RECRUITING / JEFF FELLENZER : Linemen Are Expected to Top Shopping List of USC Coach Robinson

John Robinson’s honeymoon as USC football coach may not be over yet, not with eight months left before the 1993 season opener, but he does get a major wake-up call this morning.

Robinson will have his first chance to meet recruits face to face beginning today, now that the NCAA’s latest “dead period” prohibiting in-person recruiting visits is over. Except for a one-day exemption last Saturday, college football coaches were prohibited from meeting with recruits from Dec. 24 through Jan. 6. The idea was for both parties to step back from the process and enjoy the holidays. In addition, college football coaches had their annual convention in Atlanta earlier this week.

But now it’s back to work. And for Robinson, 57, that means a hectic month of meeting with high school and community college prospects for the first time in 11 years. The first day high school recruits can sign letters of intent is Feb. 3.

At the same time, he’ll also be trying to assemble a coaching staff that, among other things, can help correct what some observers believe was a flaw in former Coach Larry Smith’s regime: the inability to consistently attract enough of the so-called “blue-chip” athletes, especially linemen, to a school with a rich football tradition.

It appears one of Robinson’s obstacles is overcoming a lack of depth on the offensive line. On the depth chart, only sophomore tackle Tony Boselli is considered a pro prospect. Robinson was able to attract such All-American offensive linemen as Anthony Munoz, Bruce Matthews, Marvin Powell, Brad Budde, Pat Howell, Don Mosebar, Roy Foster and Keith Van Horne when he coached at the school from 1976-82.

Munoz and Charles White, two of the most celebrated recruits in Robinson’s first tour of duty at USC, have been mentioned as candidates to join Robinson’s staff.

Munoz retired last month after 13 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. White, a Heisman Trophy-winning tailback who works in the USC athletic department, was a member of Robinson’s first Trojan recruiting class.

If Robinson is hoping to sign a running back or two, has picked a good time to start looking.

“This is a very good year for running backs in Southern California, one of the strongest we’ve had in a long time,” said Dick Lascola of the Scouting Evaluation Assn. in Fallbrook, Calif.

According to Lascola, top college running back prospects include Lawrence Phillips (6 feet, 190 pounds) of Baldwin Park, Saladin McCullough (5-10, 170) of Pasadena Muir, Eliel Swinton (5-10, 185) of Van Nuys Montclair Prep, Tarik Smith (6-1, 185) of Agoura Oak Park, Leon Vickers (5-11, 185) of Garden Grove Rancho Alamitos (who recently gave an unwritten commitment to Stanford), Anthony Davis (5-11, 180) of Chula Vista Castle Park, James Curtis (6-1, 195) of San Diego Kearny, Scott Seal (6-1, 205) of Irvine, Dion Laffitte (6-2, 225) of Manual Arts and Z Hodges (6-1, 185) of Pasadena Blair.

To date, USC has received unwritten commitments from six players: safety Ryan Tyiska (6-2, 180) of Clovis West; defensive back Denard Walker (6-2, 190) of Garland, Tex., who signed with the Trojans last year but sat out after being denied admission to the university; tackle Andy Meyers (6-6, 280) of Fontana; wide receiver-defensive back Junior Rickman (6-3, 200) of Canyon del Oro High in Tucson; offensive lineman Jonathan Himebauch (6-3, 240) of La Verne Damien, and cornerback/kick returner Jessie Davis (6-1, 210) of Mt. San Antonio College.

Of the six commitments, Meyers, who chose USC (his father’s alma mater) over UCLA (his mother’s alma mater), is probably the most significant. He’s one of the premier offensive line prospects in what talent evaluators say is somewhat of a “down” year for linemen in California.

Davis, who didn’t play football at Jefferson High, also visited Iowa and Georgia, and has a trip planned to Utah State, where the defensive backs coach at Mt. SAC, Dwayne Walker, recently accepted an assistant coaching job.

Himebauch is the son of USC recruiting coordinator Jack Himebauch, who will continue in his current position until further review by Robinson.

Notes

Besides defensive tackle Travis Kirschke (6-4 1/2, 250) of Anaheim Esperanza, who was recently chosen first-team All-American by USA Today and the state player of the year by Cal-Hi Sports, UCLA has also received unwritten commitments from two players: tackle Sean Gully (6-5, 245) of Irvine, who turned down USC, Washington and Arizona State, and tight end Troy Aldrich (6-3, 225), who will join the Bruins in time for spring practice after transferring from Glendale College. Aldrich, whose tenacity and hands remind UCLA coaches of former tight end Paul Bergmann, signed with Cal State Northridge out of Canyon Country Canyon High but ended up playing volleyball instead of football. He’ll have three seasons of eligibility at UCLA.

Add USC: The Trojans will have nine recruits visiting their campus this weekend, about 50 in the next four weeks. In all, Robinson hopes to sign 16 players. . . . Stanford, which already had an unwritten commitment from all-state quarterback Tim Carey (6-4, 175) of Los Alamitos, received an unwritten commitment from the best running back prospect in the West, Mike Mitchell (6-1, 205) of Brophy Prep High in Phoenix. Mitchell also visited Notre Dame, Cal and Arizona State.

Cal has received unwritten commitments from Crenshaw wide receiver-punter Kofi Nartey (6-1, 180) and Huntington Beach Edison tackle George Roberts (6-4, 245), who chose the Bears over USC and Washington. Another Edison tackle, Kyle Murphy (6-4, 255), committed to Arizona State after also considering Cal, Oregon and Colorado State. . . . Dorsey standout wide receiver Antonio Carrion (5-9, 170) has planned official visits to USC, San Diego State, Colorado and Arizona State. His fifth trip may be either Washington or Nevada Las Vegas.

Fullback Charles Myles (6-1, 230) of Pasadena Muir, who spent most of his senior season opening holes for teammate Saladin McCullough, has committed to Arizona. Myles canceled trips to Cal, Kansas and Nevada Las Vegas after visiting Tucson. . . . One of the state’s top linebacker prospects, Brian Willmer (6-3, 225) of Fullerton Sunny Hills, has scheduled visits to UCLA, USC, Notre Dame (he’s originally from the Chicago area), Washington and Colorado. . . . Former Newhall Hart running back Howard Blackwell, who played as a freshman at Oregon before transferring to Los Angeles Valley College, has made a commitment to Pacific.

One of the top quarterbacks in Southern California, John Dutton (6-4, 205) of Fallbrook, has given Texas an unwritten commitment. . . . Nationally, Ohio State has received an unwritten commitment from highly recruited linebacker Mike Vrabel (6-5, 245) of Stow, Ohio. Vrabel chose the Buckeyes over Michigan and Penn State.