The only time Tony Johnson was more invisible than during the game was after the game.

"He was ready to get on the bus," Robinson said. "It wasn't all his fault out there. I hung him out to dry on a couple plays."

But Johnson dropped passes that could have easily been caught.

A week earlier against the Badgers, Michael Robinson and Johnson were on the same page all afternoon. Robinson completed seven passes for 122 yards to Johnson against the Badgers.

Against the tough Purdue defense, Johnson had no catches and three drops.

On the first play of the game, Robinson threw a low but catchable ball and Johnson was not able to come down with it.

Johnson beat a Purdue defender on a seam pattern and Robinson dropped the pass over his shoulder, but the ball slipped out of his hands.

With the Lions facing a third-and-four, Robinson again looked for Johnson, who found himself wide open. Robinson delivered the ball and like the two previous passes the senior failed to come up with it.

"Guys on Sundays drop passes all the time," Robinson said.

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno continues to remain optimistic that Johnson can be effective.

"He's obviously got to make some of those catches to be a factor in our offense" Paterno said.

"But he'll come around. He's got an awful lot of pride, and he's a great competitor, and he might be trying too hard."

It seems like Johnson suffers from Chuck Knoblauch syndrome. When Johnson has time to think about catching the pass, he hasn't been able to. But on bang-bang plays Johnson is better able to make the catch.

With all of Johnson's struggles, Paterno kept Johnson on the sideline and played some of the younger players, including Kinta Palmer in the second half.

"We sat Tony down for a while and put the other kid in there," Paterno said. "And [Palmer] made two major mistakes."

Even with all of his miscues, Johnson leads the team with 25 catches and 375 yards.

Robinson said that Johnson would emerge from his slump. He showed that he was capable of making plays against the Badgers.

"He'll bounce back," Robinson said. "He will come around from his struggles."

If not, maybe a permanent change is needed.