for Penn State's banged-up defense, which has allowed 870 yards to Illinois and Minnesota - two of the Big Ten's lower-ranked offenses - in the last two games.

To prepare for Robinson, the Nittany Lions have two scout teams operating in practice - one play after another - to match the pace of Michigan's offense. The defense also is focused on staying disciplined and keeping Robinson contained.

"He's a shifty runner who can find daylight," middle linebacker Chris Colasanti said. "That's what makes him so dynamic. He's able to make great plays. He's fast and he can make you miss, and you definitely have to respect his ability to throw the ball. We have to do our jobs."

Robinson made a brief appearance last year in the Lions' 35-10 win in Ann Arbor, rushing four times for 20 yards and throwing an interception in two pass attempts.

He will play a much more pivotal role Saturday night, and the Penn State defense must be sharp and not let his speed put another dent in its season.