| Elijah Robinson |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., May 10, 2007 -- Penn State guard Elijah Robinson??s football career has ended as a result of a neck injury sustained in spring practice.
A senior with junior eligibility, Robinson was injured in practice earlier this spring and diagnosed by team physicians at the time as having been born with a tight spinal canal. As a result, impact to his head could pinch the spinal cord, resulting in temporary or permanent paralysis, according to Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, Penn State Director of Athletic Medicine.
A product of Camden. N.J., the 6-2, 290-pound Robinson was competing for a starting berth on the offensive line at the time of his injury.
??This is a big loss for the team,?? stated Coach Joe Paterno. ??Elijah did very well in our winter conditioning and had been working hard to improve. He had an opportunity to be a big contributor this season. I??m disappointed for him in regards to his football career, but you can??t take any chances with his future.??
Robinson enrolled at Penn State in January 2004 after earning all-state and All-South Jersey honors at Woodrow Wilson High School. He helped Woodrow Wilson to a 15-0 record and the state championship as a junior. He spent most of his Penn State career at defensive tackle, but last season was shifted to guard. He took a redshirt season in 2005 after playing in three games, recording one tackle, as a true freshman in 2004.
Robinson is a crime, law and justice major and is on schedule to graduate in August.