Not Quite a Man of His Word

The latest John Robinson CNN tracking poll:

1993: “We aspire to win national championships.”

1996 update: Has not won a national championship.

1993: “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.”

1996 update: No one has filled it.

1993: “We will beat Notre Dame.”

1996 update: Has not beaten Notre Dame.

1993: “If we don’t beat UCLA, it will not be a successful season.”

1996 update: Robinson II is 0-3 against UCLA.

“The thing about John,” a former colleague of Robinson’s was saying not long ago, “is that he says things and really believes he can make them come true.”

Once, all Robinson had to do was click his heels three times in La-La Land. Once, when Charles White was running behind Anthony Munoz, and Ronnie Lott and Dennis Thurman were roaming the secondary, Robinson could say things and watch them come true.

Once, when he recruited the best players in the nation at every position--future NFL rushing champions, Hall of Famers, broadcasters--Robinson could get away with brash statements.

Because he could back them up.

Robinson isn’t backing up his comments anymore, he’s just backing up, and frankly, the motivational ploys are starting to ring hollow.

Robinson cornered himself again this week when he boldly predicted: “We’re going to win our last five games, win one of the better bowl games, and finish 10-3.”

Don’t expect the USC publicity department to plaster the latest Robinson statement on Southern California billboards.

Been there, blown that.

In 1993, remember, the Trojans heralded Robinson’s return with a bold media blitz.

“Be a Trojan. Beat Notre Dame.”

Robinson regretted the wisdom of the marketing campaign he inspired.

He seems to be regretting much of what he says lately.

With his latest proclamation, Robinson is setting himself up for the biggest fall of his distinguished career.

He is banking that his team, not exactly sizzling after a 4-3 start, somehow turned the corner after giving up 48 points in a loss to Arizona State last weekend.

Let’s break down Robinson’s comments in sections:

“We’re going to win our last five games. . . .”

This will require victories over Washington State, Washington, Stanford, UCLA and Notre Dame.

Do-able? Sure, what the heck. Washington State just beat Cal, which beat USC three weeks ago. Washington is a top-25 team. Stanford? OK, that’s bank.

Then there’s UCLA, which has defeated USC five consecutive times, and Notre Dame, which hasn’t lost to the Trojans in its last 13 tries.

”. . . Win one of the better bowl games. . . .”

USC can’t win one of the better bowl games.

The Trojans will not be going to the Sugar, Orange, Fiesta or Rose Bowl. That leaves the Cotton, Sun or Aloha, neither of which may be better than the Citrus.

”. . . and finish 10-3.”

Question: How can Robinson run the table with a receiving corps that dropped five more passes on Saturday, including one that was incorrectly ruled a touchdown?

How can USC win six in a row with an inexperienced offensive line coming off a stretch in which it allowed Brad Otton to be sacked 13 times in consecutive weeks?

How can USC win out with its top back, Shawn Walters, holding his helmet on the sideline?

Robinson would be better off letting his record speak for itself: most wins among Pacific 10 coaches the last three years, three bowl games in three years, etc.

But that would mean not speaking up himself.

If Robinson makes good on this latest offer, he should mount Traveler and ride off into the sunset to the drumbeats of “Conquest.”

If he doesn’t, he might have to ride off into the sunset anyway.

DANNY, SNAKE AND PANCAKES

If they handed out the Heisman Trophy today, well, it would be really, really, way too soon.

In fact, there would be no one at the Downtown Athletic Club to accept it.

But here’s a handicap of the race based on performances through Oct. 19.

Leader:

Danny Wuerffel, quarterback, Florida. Don’t care if he’s not a good pro prospect, don’t care if chucks the ball like Brian Oldfield, don’t care if he’s a product of the system, doesn’t cuss or subscribe to Playboy.

Wuerffel is a touchdown-throwing machine on the nation’s No. 1 team.

He finished third in last year’s balloting, and the guys who finished ahead of him, Eddie George and Tommie Frazier, are gone.

Wuerffel’s efficiency rating, 181.1, is better than last year’s mark that broke the NCAA record.

The hardware is Wuerffel’s to lose. But he could lose it.

Charging fast:

Jake Plummer, quarterback, Arizona State. One of the greatest Heisman rallies in recent memory. The Sept. 21 Nebraska victory put him on the map, but Plummer’s heroics in leading come-from-behind wins over UCLA and USC in consecutive weekends are starting to remind people of a miracle year a young wisp named Doug Flutie put together for Boston College in 1984.

Neck and neck:

Troy Davis, tailback, Iowa State. If he played for Notre Dame, you’d be asking him where he was going to put his second Heisman. Is it Davis’ fault he plays for a loser? Last week, he reclaimed the national rushing lead from Texas Tech’s Byron Hanspard with a 238-yard, 36-carry effort in a loss to Oklahoma State.

