3 USC Players Are Unhappy With School’s Firing of Tollner

Three USC football players expressed disappointment Wednesday that their coach, Ted Tollner, will no longer be with them after the Florida Citrus Bowl game with Auburn Jan. 1.

They also reaffirmed their support and admiration for Tollner.

Quarterback Rodney Peete, strong safety Tim McDonald and outside linebacker Marcus Cotton attended a meeting at which Tollner and Athletic Director Mike McGee addressed the team.

It was Tollner’s first opportunity to talk to the players since he was fired Monday with two years left on his contract. USC began practice Wednesday for the bowl game.

Peete said he was shocked when he learned that Tollner would not be retained. McDonald said that even though Tollner is a lame-duck coach, that shouldn’t have a negative effect on preparation for the bowl game.

Cotton said Tollner is leaving the next coach with the nucleus of a strong team and will not get deserved credit if it succeeds.

“It looks like the coach that will come in has done something for the team,” Cotton said. “I’m looking for an undefeated season next year, and it’s going to look like the coaching staff that came in did this. Coach Tollner and his staff have really prepared us, and we’re ready to go.”

Cotton was on crutches when he talked. He has strained liagments in his right ankle that prevented him from playing on most passing downs in the season-ending 38-37 loss to Notre Dame.

USC will have a veteran nucleus next season despite losing such proven players as McDonald and All-American guard Jeff Bregel.

Cotton said he wished that the announcement of Tollner’s firing would have been delayed until after the bowl game.

McDonald said he believes the team is mature enough to deal with that reality, adding, “I don’t feel good, but I think it is better for the coach to know what his future is going to be and where he stands.”

As for Tollner’s dismissal having a damaging effect on team morale, McDonald said: “We’ll have no problem with that. We don’t have a good feeling to see our coach go--one we respect and think an awful a lot of, but we know those things happen. We’re not going to mope about it and go into the tank.”

Peete, the son of a football coach, was saddened by Tollner’s firing.

“I would have bet anything that he’d be back next year,” he said. “I feel very badly for Coach Tollner. He’s not only a great coach but a great person. It’s really unfortunate that this had to happen to him.

“He has done a lot for me, not just on the field but off the field, too, and I’ve learned a whole lot from him. I want to thank him for giving me all those opportunities.

“But right now we have one more game and I’m going to try and put (Tollner’s firing) out of my mind and concentrate on winning that game.”

Peete said it’s difficult to gauge how Tollner’s firing will affect each individual preparation for the bowl game begins.

“I know I’m going to prepare as hard I can and, hopefully, play my best game on New Year’s Day,” he said. “That’s the only way I know how to do it regardless of the situation. Hopefully, we have enough guys on the team who feel the same way.

“After this week, when we put on the pads, things will be settled down and we can concentrate on Auburn.”

Asked if there will be a win-one-for-Ted mentality against favored Auburn, Peete said:

“I think it’s going on in the guys’ minds. We all respect him as man first, and he’s a good coach. He always takes time out to talk to people. He’s really a players’ coach.”

Peete said that even though Tollner has been under pressure all season to produce a record that would satisfy the administration, he never showed his feelings to the team.

“This year, he’s written the book on handling pressure,” Peete said.

The quarterback said that McGee addressed the team only briefly.

“He said that he had to release the coach, that something had to be done and he was sorry he didn’t have a chance to have a team meeting beforehand,” Peete said. “He also said if there are any questions, the players are free to come and talk to him.”

It’s doubtful there will be a parade of players, though, to McGee’s office.

Tollner said that he told the team not to feel any blame for what has happened to him.

“I don’t want them to start thinking that if we had won the Notre Dame game, I’d still be here,” he said.

As for his own future, he said: “I’ve been getting some calls, but I haven’t talked to any university official and I haven’t pursued anything.”

Tollner’s name has been mentioned in connection with the vacated Tulsa job.

He didn’t rule out the prospect that he might become a professional coach.

Although the university said it will honor the financial obligations of Tollner’s contract, he is getting legal advice on his situation.

“My people are investigating all the ground that I have and will make a move the next day or two on whatever direction it will go,” he said.

In losing his job, Tollner said he will also lose all the fringe benefits that come with it.

“There are a variety of things involved,” he said. “They’re part of your contract. I’m having the experts tell me what I’m entitled to.”

“There is also the fact that they (USC) broke a contract. They talk about integrity in the university system and it sounds great if you’re winning enough games. But if you’re not. . . . It’s a two-way street. The attorneys will figure what all of that is worth.”