Marinovich May Stay After All : USC: Suspended quarterback, leaving options open, is scheduled to meet with Larry Smith on Friday.

Suspended quarterback Todd Marinovich is leaning toward staying at USC, a family friend indicated Wednesday.

Of the three options open to the quarterback--enter the NFL draft, reconcile with Coach Larry Smith and stay at USC, or transfer to another school--Marinovich will first consider staying at USC, Steve Clarkson said. Clarkson is a former San Jose State quarterback and longtime adviser to Marinovich.

Marinovich is scheduled to meet Friday with Smith, Marinovich said in a brief interview with the Daily Trojan, USC’s campus newspaper.

Otherwise unavailable for comment, Marinovich told reporter Greg Sandoval of the Daily Trojan in an on-campus interview: “I want to go to school here.”

Marinovich will make no decision regarding his future before the meeting, Clarkson said.

“All the pro talk has been premature,” Clarkson said.

Of Marinovich’s meeting with Smith, Clarkson said: “If they can’t resolve whatever it is they need to resolve, the other two scenarios (turning pro or transferring) would be given more consideration, but his thoughts are on the meeting Friday. Hopefully, it will be a positive one. . . .

“Todd very easily could have said, ‘USC doesn’t want me, so I don’t want them.’ But he was born and raised a Trojan. That’s where his loyalty lies. There are some things he would like to accomplish in college, hopefully.

“But if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. He’s got a bright future ahead of him. But I think, in his mind, there is no hurry to start (a pro career). He would still like to enjoy college life, but anything can happen after Friday.”

Marinovich told the Daily Trojan that he was on campus to enroll for the spring semester.

Asked about the purpose of Friday’s meeting, he said: “I want to put an end to all the rumors.”

Clarkson said that Marinovich has met with agents Leigh Steinberg, Leonard Armato and Tom Condon and has also discussed the possibility of transferring.

Clarkson’s godfather is Miami Coach Dennis Erickson, a former offensive coordinator at San Jose State. Clarkson also mentioned Brigham Young as a possible destination for Marinovich.

But, “Todd won’t (decide) anything until he at least speaks with Coach Smith and gets some sort of feeling of what’s expected of him, or if they even want him anymore,” Clarkson said.

Marinovich was suspended indefinitely by Smith last Friday for missing a team meeting and failing to register for class.

And Smith seemed to indicate that Marinovich would not be welcomed back when he said: “He is not part of our football team in any way. We wish him well and, basically, a chapter is over.”

Clarkson was hopeful that Smith, by agreeing to meet with Marinovich, had reconsidered.

“It’s cooled off now,” Clarkson said. “Smith has had a chance to go out of town and everybody’s kind of relaxed. It’s less threatening. They can really get to the root of the problem, if in fact there is a problem.

“You’ve got to believe that there’s some interest (at USC) to resolve this thing, go on and let bygones be bygones.”

Smith, out of town recruiting, could not be reached for comment.