Former Penn State star Michael Robinson can run, pass, catch. In short, he has the offensive tools NFL coaches covet, but doesn't have a set position. Where, oh where, will he play?

Days away from starting his new life, it's all old. All the same questions, playing like a sequel. All the imponderables about the position he'll play, and the crossfire of reasoning about why he ought to play running back -- no, no; wide receiver -- wait, Michael Robinson is a quarterback.

Robinson spent a career at Penn State switching from position to position, his on-field elusiveness the lone constant. Before developing into a full-time quarterback as a senior, Robinson had started six times at tailback and five times at wideout. His adaptability -- his greatest strength -- also became his greatest hindrance, preventing him from settling in at a single spot. Robinson's athletic ability guaranteed a shot at the pros, but now, two days away from the NFL draft, the player who did everything doesn't know what he'll be doing next.

"I just want to get on the field," Robinson said recently, speaking by cell phone, "and that's what I told Joe Paterno in 2002."

Because of Robinson's many skills, he always found his way into the lineup. Throughout his Penn State career, he ran for 1,637 yards, caught 52 passes for 629 yards, threw for 3,575 yards and accounted, either by passing, running or throwing, for 46 touchdowns. But despite the highlights, he became -- at least by the analysis of NFL teams -- the human equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, equipped for everything, perfect for nothing. He lacks the shiftiness of college quarterback-turned pro receiver Antwaan Randle El. He lacks the passing accuracy of other mobile quarterbacks. He lacks the experience at any one position to hint at his next step.

Most scouts believe an NFL team will select Robinson between the third and fifth rounds. That's about as far as predictability extends. Most NFL teams have indicated -- either to Robinson or to Penn State quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno -- that they would give Robinson a shot at his favored position. But they have also told him that he's about 1,200 snaps behind the more polished quarterbacks leaving college. Robinson hopes to earn a spot on a roster with his versatility -- he's best-suited for running back, he believes -- and serve, meanwhile, as a third-string quarterback.

"I can handle any position that I may switch to, but I think probably the easiest position that suits my strengths is running back," Robinson said. "I'm a guy that really needs the ball in his hands."

Said Joe Butler of Metro Scouting Index in Pittsburgh: "I project him to be a running back. When you watch him run the football in space, he's got good balance. He's got acceleration. A nice, powerful body. He possibly could be a third quarterback in the NFL, maybe, but he's an athlete."

Robinson has asked talent evaluators where they project him to play in the pros. Some tell him what he wants to hear; others aren't sure. "I feel like their answers are about 40 percent true," he said.

Reality remains tough to pin down. NFL offenses, for instance, thrive on creating match-up advantages, something Robinson promises he can do. But the same offenses also favor specialization: third-down wideouts with sure hands, goal-line running backs with strong legs, fifth- or sixth-string receivers on the roster mostly for kickoff returns. Robinson, like few pro prospects in recent years, inherently begs this question: How does the NFL balance its love of talent against its love of niches?

"It's like 'Moneyball,' " Jay Paterno said, referencing the baseball bible of neo-style talent evaluation.

"If Mike were in baseball, the Oakland A's would take him in the first round -- because they'd realize his talent and figure a way to take advantage of it.

"That's probably the best analogy to make. Somebody will take him and end up looking like a genius in three or four years."

Following the Orange Bowl, Robinson traveled to Orlando, Fla., to work out with strength coach Tom Shaw. He remained there until the late-February scouting combine, all the while wondering what NFL scouting eyes saw.

Did they realize his willingness to do anything? How, earlier at Penn State, he would routinely go through a 20-play scrimmage by running eight snaps at wideout, spending two to catch his breath and taking the last 10 at quarterback?

Did they agree with his progressive thoughts about quarterbacks? "Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, they're great quarterbacks, but they're going to be a dying breed," Robinson said. "Defenses are getting too fast. You can't have quarterbacks who are statues."

What about his concern, sometimes only a faint one, that race might play a role in the analysis of his ability? "You know, people see a guy who can run around and make things happen with his legs, and all of a sudden, he's not a quarterback," Robinson said. "That's just the way people think. I can't be upset. Now, if Brett Favre was like that, those questions wouldn't even have arisen."

