Lindsey Says He Was Fired : USC: Defensive coordinator ‘heartbroken’ that he won’t be with team at Cotton Bowl. Robinson says it was time for a change.

Don Lindsey, former USC defensive coordinator, said Thursday that he had not resigned that position but had been fired by Coach John Robinson.

A brief USC news release Wednesday quoted Robinson as saying that the decision on Lindsey’s departure “was reached mutually between Don and I and is effective immediately.”

But Lindsey said Thursday, “I am deeply offended at any suggestion that I quit. I’ve never quit at anything in my life. John called me into his office and told me I wouldn’t be coaching at the Cotton Bowl (against Texas Tech on Jan. 2).

“I’m very upset at the abruptness of it, to be asked to leave before the season was over. And I want my players to know that I didn’t quit on them. I’m heartbroken that I won’t be with them in Dallas.

“I gave 12 years of my life to USC. I think I deserved (to finish the season).”

Lindsey, adding he was particularly upset at a Times headline reporting that he had quit, said he realized that USC’s defense had not played well in a 7-3-1 season.

“The shortcomings of the defense this season, whether it was tackling, stopping the run . . . whatever, I take total and complete responsibility for it,” he said.

“I’ve been in coaching 30 years. I know what happens when you fail. And I failed. But I have no problem with failure--that’s part of coaching. I can accept responsibility.

“But I’m not hiding from anything.”

He also denied that he and Robinson had clashed over defensive philosophy, as a Times source related.

Lindsey, 51, was the first assistant hired in January, 1993, after Robinson began his second term at USC. Lindsey had worked as an assistant to John McKay and Robinson from 1971-80.

Lindsey, who lives in Arcadia, said Robinson had called him in ‘93, while Lindsey was an assistant at Missouri.

“John asked me to come here,” he said. “I didn’t call him.

“He then asked me to be his offensive coordinator (Lindsey became defensive coordinator after a week when Mike Nolan took a job with the New York Giants). And partly out of loyalty to an old friend, I agreed, and I brought my family out here.

“If John had just said (this week), ‘Look, I’m sorry you haven’t been successful with the defense. Just take some time between now and the Cotton Bowl to look for another job. . . . ‘ I wish it had happened that way.”

Robinson said Thursday he thought this week was the right time for a change, for both parties.

“The college jobs that are available are out there right now,” Robinson said.

“For Don’s sake, I wanted him to be free now to devote all his time to finding something.

“After looking at the defensive personnel all year, I have a clear picture, a specific direction I want to go in with the defense. I felt it was the right time for a change.”