Morrison Is Decent, Honest, Productive--and No Longer Coach

Before the book is closed on Stan Morrison as basketball coach at USC, let us examine his accomplishments and ask why, with all the NCAA rules infractions, failures to graduate of student athletes, and recruiting violations, which we read about daily, is this man leaving coaching?

First and foremost, coaches are asked to win. In the last eight years Morrison has won two conference championships (in the PCAA and Pac-10) and been to the NCAA tournament three times. He has been voted coach of the year by his colleagues in both conferences.

As for recruiting, Stan and his assistant, David Spencer, recruited the fourth-best group of freshmen in the nation last year. Those are credentials most coaches would love to have.

Most important to some, Morrison has had a high percentage of his athletes graduate and never been in any trouble with the NCAA for illegal conduct. He is a productive, loyal and dedicated individual who is positive, candid and honest in his work. The loss is for the student athletes who will miss the opportunity of coming in contact with this excellent coach.

JOE HOVORKA

Stockton

Hovorka was captain of Morrison’s 1979 team at University of the Pacific.