Trojans Picked 1st By Media

John Robinson remembers the wry smiles and “yeah, sure” nods that greeted him two years ago at the Pacific-10 Conference’s annual football Media Day.

Robinson, after signing on for a much-publicized second tour of duty as Southern California’s head coach, had boldly promised that day to rebuild the program into the national power it had been when he first held the reins through the late 1970s and early 1980s.

His brashness was met with skepticism from the writers and broadcasters in the crowd. Less than 24 months later, it appears Robinson is on the verge of making good on his promise.

The Trojans have 14 starters returning from a 1994 team that went 8-3-1 and finished 13th in The Associated Press’ final poll.

They are heavily favored by most preseason college football publications to win their 31st Pac-10 title.

And Sports Illustrated has named USC as its preseason favorite to win the national championship.

Robinson, speaking Tuesday morning to this year’s Media Day gathering, said he considers all the preseason hype “irrelevant,” but he used it to take a quick dig at those in the audience who had been among the non-believers two years ago.

“I think two years ago people scoffed at us when we said we were going to get back to that level of play and that kind of company,” Robinson said. “This (hype) is indicative that maybe we’re back at that level.

“We do actually have a chance to win all of our games … but we have a chance to lose three or four, too.”

Most of the other coaches who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting agreed with those who are so high on the Trojans, adding that UCLA, Arizona and Washington are the best threats to derail Robinson’s title express.

But Terry Donahue, starting his 20th season at UCLA, cast his vote for defending champion Oregon, which stunned the college football world last fall by capturing its first Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth in 37 seasons.

The Ducks lost head coach Rich Brooks to the NFL, but Donahue foresees a smooth transition under new coach Mike Bellotti, who was Brooks’ offensive coordinator.

“I’ve always taken the position that the conference champion from the year before - unless they have lost an inordinate amount of players - is the team to beat,” Donahue explained. “Oregon is a very fine football team and they have not lost an inordinate amount of players.

“In my mind, until somebody can line up and beat Oregon, they’re the team to beat.”

Media darlings

The writers and broadcasters who cover the Pac-10 concur with the national college football publications that have picked USC as the best team in the league this season.

The Trojans were selected No. 1 by 34 of the 42 media members who participated in this year’s annual preseason poll.

UCLA, with four first-place votes, was picked to finish second, followed by Washington, Oregon, Arizona, California, Oregon State, Washington State, Arizona State and Stanford.

The poll has correctly predicted four of the last six league champions, but last year it picked eventual champion Oregon eighth and WSU, the Pac-10’s fourth-place team and a 10-3 winner over Baylor in the Alamo Bowl, 10th.

Name game

Among the 1,000 or so players on Pac-10 rosters this fall, California wide receiver Iheanyi Uwaezuoke remains one of the hardest to defend - and pronounce.

Uwaezuoke, who caught 56 passes for 716 yards and five touchdowns as a junior last fall, pronounces his name ee-HAHN-ee ooh-WAY-zoh-kay.

It’s enough to give even his head coach, Keith Gilbertson, problems.

“Drink two glasses of merlot and then try to pronounce his name three times,” Gilbertson said. “It gets real interesting.”

Third-and-shorts

UCLA’s Donahue, with 94 conference wins, needs only four victories to surpass former Washington Huskies coach Don James as the Pac-10’s all-time leader. … Those attending Tuesday’s Media Day at the Airport Hilton were introduced to the Pac10’s two new head coaches - Bellotti, who replaced Brooks at Oregon, and Tyrone Willingham, who took over for Bill Walsh at Stanford. … UCLA, with 18, has the most returning starters of any Pac-10 team. California and Oregon are next with 17 each, followed by Stanford with 15 starters back.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Defense to draw top priority in Cougars camp Washington State coach Mike Price will begin the formidable task of rebuilding his depleted defense in earnest next week. The Cougars, who lost eight starters from one of the best defenses in the country last fall, open fall camp Aug. 12. Freshmen report Aug. 7 and will run through physical testing and several days of rookie camp before the veterans return Aug. 10. The school’s annual Photo Day is set for Friday, Aug. 11. Price will work his team without pads until Wednesday, Aug. 16. The Cougars, coming off a surprising 8-4 season, return 12 starters, but only three are on defense. Price said several players, including defensive tackle Leon Bender, a projected starter, are still at risk academically. But he added nothing will be known about their eligibility status until after summer classes conclude Friday. Price also announced Tuesday that little-used junior wide receiver Shaheed Evans and his brother, Ali, a redshirt freshman running back, who sat out last season as a Prop 48 casualty, have been dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons.