Confidence Can’t Be Recruited

Questions and answers as to the firing and hiring of--not necessarily in that order?--Larry Smith and John Robinson as the University of Southern California’s football coach:

What are Robinson’s expectations?

“Our expectations have to be the very highest,” the recycled USC coach said Sunday, a day when Johnny literally came marching home. “Alabama is the national champion. Three or four years ago, Alabama was not even ranked in the top 20. Notre Dame is No. 2 in the country. A few years ago, didn’t Miami beat Notre Dame by something like 55-7, 55-10? Cycles are inevitable. We can go right back to the top.”

What offense will Robinson run?

The key word here is “run.” You all remember John Robinson’s favorite game--rushin’ roulette? Well, here we go again. “Somebody’s going to carry the football 30 times a game,” Robinson said. “Let’s get that clear right now. I’m going to put another stand out there next to all our Heisman Trophies. I’m going to leave it vacant. And somebody’s going to fill it.”

Will it be like “old days?”

“In some ways, you hope so,” Robinson said. “But there’s no business in the world where you’d intelligently say: ‘Hey! Let’s go back to the way things were in the 1970s!’ You have to adjust to the times. The people change, the rules change, the game changes . . . it’s foolish to live in the past.”

Where did Larry Smith go wrong?

“I think he’s a very good football coach and I think he did a very good job,” was all Robinson would say, graciously but not surprisingly. Why reopen that can of worms? Besides, everything depends on your perspective. Chuck Knox took a three-victory team (Robinson’s), won six of 16 games and was praised for “doubling last season’s wins.” Larry Smith turned a three-victory team (his own) into a six-victory team in a 12-game season and got run out of town.

What about Fresno State?

What about Fresno State? In John Robinson’s first game as USC coach, the Trojans got trampled, 46-25, on their home field by . . . Notre Dame? Uh, no. By nobody’s All-Americans from Missouri, that’s who by. In John McKay’s first game, the Trojans got shut out, 14-0, also on their home field, by the ever-popular Oregon State, and one week later again lost at home, to Texas Christian.

Should Smith have been fired?

Yeah. ‘Fraid so. There was the old “erosion of confidence” thing, same as the one that sunk George Bush. Justifiably or not, SC football followers felt humiliated. Never mind the Fresno fiasco. Or even Memphis State. There was that nagging sense that it doesn’t mean as much, losing this way, when a few seasons earlier he is wearing a shirt that reads “ARIZONA” and is encouraging an entire campus to cheer against USC. As a professional, Larry Smith disliked losing. Who doesn’t? But USC people take it personally. It isn’t their job. It’s their school. The “name and logo” doesn’t mean anything anymore? They understand it. They might even think it. But they don’t want to hear their coach saying it.

Was Smith a good coach?

He was. He is. But he was guilty of a lot. Of not getting more out of Ricky Ervins, who became a good pro. (Robinson would have had Ricky’s statue on one of those stands.) Of letting Todd Marinovich and Curtis Conway go out like lambs instead of like lions. Of losses to Notre Dame (Robinson will lose, but not every time) to lapses on defense (letting UCLA back in the game that way) to lapses in leadership (ascribing capitulation to Fresno State to lack of motivation). Even Smith’s colleague, Jim Sweeney, felt he threw in the towel.

So, Smith had to go?

I suppose. But it isn’t like the guy put USC on probation or anything. Cut him some slack.

Where does USC go from here?

The next game is against Houston, which, in Jimmy Klingler, could have the most dangerous passer in the country. Robinson’s second game will be at Penn State. So, if USC is 0-2 as of Sept. 11, let’s not go jumping off of any ledges. Remember Missouri.

And Robinson’s NFL experience?

Hey, it didn’t hurt Lou Holtz, Gene Stallings or Bill Walsh.

Any final thoughts?

Yes. If USC wins six games next season and the Freedom Bowl calls, hang up.