When training with Shaw, Robinson worked specifically on skills for running backs -- changing directions in one or two steps, catching the ball out of the backfield. A lot of it felt natural to him. When speaking with NFL teams -- and later, when speaking with the media -- he emphasized his willingness to experiment with any role, either as a third-down back or a kick-returner or a wide receiver. But he also asked for a chance, only a chance, to develop as a quarterback.

"With God's will and grace," he said. "I'd want to play quarterback in a perfect world."

Instead, it's more complicated.

He's entering the NFL's world, and he's trying to become the perfect player, and he's trying, all the while, to figure out what that means.

An annual rite of spring, Penn State's Blue-White football game, has been extended into two days of fun and activity inside and outside of Beaver Stadium.

The culmination of the Nittany Lions' spring football drills will be the feature event among numerous activities taking place April 21-22 during "Penn State Blue-White Weekend Presented by PHEAA."

The game is Saturday, April 22 at 2:00 p.m. in Beaver Stadium. Stadium gates A and B will open for fans at approximately 12:00 p.m. and the popular autograph session with the players will run from 12:30-1:15 p.m. Stadium parking lots will open at 8 a.m.

As in previous years, there will be no admission or parking fee for the Blue-White game.

Festivities outside the stadium are scheduled from 6-11 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday:

The Nittany Lion football team will culminate spring drills with one of the highlights of the Penn State sports calendar, the Blue-White Game, on Saturday, April 22.

Kickoff is tentatively scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Beaver Stadium. As in previous years, there will be no admission or parking fee for the Blue-White game.

The Blue-White Game is one of the nation's most popular spring football contests. More than 40,000 loyal and enthusiastic Penn State fans have attended the game in eight of the past 10 years, with rainy conditions during the other two contests.

Numerous events will be held in conjunction with the Blue-White Game to celebrate Penn State football, including the popular pre-game autograph session with the players, the announcement of the spring football award winners as well as the recipients of the Student Book Store's "Player of the Game" from last season.

Other events held in conjunction with the Blue-White Game will be announced as the contest approaches.

Beginning his 41st season as head coach, Joe Paterno's squad returns 35 letterwinners and 11 starters from last year's Big Ten and FedEx Orange Bowl Championship squad that posted an 11-1 record. The Nittany Lions will begin spring drills in late March. Penn State opens the campaign on September 2, hosting Akron, the 2005 Mid-American Conference champion, in Beaver Stadium.

Season tickets and Club seats are available for the 2006 season, which will feature seven home games. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, interested parties can call 1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY). For additional information on club seats, call 814-863-3143 and ask for Bob White.

Penn State's "Nittany Nation" ranked among the top four in Division I-A football attendance for the 15th consecutive year, according to figures recently released by the NCAA.

Penn State's loyal and enthusiastic fans totaled 734,013 for seven home games last season and included three of the four largest crowds in Beaver Stadium history. The energetic and vociferous throngs of 109,865 (vs. Wisconsin), 109,839 (Ohio State) and 109,467 (Purdue) rank No. 2-4 among the largest crowds in Beaver Stadium history. The facility is the nation's second largest with a capacity of 107,282 and was expanded for the seventh time under Coach Joe Paterno prior to the 2001 season.

The Nittany Lions placed fourth in the 2005 attendance survey with an average of 104,859 spectators for seven games. Michigan (110,915 avg.), Tennessee (107,593) and Ohio State (105,017) were the only schools to top Penn State among the 615 NCAA members surveyed. Georgia (92,701) was fifth, followed by LSU, Southern California, Florida, Oklahoma and Auburn.

Penn State's four away games drew 263,282 and the sellout crowd of 77,773 for the Nittany Lions' win in the FedEx Orange Bowl swelled PSU's total 2005 attendance to 1,075,068. An estimated 35,000-40,000 Penn State fans attended the triple overtime win over ACC Champion Florida State.

Penn State has played in front of more than one million spectators in six of the past eight seasons, with the 2005 total ranking second highest in program history. Only the total of 1,247,707 from 2002, an NCAA record at the time, is higher. Penn State's 857,911 fans at home in 2002 remains an NCAA record.