Darnell Autry, tailback, Northwestern. His streak of 100-plus games ended at 19 last week when he injured his shoulder in the Wisconsin victory. The injury may take Autry out of Heisman contention, but no player has been more important to his team.

Peyton Manning, quarterback, Tennessee. He’ll never get back those four first-half interceptions he threw against Florida.

Longshots:

Orlando Pace, tackle, Ohio State. A popular alternative choice among the voting elite, “the Pancake Man” is the best offensive line prospect since, um, Tony Mandarich. No, really, Pace is twice as good. Bottom line: Left tackles don’t win Heismans.

Marcus Harris, receiver, Wyoming. He’s as deserving as anyone based on production. Bottom line: Wide receivers from Laramie don’t win Heismans.

Warrick Dunn, tailback, Florida State. A great player on a top-five team, but his rushing statistics have only been great, not otherworldly.

Steve Sarkisian, quarterback, Brigham Young. He has thrown for 2,747 yards and 23 touchdowns, but “only” 13 since throwing 10 in his first two games in August.

Hanspard, tailback, Texas Tech. Was making a strong case until he fumbled twice against Nebraska last weekend.

WANTED: TWO ALLIANCE TEAMS

Notre Dame’s overtime loss to Air Force probably cost the now 19th-ranked Irish a shot at one of two at-large alliance bowl picks.

Last year, the slots were all but sealed and delivered. Five of the positions went to the champions of the Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, Big Eight, Big East and Southwest conferences.

Notre Dame was guaranteed an at-large pick if it finished ranked in the top 10. It did.

This year, with the Southwest folding and Notre Dame afforded no such guarantees, two at-large picks are being dangled like scraps of meat to hungry Division I peasants.

“It certainly creates some opportunities for teams that might not have projected a week ago,” Fiesta Bowl Executive Director John Junker said of Notre Dame’s loss.

Fighting with daggers for one of the picks is the Western Athletic Conference, left out of the Sugar-Orange-Fiesta bowl alliance deal.

“I said from the get-go our goal is to have a team ranked in the top 10 on Dec. 7 or 8 and be in position for an alliance bowl selection,” WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said this week.

Not so fast, WAC. Brigham Young (7-1) is ranked only 15th in this week’s AP poll, followed by 8-0 Wyoming (18th) and 6-1 Utah (21st).

The Fiesta is eyeing the Big Ten runner-up for its game--Ohio State, Northwestern or Michigan. Other teams in the at-large hunt would include a once-beaten Tennessee, Alabama or Florida State or Florida.

Don’t ever count the Irish out, either. This is the same school that went to the Fiesta Bowl in 1994 with a 6-4-1 record.

HURRY-UP OFFENSE

--Enough with the second-guessing. Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez made the right call in going for a first down with a three-point lead late in Saturday’s 34-30 loss to Northwestern. The Badgers could not have run out the clock by taking a knee on three downs. Had they done so, they would have had to punt the ball back to Northwestern with 20 seconds left.

“I don’t know many coaches that would have taken a knee and punted,” a beleaguered Alvarez said Tuesday.

The game turned disastrous when freshman Ron Dayne fumbled the ball back to Northwestern, allowing the Wildcats to score the game-winning touchdown with 37 seconds left.

Dayne had not fumbled in 105 previous carries.

--Don Nehlen, coach of 7-0 and 12th-ranked West Virginia, is disgusted with CNN/USA Today coaches who cast their top-25 ballots at midnight each Saturday with little regard for what they’re doing.

“I know,” Nehlen said. “I’m one of those guys that vote at midnight.”

--After a 4-0 start, Miami has lost two in a row, nearly dropped out of top-25 sight and faces No. 7 West Virginia in Morgantown this week.

A challenge? “We’ve had NCAA investigations, probation,” Miami Coach Butch Davis says. “We’ve had players get injured, we lost three players who died last year; I mean, you name it, we’ve been challenged with it.”

--The demise of the Haka Bowl cost the bowl-starved WAC a precious spot for a conference that has more quality teams than available spots. Air Force, 4-2 and flying high after its upset of Notre Dame, could finish 9-2 and get shut out of a bowl. Coach Fisher DeBerry’s team has lost two games, to Wyoming and Navy, on last-minute field goals. “We’re 35 seconds away from being undefeated,” DeBerry says.

--Kentucky Coach Bill Curry on his firing this week: “It’s embarrassing, and I’m sorry I didn’t do a better job. . . . This is not one of those situations where an injustice was done.”