Decision Is at Hand on Robinson’s Fate

The lingering death of USC’s football season awaits only a final pronouncement now, and that means the question of Coach John Robinson’s future is finally close to being addressed.

With USC all but officially eliminated from bowl consideration Saturday and the season apparently over, the clock is ticking on Athletic Director Mike Garrett’s annual evaluation of Robinson--one he maintained would take place only after the season was over.

“I don’t think we have a chance to go to a bowl now,” Garrett said Saturday night, but he declined to put a timetable on any decisions involving Robinson. With Robinson out of town this weekend, no meeting between the two is anticipated before Monday, however.

“I’d rather not discuss anything until I have an opportunity to talk to the appropriate people,” Garrett said.

In any case, the months of uncertainty are approaching an end.

For at least one night last week, however, it was as if nothing were amiss.

With the team gathered for its awards banquet at a hotel, Robinson stood at the dais in a blazer the color of cabernet and did what he still does better than anyone: He talked about USC.

He lauded a senior class that won a Rose Bowl and a Cotton Bowl and beat Notre Dame twice in a row--never really mentioning the 6-6 season followed by a 6-5 season that ended two weeks ago in a seventh consecutive loss to UCLA.

For a couple of hours, you could almost forget how precarious Robinson’s status is.

As he summoned the senior players and student managers and trainers to the stage Thursday night and proclaimed them “Trojans forever,” he knew he couldn’t be sure himself if he will be a Trojan next year.

Robinson--whose contract runs through 2001 but includes a buyout clause--has said he is “probably” coming back, even though he has yet to receive any assurances.

If there were hints at the banquet, they were these: University President Steven Sample introduced Robinson to the podium as “a great coach and a personal friend,” and Robinson made a pointed attempt to honor his much-criticized assistants, some of them perhaps for the last time: “I salute you. You know how much I respect you,” he said.

If there were a betting line on Robinson’s future, the odds would favor another return, predicated on changes among his assistants.

Garrett has played the inscrutable role to perfection this season, but one source close to him said Garrett probably wouldn’t fire Robinson “unless the president said he had to, or unless John did it himself.” At the same time, “I think everybody wants changes on the coaching staff,” the source said.

Robinson balked at making changes last season, and his attitude toward making them this season could be the key issue in his meetings with Garrett.

Sample said after the banquet he will wait for Garrett to “make his recommendation” to him and go from there. Garrett has played it so close to the vest no one can read the Heritage Hall tea leaves with confidence.

“Everybody’s still puzzled. Nobody knows,” one administrator said. “Part of you says it doesn’t look good [for Robinson]. Part of you says he’ll be back. John’s probably feeling the same way.”

Robinson suggested at midseason he’d fire himself if things didn’t get better, then tried another spin at season’s end--telling his players in a postseason meeting he is coming back.

Whether that was to settle the players or an attempt to sway sentiment away from a change is difficult to say.

One thing is obvious: Robinson would like to have his position solidified quickly so recruiting can proceed without the question marks.