Robinson Gets New Five-Year Contract at USC

USC, which was losing to the Fresno States of the world when he arrived, gave football Coach John Robinson a new deal Wednesday.

Robinson, the university announced, has signed a new five-year contract, one believed to push his salary up to the $500,000 level, although terms weren’t announced.

It’s believed he makes about $300,000 on his present four-year contract. The new one goes into effect next season.

USC still hasn’t beaten Notre Dame or UCLA since Robinson returned, but Athletic Director Mike Garrett indicated Wednesday he was impressed with the program’s overall growth.

“Keeping John Robinson was a major priority, and we now have him for a length of time where he can continue the growth of the program,” he said.

Robinson completed the third season of his second term at USC with a Rose Bowl title last Jan. 1, a 41-32 victory over Northwestern. The Trojans were co-Pacific 10 champions the last two seasons and finished second in 1993, his first year back.

His 10-season USC mark is 92-24-4. He coached seven USC seasons (1976-82) before leaving for a nine-year stint with the Rams and one season as a TV commentator.

He was hired after the firing of Larry Smith, shortly after USC lost to Fresno State in the 1992 Freedom Bowl.

The Trojans have recruited well in each of their last three seasons and last year’s class was rated by some observers as the nation’s best.

The centerpiece is a 6-foot-6, 300-pound offensive lineman from Fort Vancouver, Wash., Travis Claridge, who is given a chance by some to start next season.

Robinson said in January that he expected to coach “several more years” at USC.

“I feel good, my health is good, I still enjoy it and unless something bad happens health-wise, I’ll be here,” he said.

Only John McKay (175 games) and Howard Jones (170) have coached more USC games than Robinson (120). Robinson’s 78.8% is the fourth-best winning mark among NCAA Division I-A coaches. He’s 7-1 in postseason games and 4-0 in the Rose Bowl.

The nation’s highest-paid college coaches have been reaching the $1-million mark in income recently. Auburn’s Terry Bowden is said to make that, and his father, Bobby, slightly less at Florida State. Notre Dame’s Lou Holtz is believed to make about $750,000.