White Rushes to Make Impression Off Field

Russell White could be the most outrageous college football player since Brian Bosworth.

Someday, expect Russell to change the spelling of his name, same way Bozworth did. Start calling himself Whyte, maybe.

Russell is, like, different.

His two greatest joys this season have been making touchdowns for the University of California and taking shots at the University of Southern California.

When Cal did a 52-30 tap dance on USC’s helmets last Saturday at Berkeley, Rushin’ Russell ran for 229 yards. No one guy had ever riddled a Trojan defense for so much yardage.

This really pleased Rushin’ Russell, who enjoys giving USC a hard time.

And why not?

What could be more fun for a rival player than to make fun of a USC team that now has the same record (3-5) as Northwestern?

After the game, Rushin’ Russell was so giddy, he rubbed it in but good. He took a verbal poke at the one-trick-pony USC band and its repetitious repertoire.

You can understand this insult better if you appreciate that Cal’s greatest victory ever, one over Stanford, was one in which the Cal players had to run through the opponent’s band. Ever since, Cal’s players just love to beat the band.

It’s just that most years, USC’s band could have beaten Cal’s players.

Rushin’ Russell also took a pop at the USC coaches who recruited him out of Crespi High School in Encino, accusing them of saying: “Russell White was not good enough to come here.”

Rushin’ Russell was on a roll.

He even had a word or two for the USC coach’s wife. According to Rushin’ Russell, again recalling his high school days, Cheryl Smith, who is married to Larry, told him he was making a serious mistake going to Berkeley.

“Smith’s wife . . . told me that I would never beat SC if I went to Cal,” he said.

And why not?

After all, as a collegiate football power over the last couple of decades, Cal has ranked right up there with Northwestern among the nation’s Top 200.

Cal is a school that bills its yearly date with Stanford as the Big Game. And most good college football fans never miss this so-called Big Game.

First Fan: “Did you see the Big Game between Cal and Stanford?”

Second Fan: “No.”

First Fan: “Did you miss it?”

Second Fan: “No.”

Well, as you might expect, Larry Smith did not particularly appreciate some of Russell White’s postgame commentary. The last thing the coach expected this long season was to have his wife’s name dragged into it.

Tuesday, a not-very-happy Smith said his wife was a “hostess” for USC, not a recruiter. Anything she said, or didn’t say, to Russell White was meant as conversation, not intimidation.

Cheryl knows football. In two years, 1988 and 1990, she conducted four-week seminars called, “Football for Women.” Her husband coaches football; her son plays it.

USC’s coach has had enough on his mind the last two seasons without this. He has enough on his mind just preparing for this week’s visit from a nationally ranked opponent; working title: “Washington Goes to Mr. Smith.”

Smith has had to deal with quarterback trouble, off-the-field trouble, Notre Dame trouble. He has a team that could go 3-8, worst record by any USC outfit since the 1-9 squad of 1957.

More trouble, he doesn’t need.

But what the Smiths, and USC’s supporters, must understand is that if any of Cal’s players go a little overboard, it’s mostly because it is part of their nature to want to knock off USC, the same way the Washington Senators once dreamed of defeating the Damn Yankees.

Cal has a fabulous football team this season--really, a fabulous football team. If not for a bum break or two against Washington, these Golden Bears might be ranked among the top two or three teams in the country.

And Russell White might very well be the greatest rusher in the country.

He runs great with the football. He runs off even better at the mouth.

And why not?

These days, when a college football player says or does colorful things, it sometimes pays off in the long run. The Boz got his own movie. Neon Deion Sanders got the cover of Sports Illustrated. Tony Mandarich got twice the attention in college that he did as a pro, and it made him millions.

We will be hearing more from Rushin’ Russell White.

He plays a good game. He also talks one.