Been There, Done That, Say USC Players

Forgive USC’s players if they’re thinking they already did this once.

After beating Notre Dame in overtime last season to put speculation about Coach John Robinson’s job to rest, they go into South Bend, Ind., this weekend knowing Robinson has pledged to resign if they don’t turn the season around.

“It is ironic,” cornerback Brian Kelly said. “We’ve pretty much been there, and we came out with a win last year. Now we’re looking for the same thing.”

This time, it will take a lot more than one victory. USC has six games left and three of them are against ranked teams--No. 10 Washington, No. 17 UCLA and No. 25 Stanford.

The question is, will the team play as if Robinson’s announcement adds pressure or relieves it?

“Last year, everyone started looking over their shoulders all the time,” punter Jim Wren said. “You can’t win like that. Part of what’s happened is we haven’t been playing with confidence. We have to let it rip this weekend.

“We’re playing Notre Dame. If we can’t get up to play Notre Dame, they should make us walk home.”

It didn’t seem to register with some players that Robinson was serious when he told them he would step down if USC doesn’t turn its season around, but the news hit home when the media showed up at practice to ask them about it.

“I’m kind of shocked, and kind of disappointed,” cornerback Daylon McCutcheon said. “I think everyone who comes to this school came because of Coach Robinson. Everyone would be disappointed if he wasn’t here next year. He’s just a good man, and he’s teaching us to be men, not just players.”

Mostly, there was a realization they share some responsibility.

“That saddens me to hear him say that,” defensive lineman Cedric Jefferson said. “At the same time, I respect that he’s tired of coming in here and saying everything and getting no response.

“He’s in the stage of his career where he’s won, and he’s lost. I think he’s feeling guys don’t want to fight. But I think we can turn it around if we start out on the practice field and continue the entire week and carry it over into the game.”

Running back LaVale Woods can’t play this week because of an ankle injury, no matter how much he might want to.

“We haven’t been consistent. I think it’s unfair when people harp on him,” Woods said. “It’s unfortunate. He’s a great coach. It should be his decision, not something based on the way we play. We shouldn’t dictate that. The coaches’ only responsibility is preparing us to play. Playing, that’s ours.”

Offensive lineman Chris Brymer is one of the players who picked USC almost solely because of Robinson.

“What really got me was when Coach Robinson said he couldn’t look his former players in the eyes,” Brymer said. “He’s gotten to that point. That says a lot. He even feels himself he hasn’t been doing a good job. But overall, it’s the players on our team. His name, and his greatness, are suffering because of our poor play.

“It’s a team, and even though he leads it, we’re the ones who go out on the field. He can only do so much.”

Now the players and coaches have to do all they can for what could be the final half-dozen games of Robinson’s career.

“The next six games might be the most important of all of our lives,” offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said. “You can crumple up, or you can fight. This is a real opportunity. Wouldn’t that be the most amazing success story if we come back and win the rest of our games?”