The season hadn't yet started and the cat was still in the bag.

There was Michael Robinson, broadly grinning as he was questioned about his role in the Nittany Lions' upcoming season. He had, of course, been practicing mostly at wide receiver for weeks, but was determined to stay cryptic about things and gave this now famous line:

"I consider myself like a Band-Aid," Robinson said at the time. "Wherever we're injured at, I just try to cover it up and heal it for the meantime. Wherever I can help, I'm ready to go."

Here's the thing about Band-Aids -- you can only rip them off and slap them somewhere else so many times before they don't stick any more.

And that is what has slowly happened to Robinson this season, his effectiveness diminishing as he is asked to do more and more at quarterback and wide receiver.

"It's pretty tough," Robinson said. "But there's no excuse why sometimes I mess up. Playing different positions, put in totally different work, it's tough sometimes. Yeah, obviously, yeah, I do think I'd be able to thrive more if I had one position, but unfortunately right now that's not the situation."

That was what Robinson said Tuesday.

Yesterday, however, Zack Mills gave a bit of a different impression. Mills said Robinson has not taken many reps at quarterback this week, staying out at receiver. Mills said he has taken all of the snaps with the first-team offense and expects to start Saturday against Northwestern. He also said true freshman Anthony Morelli has taken most of the snaps with the second team.

For much of the season, Robinson has been asked by Joe Paterno and the Penn State coaching staff to not only be the team's go-to receiver, but also its backup quarterback, forcing him to spend significant time in practice at both positions.

Throw in a couple of missed weeks of practices because of a concussion and one can imagine how Robinson could become a jack of all trades, yet a master of none.

"We've asked him to do an awful lot," Paterno said of Robinson. "Maybe it's time to step back and say 'let's get him good at just a couple of things.' He can do it all and he has all the things you need when evaluating a player. He came back and he was working at quarterback, wide receiver and it just hasn't been in a groove that you'd like a kid of his ability to be in."

Robinson has balked in the past at breaking down exactly how his time in practice has been split, merely saying that he practices "a lot" at both positions. But the toll of the split showed itself against Iowa when Robinson was forced to relieve an injured Mills. He struggled greatly as the starter over the next six quarters, completing just nine of 30 passes for 83 yards and throwing four interceptions to no touchdowns.

Since then, Paterno and various players, including Robinson himself, have slowly and begrudgingly come to admit that perhaps Robinson's talents would best be utilized by focusing them at one position.

Mills, who has seemingly been more willing to speak what's on his mind as this season drags on, started the ball rolling last week when he voiced his opinion on the matter.

"I think the best thing for him would be stick to one position and go with it so he can get settled," Mills said of Robinson. "That would be the best for him. But give him credit, doing what he has been asked to do."

The situation is further clouded when looking ahead to 2005, Robinson's senior season. Though Robinson has made it clear he would prefer to play quarterback, signs would indicate that Paterno would prefer to keep him out at wide receiver, where talent and big-play ability is currently thin.

One scenario has Morelli taking over quarterback duties next season with Robinson staying at receiver. But Robinson's future may depend on how well the Lions do at landing some of the prep stars they have targeted at wide receiver for February's recruiting class.

But all that just means it's too early to tell what Robinson's fate will be.

"I honestly cannot answer that today," Paterno said at his Tuesday press conference. "I want to watch a couple things this week, not all week, but a couple of practices. That is a legitimate decision I am probably going to have to make down the road. I can't tell you what it is right now."