Notes on a Scorecard - Jan. 3, 1991

USC Coach Larry Smith said he would have to review the tapes of the John Hancock Bowl before saying anything about Todd Marinovich. Well, I reviewed those tapes myself and have changed my mind about Marinovich. For the good of all concerned, he should move on to the NFL next season. . . .

Slow motion shows that the Trojan quarterback said, “I’m out of here,” after he received a tongue-lashing on the sidelines from Smith, who pulled him from the lineup in the fourth quarter Monday against Michigan State. . . .

Smith then was pictured uttering some language that would be unfit for a family newspaper. This might be dismissed as heat-of-battle stuff, except that it isn’t the first time the two have exchanged unpleasantries. . . .

Marinovich doesn’t rate with senior quarterbacks Browning Nagle, Dan McGwire and Brett Favre in scouting reports, but some NFL team would be willing to draft the sophomore and wait until he matures. . . .

That team could be the Raiders. Jay Schroeder’s backups are Vince Evans, who is 35, and Steve Beuerlein, who didn’t dress once this season. Besides, dad Marv Marinovich is a former Raider who scouted Art Shell at Maryland State before Oakland drafted him in 1968. . . .

A middle-round draft choice this year might be able to sign for nearly as much money as a first-rounder in 1992 if the NFL players and owners sign a collective bargaining agreement by then. . . .

Marinovich transferring to another school would make no sense. He would lose all remaining eligibility if he moved within the Pacific 10 Conference and would lose one year’s eligibility and have to sit out a year if he moved outside the conference. . . .

Earning his degree does not appear to be a particularly high priority for Marinovich, who was benched for the Arizona State game because he missed classes. If his grades aren’t up to standards this semester, he would be ineligible for spring practice. . . .

My film review of the Hancock Bowl also showed that Marinovich’s performance wasn’t all that horrendous. He did complete 18 of 30 passes. Three balls were dropped. And the last of his three interceptions was caused by an outstanding defensive play. . . .

In retrospect, you could question Smith’s decision to lift a guy who conducted a game-winning touchdown drive as recently as Nov. 17 against UCLA. Nine minutes remained, and the Trojans trailed by only four points when Shane Foley was summoned in El Paso. . . .

Some believed Foley belonged on the taxi squad after a run-in with a cab one early morning in Newport Beach. . . .

Smith probably would feel comfortable next season with Reggie Perry, a mobile, sprint-out type who has an even temperament. . . .

Perry will be a sophomore with next to no experience, but the Trojan coach has gone to the Rose Bowl with a young quarterback before. . . .

Call Colorado No. 1 and Georgia Tech No. 1-A. A one-point loss to Illinois isn’t as bad as a tie with North Carolina. . . .

In the Associated Press preseason poll, Miami was ranked first, Notre Dame second and Colorado fifth. Georgia Tech was tied for 34th with Texas. . . .

Statistics don’t always tell the story: Iowa outgained Washington in the Rose Bowl. . . .

The previous Rose Bowl scoring record was the 79 points hung up by USC and Wisconsin in 1963, the year quarterback Ron VanderKelen brought the Badgers back from 14-42 to 37-42. . . .

The best Cardinals to appear in Tempe, Ariz., all season were those from the University of Louisville. . . .

A team as talented as Michigan shouldn’t have lost three games. . . .

The Orange Bowl halftime show needs the NFL time limit. . . .

Eight bowl games on New Year’s Day are more than enough. I liked it better when only four were played. . . .

Sign at Sun Bowl Stadium: “We Love MSU, CBS and Ernie Harwell.” . . .

It would have been nice to hear Joel Meyers do college football again. Too bad he got stuck with the Clemson-Illinois stinker on NBC. . . .

Best matchup of the first round of the NFL playoffs: The pass rush of Kansas City linebacker Derrick Thomas against the quick delivery of Miami quarterback Dan Marino Saturday at Joe Robbie Stadium. . . .

Bill Parcells owns property in Tampa, Fla., and doesn’t get along with New York Giant General Manager George Young very well. . . .

Houston and Cincinnati should make up for all the scoring that Chicago and New Orleans won’t do Sunday. . . .

Bengal Coach Sam Wyche is giving sportswriters way too much credit when he closes practices to them because they might write something that would aid the Oiler game plan. . . .

First question of 1991: Why did Colorado punt to Rocket Ismail?