March 19--SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Corey Robinson spent the eve before spring practice Tuesday night watching film and doing homework.
But the film that interrupted his studies had nothing to do with football.
"For St. Patrick's Day I'm like, 'What am I going to do, Irish-related?'" the Notre Dame junior receiver said Wednesday after the Irish's first on-field workout.
Robinson scoured the Internet and found a list of the 40 best Irish movies. He selected "Once," a story of a vacuum-repairing guitar player and his budding relationship, framed by music, with a woman who sells roses.
"It won some awards at Sundance, so I was like, 'I'll give it a shot,'" he said.
In some ways, Robinson can relate as he continues to foster bonds with two quarterbacks -- Everett Golson and Malik Zaire. He doesn't know -- and doesn't know when he'll know -- whether he'll have a No. 1.
"I'm not a quarterbacks coach. As long as the ball's here," Robinson said with a laugh while lifting his hands toward his chest, "I'm fine."
"I trust both those guys. It's not in the back of my mind, 'Who am I going to have throwing to me in the fall?'"
Last season, Robinson was second on the Irish with 40 catches and five touchdowns, and third with 539 yards. Golson, who was responsible for most of those throws while starting 12 of 13 games, struggled during Notre Dame's final eight games. In stepped Zaire, who shared time with Golson and helped lead the Irish to a 31-28 victory against LSU in the Music City Bowl by completing 12 of 15 attempts for 96 yards and a touchdown.
The victory ended the Irish's losing streak at four and a quarterback competition was born as an 8-5 season concluded.
Golson, who passed for 3,445 yards and 29 touchdowns, was first to take snaps Wednesday when the Irish practiced inside, though his place in line wasn't meant to be suggestive.
"I don't think he has to accept that he has to share time with anybody," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. "The only thing that I've ever said to Everett is, 'You have to come in here and compete for the starting quarterback position.'
"It's one thing to go out there and compete without footballs. It's another thing to put the football in their hands, go run the offense. Then we'll have a better sense. "
With the spring game set for April 18, Robinson and fellow receivers such as Will Fuller, Chris Brown and C.J. Prosise will get back to doing their homework and watching film on both Zaire and Golson.
pskrbina@tribpub.com
