Andrew Robinson knows he’s a different quarterback since the last time he faced Rutgers.

Robinson saw the most action he did all season last year in Syracuse’s final game at Rutgers, a 38-7 loss. The then-freshman threw his first career touchdown pass and rushed five times for 31 yards.

But he’s grown up since.

‘I’m a lot more mature,’ Robinson said. ‘Last year, I really didn’t see too much in that game. I just dropped back, tucked the ball down and ran with it. That’s not really the approach we take around here as far as quarterback play goes.’

That maturity will be tested this weekend against the Scarlet Knights. The sophomore quarterback is coming off the worst two-week stretch of his young career.

In his last two games, both SU losses at Miami (Ohio) and home vs. West Virginia, Robinson is 22-of-51 (43 percent) for 336 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Last Saturday against the Mountaineers, Robinson fumbled the ball four times.

On Sunday, Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson bluntly discussed his quarterback’s ball control issues.

‘It will be addressed,’ Robinson said. ‘He has to get that ball high and tight like everybody else. He got careless with that football, and they just popped it right out of there, and it really didn’t take much to get it out.’

Against Rutgers, a team that likes to blitz the quarterback often, Andrew Robinson’s ability to scramble and hold onto the ball will likely be important. Thus, Robinson spent 30 minutes after practice on Sunday working with center Jim McKenzie on snap exchanges. One of Robinson’s four fumbles came on a bad snap.

Robinson said he and the coaches have altered his technique, specifically where his hands are in position to receive the snap.

‘Hopefully that won’t be an issue anymore,’ Robinson said. ‘We’re going to work real hard on that this week and make it a point of emphasis throughout practice this week.’

But handling the ball is only one of his concerns. Robinson’s rough stretch comes after his best performance against Louisville – a game in which he nearly set a school record for most passing yards. In fact, his stats in the Louisville game alone surpass his totals from the past two games combined.

One of Robinson’s most trustworthy weapons, the slant pass, was exploited by the West Virginia defense. Robinson said Syracuse made changes, but it wasn’t until later in the game.

‘We made the adjustment and started throwing the ball down the field a little more near the end of the game when we figured out the slants aren’t there as much as they usually are,’ Robinson said.

That deep ball is where Robinson found great success against Louisville, and it hasn’t been prevalent in the Orange offense during its current two-game losing streak, with the exception of a third-quarter, 61-yard touchdown bomb to Mike Williams against the Mountaineers.

Robinson knows Rutgers has seen tape of his six games from this season – and not just that raw, antsy freshman quarterback who couldn’t stay in the pocket long enough last season.

And if anything, his two-game struggle has taught him a lesson.

‘Sometimes the ball isn’t going to bounce your way, whether it’s off tipped passes, not making the right decision sometimes,’ Robinson said. ‘But you have to bounce back and keep playing.’

Teel banged up

Robinson’s counterpart, Rutgers senior quarterback Mike Teel, injured his right thumb in the Scarlet Knights’ 28-23 loss to No. 15 Cincinnati on Saturday.

‘I think Mike is going to be OK,’ Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano said Monday during the Big East coaches conference call. ‘He’s a little sore right now with the thumb, but I think as the week progresses, he’ll get better. He’s already able to move it. I think it’s going to be fine.’

Teel, like Robinson, is coming off arguably his worst game of the season. Teel threw three interceptions (he came into the game with two total), including one to Bearcats linebacker Ryan Manalac inside the Cincinnati 20-yard line with 1:19 left in the game.

Rutgers has allowed only four sacks in five games, but the Syracuse defensive line will take note of Teel’s injury. As more of a traditional, drop back quarterback, Teel may allow Syracuse the chance to put more pressure on the backfield than it has recently. Still, that might not be enough, Greg Robinson said.

‘The problem that they give you is that they can run the ball, too,’ Robinson said. ‘They’re two-dimensional; it isn’t like they’re a one-dimensional offense. That’s the challenge when you have a team that can run and throw the football.’

Of course, Robinson is referring to Rutgers running back Ray Rice, who leads the Big East in rushing with 622 yards and 10 touchdowns. On Tuesday, Syracuse safety Joe Fields went so far as to call Rice the best running back in the nation.

Rice, a more north-to-south running back than West Virginia’s Steve Slaton, may force Robinson to change his rush defense – again. Freshmen Max Suter and Mike Holmes started against the Mountaineers to put more speed on the field, but Robinson wouldn’t commit to playing them again. Suter said he wasn’t aware of the plans for Saturday.

‘I was pleased,’ Robinson said of Suter and Holmes. ‘They weren’t perfect, but they did a lot of good things.’

Injury update

Syracuse will have punt returner and safety Bruce Williams this week. Robinson said Williams had a death in the family last week, but he will be ready to play on Saturday.

Reserve cornerback Jason Tanner did not dress against West Virginia due to a groin injury, and his status for Rutgers is up in the air. (‘Really, it’s just starting to feel better,’ Robinson said.)

Dowayne Davis left this past Saturday’s game with cramps, but he’s fine, Robinson said.

Published on October 9, 2007 at 12:00 pm