With one more catch in the 2012 season, Allen Robinson will set the Penn State record for single-season receptions.
That's not bad for a player who had three career grabs three months ago.
In a breakout season, Robinson has made 63 catches, which ties him for the team's season record along with former standouts O.J. McDuffie and Bobby Engram, who previously had more than 60 grabs in 1992 and 1995, respectively.
"It would mean a lot [to set the record], just knowing the progress I made throughout the spring and the summer," Robinson said. "And still with the things I need to do even better with the offseason coming up. It definitely means a lot with all the great receivers that have come through here."
The sophomore has come a long way since last season, when he was an afterthought at the wideout position. Robinson made three catches for 29 yards in 11 games in the 2011 season.
By the end of the first quarter of Penn State's season-opener against Ohio this season, Robinson had six grabs for 74 yards. He hasn't looked back since.
The Southfield, Mich. native leads the Big Ten in receptions and his 786 yards and eight touchdowns are also a conference-best among receivers. And while teammate Glenn Carson said he wasn't aware of Robinson's potential place in the record books, he noted Robinson has been a key piece to the Lions' success on offense.
"Allen is playing great ball, really helping our team on offense this year," the junior linebacker said. "He's made some great plays this year, and I wasn't aware of [the record], but that's great news."
While Carson wasn't knowledgeable of the record Robinson is on pace to break, the same can't be said for the 6-foot-3 wide receiver. But he said he doesn't let it affect his play.
"I mean I was pretty aware of it throughout the season, but I was just trying to go out there every game and try to make plays and score," Robinson said.
Matt McGloin has quickly found a new favorite target this season in Robinson, as more than 25 percent of the quarterback's completions have ended up in the hands of the young receiver.
Robinson said the connection between himself and the fifth-year senior quarterback has improved, even from the start of the season. But that is something that started months ago as Robinson and McGloin, among other players, would meet on the practice field.
"That's just something that helped us get timing down. Matt got adjusted to different receivers," Robinson said. "...Just running routes, learning things with each other, I think that meant a lot coming into the season."
Robinson has accumulated 80 yards or more in six games this season and landed on the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award -- an honor given to the nation's top receiver.
Not many people saw this coming for the second-year player, but Robinson said he did set a goal of having 70 catches this season. If he keeps up his current pace in the final two contests, he won't have a problem achieving that aspiration.
"I kept going to practice, pushing myself to be the best player I can," Robinson said. "I've had some success this year which is great, but I have a lot of work to do going into next season."
