By Scottie Bricker
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 16, 1997

Robinson says he will step aside unless team improves

Head coach John Robinson, calling his Southern Cal team a team in crisis, said Tuesday he will quit after the season if the Trojans don't improve.

"I'm a really good football coach who's not doing very well right now,'' Robinson said Tuesday. "If I don't do better, then I will step aside.

"I'm not talking about wins, but I'm talking about facing this crisis and having our players respond, then our football team should go in a new direction at the end of the season."

Athletic director Mike Garrett said after the Trojans' 35-7 loss at Arizona State last Saturday that he was sticking with Robinson through this season. The coach's contract extends through the 2001 season.

The Trojans' loss to ASU was their most lopsided defeat by an unranked team in Robinson's 12 years. The loss dropped them to 2-3, with two of their losses in Pacific 10 Conference games.

Talking about the Trojans trailing just 13-7 before falling apart in the second half at ASU, Robinson said, "The thing that's most disturbing is when it was time to step up and win the game, we stepped back. We were without energy and without confidence and I think it was mind-boggling to everyone involved.

"I've told them (the players), among a lot of other things, that if you can't perform, you've got to step aside. Somewhere along the line, they need to stand up and fight. They need to punch the other guy instead of letting him punch them."

Robinson shouldered the blame, saying, "One thing that is happening is they're choking or not performing and that's my responsibility to get them ready."

Asked what the players' mood was, the coach answered, "The team pretty much has been told to shut up and listen. The only real significance now is how they perform."

Showing his sense of humor is intact, Robinson said, "I would ask all Trojans, or people who care about USC, to join us. We're starting a million man march, and we've only got about 12 guys right now."

Bye week may have hurt Cougars' momentum

After its second bye week of the season, WSU will go for its sixth win of the season when it hosts the Cal on Saturday.

The Cougars, ranked No. 13 in The Associated Press poll, are in first place in the Pac-10 and remain as the only undefeated team in the conference.

WSU coach Mike Price said the Cougars didn't need the bye week, however.

"We're anxious to play," he said. "The bye enabled our players to catch up with their schoolwork. But I'm a little concerned about our momentum. Our players weren't as excited about practice on Monday as I was."

Defensive lineman Gary Holmes is limited in practice this week because his back has been tightening up of late, Price said.

Holmes had back surgery this spring.

Backup running back Miguel Meriwether will miss the Cal game after having his knee scoped this week. Linebacker Kenny Moore will not be available this weekend as well.

After a highly touted preseason, the Cougars defensive line hasn't played up to its potential.

"I expect them to perform better in this second season here," Price said. "Part of that is because of injuries. Leon Bender played three games with a broken rib, and Dorian Boose was also hurt. But they're healthy now."

Boose leads the Cougars with three sacks this season, while Shane Doyle has two.

Arizona State sees bowl games in its future

The Arizona State Sun Devils, coming off what is arguably its best performance of the season, travel to Palo Alto to take on the Stanford Saturday.

"It's the best game we've played (in total)," ASU head coach Bruce Snyder said of his team's performance against USC.

Quarterback Ryan Kealy has been the surprise of late, completing 21 of 34 passes against USC for 281 yards and three touchdowns.

"I hope this is the beginning to a happy story," Kealy said of the performance last week.

ASU has dominated the series against Stanford, winning four of the last five and nine of the previous 11 games, including last year's 41-9 trouncing in Palo Alto.

Stanford is busy searching for answers after a disappointing 28-22 loss to the Wildcats in which tailbacks Mike Mitchell and Anthony Bookman were held to just 33 yards rushing against the conference's best rushing defense.

No relief is in sight as the Sun Devil defense is third against the rush, yielding just over 100 yards per game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report