Prep Football : USC Keeps Four Recruits Out of Shrine Game

Through the years, the relationship between USC and the organizers of the Shrine All-Star football game has been strong.

However, as the 38th version of the game approaches next Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, the relationship has started to sour.

Problems began when USC, which has had 17 All-American players participate in the game, pulled out four of its seven recruits so they could enroll in a summer academic program.

This type of program, which was created to ease the transition from high school to college for borderline students, exists on many college campuses. This is the first year USC has had such a program, which began July 15.

Recruits Matt Butkus of Loyola High School, Marcel Brown of Point Loma, Howard McCowan of Carson and Adam Swaney of Roseville Oakmont were originally selected to play in this year’s game but are currently attending the academic program. USC’s inaugural four-week on campus Summer College Program. USC players expected to participate in the game are Terry McDaniels of Pasadena, Jason Uhl of Santa Ana Mater Dei and Len Gorecki of Damien.

The Shrine game committee is upset over the way USC has handled the situation compared to other schools.

“USC has always been a strong supporter of the game,” said Bob Belyeu, Shrine game managing director. “We have no problem in showing concern for a kid’s education. We just wanted to try to work things out, so the kids can do both because this game means so much to them. They have probably been looking forward to playing in this game for four years.”

The Shrine committee had hoped USC would follow the path taken by Cal, which allows recruits to participate in the game and remain enrolled in its summer academic program.

Russell White of Encino Crespi, who is on the South team, and Bill Ayer of Antioch, who is on the North squad, were granted a week of leave with a required two hours of study-table, along with a nightly phone check with their academic advisers.

“At Cal, they have been very cooperative,” Belyeu said. “In fact, (California football) Coach Bruce Snyder encourages his players to play in the game.

“USC just ignored us, like the game means nothing. They did not even show the courtesy to contact us; no phone call or anything.”

USC Athletic Director Mike McGee defends the school’s summer academic program.

“This type of program has clearly proven to be positive for the student,” McGee said. “It enhances the opportunity for the student to get off to a real strong start academically as a freshman.

“In the future we hope to make some changes on the time of the year that the program is held,” he said. “But, at this time it is premature to say.”

Butkus, son of NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, was originally selected to play in this year’s game but is currently attending USC’s four-week program.

Butkus, who attended Loyola High School in Los Angeles, graduated with a 2.4 grade-point average, below the USC standard of 2.5.

“Matt was very disappointed not to be able to play in the game,” said Helen Butkus, Matt’s mother, who still thinks going to the program is the best thing for her son.

“It was not mandatory for him to attend at first, but it was after the school’s review board looked at his transcripts,” she said.

McDaniels said he was asked to enroll in the program.

“It was my decision to play in this game,” said McDaniels, whose high school GPA is 3.2. “However, it would have been nice to be in the program because I want to get acquainted with the college workload.”

Shrine Game Notes

Former Crespi High School coach Bill Redell and Tim Burroughs of San Bernardino are the co-coaches for the South team, which features several of the top-rated players in the nation in running back Derek Brown of Anaheim Servite, Curtis Conway of Hawthorne, Tommy Smith of Antelope Valley, Michael Moore of Beverly Hills and Russell White of Encino Crespi.