The Nittany Lions finished second in NCAA attendance in 1994, 2001, '02 and '03, third in 1991, '92, '93, '95, '96, '97, '98 and '99 and fourth in 2000, '04 and '05.

The Big Ten again claimed three of the top four spots in the survey and was second among all conferences with 5,007,0667 fans, posting an average of 72,566 for 69 home dates. The conference-wide average was up 2,994 fans per game in 2005, the largest increase of any conference. Big Ten members Wisconsin (13th, 82,551 avg.), Michigan State (20th, 75,153) and Iowa (21st, 70,585) also made the top 25 and Purdue was 26th (62,996).

The Southeastern Conference led with 5,593,429 fans, an average of 74,579. The Big Ten was second, followed by the Big 12 (58,397), Pacific-10 (57,479) and Atlantic Coast (52,242) Conferences.

The NCAA's 615 programs drew 43,486,574 fans for the four divisions. The nation's 117 Division I-A schools led the way, drawing 33,641,526 patrons for an average of 46,039.

The unparalleled interest in Penn State football has triggered seven expansions and renovations of Beaver Stadium since Paterno became head coach in 1966. The most recent expansion added a deck and 4,000 club seats in the South end zone as well as an East side pavilion with 60 enclosed skyboxes, all of which have been leased.
Approximately 75 percent of the club seats were leased on a seasonal basis for the 2005 season, providing the amenities of the Mount Nittany Lounge throughout gameday.

Season tickets and Club seats are available for the 2006 season, which will feature seven home games. The Nittany Lions open the season vs. Akron (Sept. 2) and also entertain Youngstown State (Sept. 16) and Temple (Nov. 11) in non-conference action. Penn State will host four Big Ten opponents this season: Northwestern (Sept. 30), Michigan (Oct. 14), Illinois (Oct. 21-Homecoming) and Michigan State (Nov. 18) in the regular season finale.

For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, interested parties can call 1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY). For additional information on club seats, call 863-3143 in the Centre Region and ask for Bob White.

The Nittany Lions return 35 letterwinners and 11 starters from last season's 11-1 squad that captured the Big Ten and FedEx Orange Bowl titles and was ranked No. 3. The Blue-White Game is set for Saturday, April 22 in Beaver Stadium to launch Paterno's 41st season as head coach.

The Penn State Football staff will again welcome a large contingent of high school players from across the nation to its 32nd annual summer football camps.

Penn State will host five different camp opportunities on the University Park campus in June, including a seniors only camp, which was introduced last year.

The 2006 Penn State camps feature two offense / defense skills and fundamentals camps for athletes entering 8th-12th grade in the fall, to be held June 18-21 and 25-28. A placekicking camp, headed up by PSU placekicking coach Mike McQueary, is staffed almost exclusively by former Nittany Lion placekickers. The placekicking camp will be held June 3-4. This camp also is for 8th-12th graders.

Penn State's popular 7 on 7 team passing camp will be held June 16-17. Many of the top high school teams from the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast attend this camp and use it as a competitive off-season teaching opportunity for their skill players. This camp is designed for varsity programs.

The "seniors only" camp will be held June 23-24. This camp is designed to give an upcoming senior the opportunity to focus in on his primary offensive or defensive position. In addition to the Penn State staff, the senior only camp will feature many former Nittany Lion players that are in the coaching profession as assistant coaches. Last year, approximately 20 former Nittany Lions, currently serving as high school or college football coaches, worked the senior camp.

In addition to the Penn State coaching staff, selected outstanding high school coaches and Penn State Athletics trainers and medical personnel complete the camp staff.

Additional camp information, including registration forms, can be found by visiting: www.pennstatefootballcamps.com or by contacting the Penn State sports camps office at 814-865-0561.

Coach Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions posted an 11-1 record in 2005, capturing the Big Ten and FedEx Orange Bowl titles. Penn State returns 35 letterwinners and 11 starters for the 2006 campaign, Paterno's 41st as head coach. Penn State will culminate spring drills with the annual Blue-White Game on Saturday, April 22 in Beaver Stadium. The Lions open the season on September 2, hosting Akron, the 2005 Mid-American Conference champion.