McGee Reorganizes USC Athletic Department

Mike McGee, USC’s athletic director, has reorganized his department, delegating more responsibility to Barbara Hedges along with other internal changes.

Hedges, USC’s women’s athletic director, will now administer all men’s and women’s nonrevenue-producing sports--track and field, swimming, tennis, volleyball, golf, gymnastics and water polo.

McGee will directly administer the men’s football, basketball and baseball programs.

“What we have done is a functional reorganization of the athletic department with the obvious objective of efficiency and proficiency and improving the services to the sports programs,” McGee said.

McGee also said that Jim Hefner, an assistant athletic director, will now be in charge of operations and facilities for the entire department and will supervise all events at the Coliseum, Sports Arena and Dedeaux Field.

Hedges will manage events at the swimming pool, track and physical education building.

“By doing this we have moved our program along by integrating the men’s and women’s programs,” McGee said. “We have also accomplished that in areas such as the sports information department. We have realigned some of our staff with people working with both men’s and women’s sports.”

McGee, who became USC’s athletic director in July of 1984, realigned the University of Cincinnati athletic department in a similar manner when he served as athletic director there.

“It worked very well there and I have great confidence that this (reorganization) will achieve the objectives here,” McGee said.

Fred Crutcher, USC’s senior tailback, is obviously aware that his position is stocked with talent, but he isn’t looking over his shoulder.

“I know guys are trying to take my spot,” he said, “but as long as I’m producing, the job should be mine.”

Crutcher produced last season. He gained 1,155 yards and has moved up to No. 8 on the all-time USC rushing list.

Even so, such highly touted freshman as Ryan Knight in 1984 and Aaron Emanuel this season seemingly get as much recognition as Crutcher.

“Crutcher is as unappreciated as you can be for a guy who made all conference because the standard is so high here,” Tollner said. “Here, if you’re all conference it’s a ho hummer, but it would be a big deal someplace else. If you’re not an All-American or Heisman Trophy candidate here, you’re just another guy. That’s unfortunate because Freddie is a good, solid football player.”

USC mainly relied on its strong defense last year in winning the conference championship. The offense was conservative and condensed to accommodate quarterback Tim Green, who replaced injured Sean Salisbury.

The situation could be reversed this season because USC is more experienced offensively. Crutcher isn’t so sure, though.

“Ever since I’ve been here, even when Marcus Allen was here, the defense has carried us,” he said. “What I mean is that Marcus got all those touchdowns and yards, but we never passed that much and we couldn’t get those quick scores.

“The defense has to stop the other team from scoring quickly because we don’t score that fast. But we do wear teams down and that helps us.”

The Trojans began contact work last Thursday, but several players were unable to participate in the two-a-day drills because of injuries.

The list includes: tight end Joe Cormier, cornerback Louis Brock, offensive tackle Gaylord Kuamoo and freshman fullback Leroy Holt, sprained ankles; linebacker Rex Moore and defensive tackle Joe Walshe, strained hamstring muscles, and Emanuel, groin injury.

“It is disappointing that Aaron couldn’t practice, but time is on his side,” Tollner said. “You can’t get frantic and make him do something before he’s ready.”

Emanuel says he expects to play this season, although he’ll be competing for playing time with Crutcher, Knight, Zeph Lee and Steve Webster.

“I feel I have the potential to make a strong impact early,” said Emanuel before he was injured. “I could have gone to another school that didn’t have as many tailbacks, but the fun is in the challenge.”

Emanuel said he started going to USC games when he was in the sixth grade and admired Charles White, USC’s Heisman Trophy-winning tailback.

Tollner said he isn’t planning on moving any of his tailbacks to fullback, a position secured by Kennedy Pola and Todd Steele.

USC hasn’t had as much quality depth at tailback since 1972-73 when Anthony Davis, Rod McNeill and Allen Carter lined up at the position.

Illinois quarterback Jack Trudeau said that he’s anxious to face USC in the Sept. 7 opening game at Champaign, Ill., especially considering the Pacific 10’s dominance of the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl since 1970.

Illinois was routed by UCLA, 45-9, in the 1984 game.

“USC has to come out here to the Big Ten’s home and let’s see how well they do,” Trudeau said.

Trudeau and Dave Williams, Illinois’ All-American wide receiver, will be attacking a relative inexperienced area of USC’s defense, cornerbacks and outside linebackers.

“Illinois will expose a team on its perimeter,” Tollner said “It’s a finesse team and we’ll have to grow up fast.”

Trojan Notes Add redshirt freshman tight end Martin Chesley and freshman linebacker Delmar Chesley to the many brother combinations who have performed for USC. The Chesleys, from Washington D.C., are the sixth and seventh sons in their family to receive an athletic scholarship to a Division I school. . . . Ted Tollner is impressed by his freshman class. He cited defensive tackle Dan Owens from La Habra High as a player who might make an immediate contribution this season. . . . Marlon Washington, a freshman wide receiver, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Friday and will be inactive for at least two weeks.