Rodney Peete was the kind of sensational high school athlete who could write his own ticket. A nationally recruited quarterback, his sentimental destination was Arizona. Peete`s senior season was in Kansas City, only because his father, Willie, had become a first-year Chiefs` assistant.
But Rodney had grown up in Arizona. His father was an assistant coach there and he was a waterboy. His brother played for the Wildcats. Peete was already friends with the coaching staff and many of the players. Three years ago, though, his choice of college, like so many other great athletes, was the University of Southern California.
Telling Arizona`s head coach, a family friend, ”No,” was a very difficult thing to do.
But Larry Smith understood and understands. He made the same decision eight months ago.
”It was tough when we lost him,” said Smith, taking over at USC after seven years at Arizona. ”But we lost a lot of players for the same reason. Arizona just hasn`t built that kind of tradition. When you`re from USC, you get in a few more doors.”
USC has lost some of its luster the last four years. Ted Tollner replaced John Robinson in 1983 and had a 26-20-1 record in four years. He was fired after a 7-5 season in 1986.
Athletic Director Mike McGee has received criticism in some quarters for releasing Tollner, who never seemed to recover the Trojans` faith after a 4-6-1 first season. Tollner, a former USC assistant, was still a popular figure, but few were happy with the lack of success. USC had only one Top 10 finish, 10th in 1984, under Tollner.
Part of Trojan tradition, though, was to hire a head coach with a USC background. There was a lot of former player and alumni support for Dave Levy, San Diego Chargers assistant and assistant to John Robinson while he was at USC. Dallas Cowboys assistant Paul Hackett also was a strong candidate until he withdrew.
Smith, though, had the credentials to become the leading candidate for any position.
”When you`re looking for someone,” McGee said, ”you ask a lot of respected people their opinions. Larry`s name always came up as a bright coach on the way up. And it was obvious from the first time we talked with him, he would be a strong candidate.”
Smith has helped smoothe any ruffled feathers since he was hired Jan. 2-the first USC coach with no USC background since Howard Jones in 1925. It`s hard to have controversy when everyone`s falling in love with the new guy, even if he did lose his debut to Michigan State last week 27-13.
Personable, confident and candid, Smith has made a smooth transition. He brought with him a young, enthusiastic staff. There hasn`t been a bad review. McGee was looking for someone to change direction. Smith only seems headed up.
”It`s not just Mike McGee`s view,” McGee said. ”I`m part of the university, and the university has its goal of excellence. Every department is striving to be nationally competitive, and that includes athletics.
”The goal is to be the best. That`s not a bad word. For athletics, that includes winning and academics. The university has high standards. You see the goals on the team meeting room? Be a class team with unity. Earn a USC degree. Beat UCLA and Notre Dame. Win the Pac-10 championship and Rose Bowl. National champions. I like that.”
Smith doesn`t shy away from ”shooting for the stars.” He embraces it. He has had a string of upsets of nationally ranked teams. And he led underdog Arizona to six consecutive victories over rival Arizona State, a fact that didn`t escape USC`s McGee, who cringes at a 1-7 combined record against UCLA and Notre Dame the last four years.
”I think there was a tendency to back off from the high expectations, to take some of the pressure off,” Smith said. ”But I think that`s why players come here. They want to be the best. I don`t see high expectations as a bad thing.”
Smith`s achievements are well-noted. He was an assistant under Michigan`s Bo Schembechler and Army`s Jim Young. While building his reputation as a head coach, many thought Smith was becoming a prime candidate to succeed Schembechler-if and when he ever leaves Michigan.
Smith readily admits the influence Schembechler has. He often tells a favorite story.
”Bo hired me as an assistant at Miami (Ohio) when I was a head coach in high school (at Lima, Ohio),” Smith said. ”I was the outside linebacker coach and proud of it. We practiced a few days. We started looking at film. The lights go off and Bo clicks on the projector. The first thing he says is, `Okay, what the hell is going on with our outside linebackers?` ”
Smith followed Schembechler to Michigan in 1969. Smith was there four years. When Young, who first hired Smith at Lima and was an assistant at Miami, was named head coach at Arizona in 1973, Smith went with him as defensive coordinator.
Smith became head coach at Tulane in 1976. He didn`t have a winning season until his fourth and final year. Tulane, a longtime loser before Smith, went 9-3 with a Liberty Bowl berth, the school`s first bowl in 16 years.
He took over an NCAA probation-plagued Arizona in 1980 and successfully built it into a nationally competitive team. The Wildcats were 17-6-1 with Sun and Aloha Bowl appearances the last two years.
He sees USC as a different challenge.
”This is the third time I`ve taken over as head coach,” Smith said.
”And it`s very different. The first two, you had to convince the players they could win. It`s a little different going from 5-6 to 6-5 or 7-4 than it is going from 7-5 to 9-3 or 10-2.”
The Trojans have talent to work with but are woefully thin at their pride and joy: tailback. There are no Mike Garretts, O.J. Simpsons, Anthony Davises, Ricky Bells, Charles Whites or Marcus Allens. The longest run from scrimmage by a tailback last season was 11 yards.
On the spring roster, USC had only three tailbacks on scholarship: Aaron Emanuel, Ryan Knight and Steven Webster. Emanuel has been suspended from school for a year for disciplinary reasons. Knight, considered the top high school running back when he signed four years ago, has not had the speed to develop into a dominant back. Webster goes into the season as the starter. Hampered by injuries, the 5-10, 185-pound junior has 92 total yards in two seasons.
”When you`re on the other side, the cardinal and gold look like they have winged feet,” Smith said. ”You come here and find out they`re human. Steven had a great spring and he has the speed (4.5 in the 40), but he has to be durable.”
Smith did sign four highly regarded freshman running backs last February. But no one is clearing space for a fifth Heisman in Heritage Hall yet.
If Smith is to have success, he will hang his hat on Peete, who passed for 2,138 yards as a sophomore starter last year. Peete, who made few spring practices while playing shortstop for USC`s baseball team, said Smith will be able to take advantage of a much more experienced USC.
”We got off to a good start last year (4-0),” said Peete, whose dad now coaches at Green Bay. ”Then I think we were a little immature. We didn`t work as hard. There were some Saturdays when we weren`t ready to play. Coach Smith will make sure we are ready every Saturday.
”The team has a lot more confidence. And Coach Smith has everyone thinking about winning.”
Just like old times.
