Every summer, Andrew Robinson takes a vacation to the beach with his family. Syracuse’s new starting quarterback travels with his parents, two sisters and about 25 members of his extended family. They all rent a beach house for the weeklong retreat.

And of course, the Robinsons’ always bring a football.

It’s a trip the family has made throughout most of the quarterback’s life. But something has changed in the last five years. Let’s just say Robinson’s physique is a little bit bigger now.

Yes, it’s still a good time for all. Yet for a true sophomore starter who had never played a down of organized football until high school because of his parents’ fear of injury, it’s easy to understand why Robinson might bring a little more intensity to the game than the rest of his relatives.

This summer in Sandbridge Beach in Virginia, it was obvious how much Robinson has learned since he first started throwing the pigskin as a freshman in high school.

‘I didn’t even know how to take a snap,’ Robinson said. ‘I didn’t even know what a three-step drop was or a five-step drop. Now I’m dropping back, reading coverages, making protection adjustments, making audibles at the line. It’s kind of strange looking back at how far you’ve actually come.’

His willingness to work out during a rare break in his summer might suggest his dedication to the game. Or, perhaps, he’s just cramming to make up for lost time. Either way, his biggest exam arrives this Friday, and more than just the eyes of his family will be on the Orange quarterback when Washington enters the Carrier Dome for a nationally-televised contest at 8 p.m.

Five years removed from joining the freshmen squad at Calvert Hall High School in Baltimore, Md., Robinson will start his first game as a college quarterback. He was a highly-recruited prospect, hand-picked for SU head coach Greg Robinson’s system and the top prize from Robinson’s first recruiting class.

Nonetheless, he enters 2007 with minimal experience, high expectations and two eager freshmen – Cody Catalina and David Legree – waiting in the wings. Along with the hope of success, there is reasonable doubt.

He played sparingly last season as backup to starter Perry Patterson, tossing one touchdown and an interception in four appearances. But once the Spring Game rolled around this April, Robinson looked ready to lead SU’s offense. He connected on 12-of-19 passes for 146 yards including a 23-yard touchdown strike to tight end Jawad Nesheiwat.

If there’s one thing for sure about Robinson, it’s that he’s a fast learner. But if you’re wondering about the ban on football, you can thank his mother, Jane, for that. Robinson does it all the time.

Any time he’s asked about who gives him the best advice about handling his first season as the first string quarterback, Robinson always mentions his coaches first, followed by his parents, Jane and Paul. In fact, the move to have Robinson ride the bench until high school might’ve even benefited the former high school star.

High school coaches told him most players who have experience in PeeWee or Rec football often learn to play the game the wrong way fundamentally, Robinson said.

Coaches never needed to ‘unteach’ Robinson anything before he could start his development as a quarterback.

Plus, everybody knows it’s a mom’s job to worry when her boy’s playing football.

‘She’s was going to be nervous whether I’m a quarterback or kicker,’ Robinson joked.

That doesn’t mean the family doesn’t enjoy seeing Robinson in the spotlight. At the Rutgers game last season, about 50 friends and family members journeyed north to New Jersey, Jane said. With the Orange down 31-0 in the fourth quarter, Patterson had been pulled to give Robinson some experience. When Robinson ended an 80-yard drive with a 14-yard fling to Nesheiwat in the endzone, the orange-clad Robinson entourage erupted into a frenzy.

As confused Scarlet Knight fans stared on, Jane screamed to the Rutgers’ faithful that it was her son who had just thrown the touchdown.

It was a well-engineered drive and an important sign showing Robinson has what it takes to make it as a college quarterback. Not that the touchdown pass did anything to ease his family’s nerves.

‘It’s a little more nerve-wracking, especially with me as the mother of a quarterback,’ Jane said. ‘Because you know the entire intention of the game is to kill the quarterback.’

Nevertheless, Jane, the rest of the Robinson family and an additional unrelated Robinson, SU head coach Greg, seem anxious to get the season underway.

There’s been enough talk about what Robinson remains capable of doing. Now all the Robinsons just want the quarterback to go out there and prove them right.

‘I think I see a number of areas where he does a lot of things well, but he still has to go out and do it,’ Coach Robinson said. ‘I can say things, but it still comes down to performing. I do look forward to watching him play.’

Back at the beach, Robinson has the metaphorical target on his back from overconfident family members. That’s what happens when you’re the starting quarterback at a Big East school. While lining up at receiver, an opposing relative challenged Robinson to a sprint. The quarterback would run for a 40-yard bomb, the relative – with a 10-yard head start – would try to stop him.

‘I kind of smoked him,’ Robinson boasted.

Would it have been possible for Robinson to have outraced a challenger five years ago? Sure, it’s very possible. He’s the prototypical ‘natural athlete.’

Yet even when Robinson takes a moment to look back, he sounds pleased at the improvement and poise he’s shown during his short – but budding – football career.

‘To be here thinking back five years ago and never even played a down of football before, it’s a different feeling,’ Robinson said. ‘It’s definitely strange. Time has definitely flown by; I’ve put a lot of hard work in between then and now, and it’s going to pay off.’

Published on August 27, 2007 at 12:00 pm