Marinovich Rejoins Trojans : USC: Quarterback returns from suspension but isn’t guaranteed a starting job against Cal.

Quarterback Todd Marinovich was reinstated by USC football Coach Larry Smith on Monday, six days after Marinovich was suspended for cutting classes.

Is he a starter?

Not at present.

He is listed second on the depth chart behind Shane Foley, a fifth-year senior who filled in for Marinovich Saturday against Arizona State and, in his first start for the Trojans, passed for 125 yards and ran for 60 in a 13-6 victory at Tempe, Ariz.

But that could change before Saturday, when USC plays California at the Coliseum.

Smith said Saturday that Marinovich and Foley will compete for the starting job this week in practice, as will the top two players at almost every other position.

On Monday, Smith said nothing, releasing a short statement that said only that Marinovich met his academic obligations and has rejoined the team. Smith, who canceled Monday’s practice, declined interview requests.

Ray Dorr, who coaches USC’s quarterbacks, said that Smith told his assistants last week to evaluate their top two players at each position every day in practice--”and I intend to do that.”

Has Dorr seen anything to indicate that Foley, a seldom-used backup before last week, might beat out Marinovich?

“I don’t think so,” Dorr said. “If we had to put a starting lineup in the program today, Todd Marinovich would be the guy we’d list there. That doesn’t mean that (he) would start. With the method we’re going to use, he’s not going to be treated any differently than any other player.”

What happens if Marinovich and Foley grade out equally?

“It’s like an injured player (returning),” Dorr said. “Do you give away a guy’s job because a guy can’t play? I don’t think you do that. You give the job to the guy who had been starting because he had been a starter and proved that he could win.”

Marinovich, a sophomore who started in 19 consecutive games before last week, was suspended after Smith received a report saying that Marinovich cut classes two weeks ago. That was grounds for a suspension under an agreement Smith made with Marinovich and his parents last month.

“I don’t want to give any excuses for it,” Marinovich said in his first meeting with reporters since his suspension. “I could go into a bunch of details of why I didn’t (go to class), but that’s not the point. I missed them and it’s over. I’ve been going to class now, so everything’s hunky-dory with the academic people. . . .

“I think I learned a little bit about myself over the week as I sat back and had some time on my hands for the first time in a few months. You need to uphold agreements. I’ve learned that. I think (all) people learn that at some point in their lives, and I learned it (last) week. We’ll go on from here.”

Does he expect to regain his starting position this week?

“I’m just going to compete and see what happens,” he said.

And if Foley beats him out?

“That’s something I (haven’t thought about),” he said. “I’m looking forward to starting. If it happens, it happens, but I’m not looking forward to how I’m going to feel about the situation. (Not starting) is not something I’m thinking about.”

Marinovich said that, in his 2 1/2 years at USC, Smith has shown “a lot of concern” about his studies.

Smith also was concerned about Marinovich’s attitude.

Smith said that, even if he hadn’t been suspended, Marinovich probably would have been demoted after begging off practice last Monday because of an earache.

Apparently angered by a 35-26 loss to Arizona two days earlier, Smith warned Marinovich and his teammates that such a move might cost them their starting positions.

“I’ve had problems all my life with ear infections,” Marinovich said. “If anyone’s had them--they can throw off your balance and drive you crazy with pain. I just went in to see the trainer.”

Were the coaches irritated?

“It was Monday practice and it was after a loss and it was very intense out there,” Marinovich said. “If you weren’t practicing, you weren’t (supposed to be) on the field. And I wasn’t going to practice, so I wasn’t on the field.”

Marinovich’s academic troubles started when he was living with a teammate in what Smith described as a “small, dinky room.” Marinovich moved out, living for a time with friends and sleeping on couches, before moving to Torrance a few weeks ago to live with his father.

He is settled now, he said.

“It’s a good feeling to be able to come home to your own room and relax and watch ‘Cheers’ at 11 o’clock,” he said. “I’m happy that I’m situated. It’s great. It was difficult at a point. I was just glad to have somewhere to go because if it would have gone on any longer, it would have blown up.”

Asked about speculation that he was bored with college and planned to make himself available for the NFL draft next spring, Marinovich said: “I think bored would be the farthest thing from it. I’m having a lot of fun, and one thing I don’t want to do is leave this situation prematurely. I’m having a great time.”