Nevada Las Vegas Playing Robinson as Trump Card

A year after his acrimonious ouster from USC, John Robinson is poised to return to college football today. Nevada Las Vegas has scheduled a news conference to introduce him as its coach this afternoon.

At 63, Robinson is preparing to take over a team that was 0-11 this season and won only three games the year before. Coincidentally, it’s the same program that gave the Trojans a run for their money at the Coliseum last year in Robinson’s 100th collegiate victory.

After telling friends he believed he would reach a deal with UNLV, Robinson flew to Las Vegas on Wednesday to hammer out the final details, and UNLV called an evening news conference before deciding to wait until 12:30 p.m. today.

“It was just too late,” athletic department spokesman Mark Wallington said, but added the move was not the result of any snags. “Not that I know of.”

Robinson’s arrival in Las Vegas adds glamour to a Rebel football program that has been unable to compete in a town that trades in glitz.

With UNLV undertaking an $18-million renovation of Sam Boyd Stadium--seating capacity will be increased to 40,000--as the Rebels join a group of schools leaving the Western Athletic Conference to form the new Mountain West Conference, Athletic Director Charles Cavagnaro decided it was time to upgrade the program.

Former coach Jeff Horton, fired after the first winless season in UNLV’s 31-year football history, was making about $180,000, and Cavagnaro pledged to bring the salary more in line with a national average reportedly approaching $400,000 to secure a high-profile coach. Robinson provided an excellent selling point.

“There are an unbelievable amount of resources available in that city,” a source close to Robinson said.

It’s a move slightly reminiscent of UNLV’s hiring of Rollie Massimino to take over as basketball coach after the departure of Jerry Tarkanian earlier this decade. Massimino, however, lasted only two seasons after failing to continue the Rebels’ success, and he had been given a hefty and controversial salary package.

Robinson worked sparingly as a broadcaster this season and remains scheduled to work a national radio broadcast of the UCLA-Miami game Saturday and, coincidentally, the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 19.

He was intent on taking the year off, but confidantes said his thoughts turned to coaching.

“He obviously wants to coach and be a head coach,” said Keith Burns, a former USC assistant at Arkansas. “For him not to be coaching this year--he’s one of the best if not the best I’ve ever been around. Not to use that knowledge and ability doesn’t seen right.”

Burns dismisses questions about whether Robinson still has the energy for college coaching.

“I never in five years at USC saw that. He’s got a passion for the game, and he probably will until he’s not here anymore,” Burns said. “For them to land him in Vegas, that would be like a guy winning at the casino.”

Robinson has never been a college coach at any school but USC, where he was 104-35-4 in 12 years, including a 1978 national championship and eight seasons in which the Trojans lost three games or fewer.

After nine years as coach of the Los Angeles Rams, his second tour at USC faded after initial success. The Trojans won the 1996 Rose Bowl game, but went 12-11 in Robinson’s final two seasons, marked by clashes with Athletic Director Mike Garrett.

At UNLV, Robinson could mine the same Southern California recruiting grounds he did at USC--without the USC admission requirements.

Still, reviving the UNLV football program is no small undertaking. Despite a history that includes quarterback Randall Cunningham and running back Ickey Woods, the Rebels have always been overshadowed by the UNLV basketball team, and the past few years have been particularly bleak.

The Rebels threatened to get perhaps their biggest victory last Oct. 4, when the 25-point underdogs led USC, 21-14, in the fourth quarter before two long touchdown passes to R. Jay Soward helped USC win, 35-21, and Robinson avoid an embarrassing defeat.

UNLV, by the way, is not on USC’s schedule any time soon.