Things have never been simple when it comes to Penn State's man without a position.

It's been quarterback, running back, wide receiver -- and back again -- for three years now, so much so that "utility player" has seemed most appropriate to describe him.

But now that Michael Robinson has just one year of eligibility remaining, he says Penn State coach Joe Paterno has settled on a plan for his senior swan song -- and that plan is quarterback.

"Oh, it's quarterback," Robinson said. "I paid my dues. He said if he thought I could help the team more in another position, he knows I'm more than willing, but right now it's quarterback."

At the conclusion of the 2004 season, in which he started five games at wide receiver and three games at quarterback, Robinson resolved to talk to both NFL scouts and Paterno in the off-season to try to resolve his position dilemma.

When both were accomplished, the outcome was good news for Robinson, who has always made clear that he is a quarterback at heart.

"The feedback I got was [sources in the NFL] know I can play receiver, they know I can play running back, but they've never seen me a full year at quarterback, so they want to see how this year goes," Robinson said. "Coach Paterno knows some people -- then we talked, and he said it's my turn to play quarterback."

Robinson, though, will not be simply handed the quarterback position, and he expects to be involved in yet another quarterback competition -- this time with rising sophomore Anthony Morelli.

Winter conditioning for the spring semester began the first day of class, and both Robinson and Morelli, with redshirt freshman Paul Cianciolo, have been working at quarterback.

"Morelli's good; he's right behind me," Robinson said. "He's still learning; he's still young, and he has lot to work on as far as reading defenses. We both have a lot of things to work on."

And although claims that Robinson has been working at quarterback have, in the past, had loose interpretations -- translation: He was actually spending much of his time running routes -- this time around, he swears he's doing the throwing, not the catching. And he's doing it in the morning, in the afternoon and even in his head.

"One-hundred ninety-nine percent of the time I'm at quarterback," Robinson said. "The other 1 percent -- to make it 200 -- is trying to coach the receivers up on their steps. I talk a lot of times directly to the coaches because we're young offensively at the skill positions."

Robinson has also worked out a timeline with Paterno and quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno for when certain skills need to be mastered. As of Wednesday, they were right on schedule -- three routes had been perfected thus far this semester.

Though he has spent time away from quarterback, especially during the 2004 season, Robinson isn't worried he has lost his feel.

"It's like riding a bike," he said. "You never forget the feel of the pocket. A natural quarterback never forgets how to throw."

Robinson has never been one to complain about position changes and has come to accept the notion that the NFL might want him at some other position than quarterback, as long as it's on the offensive side.

But "a natural quarterback" is what he believes he is and, at least for now, he'll have one final chance to prove that.

Hard to believe he'd have it any other way.