Donahue Has No Promises to Give : College football: UCLA coach says he won’t hide from potential recruits that he may resign.

Strongly considering resigning from the job he has held for 20 years, Bruin football Coach Terry Donahue is planning on telling potential recruits not to come to UCLA with the expectation that they will play for him.

But, although he has a tentative offer from CBS to join the network as a commentator starting next season, Donahue, 51, has not made a final decision. One is expected, however, before the Bruins play Kansas in the Aloha Bowl on Christmas Day.

Donahue, finishing his 20th season as UCLA’s head coach, is planning on stressing the program to potential recruits rather than his own role in it.

“When you choose a school, you choose a university,” he said he will tell them. “Sometimes coaches come and [sometimes] coaches stay.”

Whether or not Donahue stays, he said he won’t conceal his decision from those choosing a place to play football.

“I’m not in the business of lying to people,” he said. “I can’t guarantee anybody anything. You can’t guarantee tomorrow. I don’t think this has had or does have an effect on recruiting. People come to UCLA because they like UCLA.

“If [there has been no decision] when it comes around letter-of-intent day [mid-February], we might have a problem.”

Donahue doesn’t expect the problem to linger that long, but he won’t be rushed.

“I’ve got a game to coach for UCLA,” he said. “I’ve got to get that done. . . . I’m not preoccupied with [a decision]. I’ve been just trying to enjoy the SC game [which the Bruins won, 24-20] and to get organized for a bowl game. I’m not under a timetable to make a decision.”

Donahue has been tempted to leave before. Both the Rams and the Atlanta Falcons tried to lure him to the NFL. Ohio State, Arkansas and Arizona State were all interested in hiring him. And all discussed contracts that were worth more than twice what he makes at UCLA.

But the temptation to leave this time is based more on what he has done where he is, rather than on what he might do elsewhere.

Some say Donahue is tired of the recruiting grind. Others say he feels there may never be a better time to walk away. By beating USC in UCLA’s regular-season finale, Donahue became the winningest coach in Pacific 10 Conference history. He became the first coach in the Bruin-Trojan rivalry to win five in succession.

About the only thing left for Donahue would be to win a national championship and, with four-fifths of his offensive line leaving, and perhaps tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar following close behind, a No. 1 ranking doesn’t appear to be on the horizon.

Some theorize that this is about money. Donahue has three years left on a contract that pays him about $367,000 a year. In comparison, UCLA basketball Coach Jim Harrick makes $420,000 a year, with the possibility of increasing that to $545,000 annually if he should win another national championship.

Is Donahue engaging in high-profile contract negotiations? Is he angling for a raise to Herrick’s level? Some close to the program concede that it would be interesting if Athletic Director Peter Dalis were to find the money to raise Donahue’s salary, but those who really know Donahue insist it is not the determining factor in his decision.

There were plenty of signs, both before and after the USC game, that Donahue was at least thinking about it as his last game. When he was asked by his seniors on the night before the game what his plans were, Donahue told them, “I can’t say I’ll be back. I can’t say I won’t.”

Donahue is not known for showing his emotions before a game. But several of those who heard his pregame address to the players at the Coliseum said it was an uncharacteristically emotional speech. He didn’t say he was leaving, but he did make it plain that he desperately wanted to win the game.

Two of Donahue’s brothers, Dan and Pat, former teammate John Richardson and several other friends were on the sideline for the game. Longtime observers of Bruin football couldn’t remember another instance in which Donahue invited so many people close to him to be by his side during a game.

And when the game was over, Donahue’s wife, Andrea, and his three daughters all hugged him in the end zone, tears running down their faces.

What does it all mean? Just an emotional victory or an emotional farewell? The answer should soon be known.

UCLA Notes

Tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar, who sat out all but one play of UCLA’s last two games because of a sprained ankle, is expected to be ready for the Aloha Bowl. Abdul-Jabbar, who has already set a school single-season rushing record with 1,419 yards, will be eased back into practice. “I think he will arrive in Hawaii ready to play,” Coach Terry Donahue said. “I would be shocked if it’s anything but that.” . . . Because of a heavy school workload, the Bruins will practice only on Saturday for each of the next two weeks before beginning daily practice Dec. 16. The team will leave for Hawaii on Dec. 19.