GBI Magazine

f o o t b a l l f e a t u r e : s e a n r o b i n s o n Refreshed After struggles, Robinson restarts career at linebacker BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com S taring at a computer screen in 2010, Sean Robinson couldn't help but fight back tears. Clicking through an Internet sports message board, he saw fans — Purdue fans no less — ripping him for his performance at quarterback in losses at Ohio State and Illinois. The web can be a scary place, with people under the cloak of anonymity able to say largely whatever they please, from glowing reviews to harshly critical ones. Robinson, who had been a perennial winner as a quarterback at his high school in Illinois, was getting the full brunt of the latter, and he was crushed. "That was the bottom of the hole, no doubt about it," said Robinson, now a junior and starting outside linebacker. "(It) was probably one of the dumbest things I have done (in) college. Tom Campbell After the Illinois game, which was a disaster, Sean Robinson endured a lot as a true freshman in 2010, getting I went online to the message boards, probathrown in as a quarterback during a six-game losing streak to end bly Gold and Black, just something a freshman the season. But he's come back strong as a linebacker. would do. I will never forget. I had tears in my plenty. The circumstances of his play at quarterback — eyes. It was that upsetting to me. "Of course, message boards are message boards and the after effects only the switch to linebacker might you take them for what they're worth, but I didn't even have cured — were absurd. As a highly regarded recruit want to walk around on campus, and probably nobody who had more than 20 BCS offers out of Rochester High knew who I was or even knew my face. I was kind of School, Robinson wasn't slated to come anywhere near ashamed of myself and I thought I would play better. the field as a rookie. He sat fourth on Purdue's depth That was probably the low point of my college career." chart, at best, during training camp, anticipating a redBut the boards can be addicting, and Robinson kept shirt year to develop from more of an athletic runner clicking through, reading about perceived poor me- to a drop-back passer. But Caleb TerBush became academically ineligible, then Robert Marve and Rob Henry chanics or bad decisions or whatever else. "I looked out of curiosity and I swear to God, I hav- got hurt; Justin Siller, a wide receiver who had played en't looked since. I don't think too many freshmen have QB previously and could have filled in, was also injured. been through that," said Robinson, who appeared in Oh, so was Keith Smith, a quarterback-turned-wide refive games in 2010. "I kept taking (personal) hits and ceiver who might have also gotten snaps ahead of Robyou hear the phrase 'Getting thrown to the wolves' and inson under center. But when Henry had his finger mangled while beI got thrown to a lot of wolves. That's what had to haping tackled at Ohio State, on trotted Robinson at "The pen." Robinson tries not to make excuses, but he could find Shoe." Gold & Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 5com

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