It Wasn’t the Loss, but Robinson Is Ill

Coach John Robinson wasn’t at USC’s film sessions and player meetings Sunday, missing the workday because he was ill.

“He was hacking before the game and wasn’t feeling good on the plane on the way home,� said Tim Tessalone, director of sports information.

USC doesn’t practice on Sundays, but coaches and players meet to review the week’s game before the players take Monday off.

“He’s just got a real bad flu. I took him some medicine,� defensive coordinator Keith Burns said. “He was sick all week and woke up this morning feeling bad. He’ll be fine, ready to roll tomorrow.�

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USC’s shutout at the hands of No. 7 Washington on Saturday marked only the fourth time in the players’ lifetimes USC has been shut out, and the first shutout in Robinson’s 12 years in two stints as USC coach.

Since the current players were born, USC has been shut out only four times--by Washington in 1983, ’90 and Saturday, and by Arizona State in 1985.

Before that, the last shutout was against Oregon State in 1967.

The shutout ended an 89-game streak in which USC had scored at least a field goal. The longest streak without being shut out in Trojan history was 186 games, from 1967-83.

The blame Saturday was shared--from an offensive line that couldn’t stop Washington’s pass rush to receivers who couldn’t hold onto the ball to the three-headed quarterback rotation and the game plan.

USC’s longest drive was 34 yards, and the Trojans went three downs and out.

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NEXT UP FOR USC

WHO: Stanford

WHERE: Coliseum

TIME: Saturday 2:30 p.m.

TV: TBA

RADIO: 97.1 (KLSX-FM)