Morning Buzz: USC Coaching Roulette, 1970 Edition

USC.1970.COACHESWelcome to the latest edition of Coaching Roulette, where we take a look at a USC coaching staff when the school produced an assembly line of head coaches, big-time assistants, etc. and actually did hire the best staff in America.

You might have heard of the guy on upper left. His name is Joe Gibbs and he won three Super Bowls as the coach of the Washington Redskins. Six members of this staff became head coaches. Not even pictured are graduate assistant Al Saunders, who was the San Diego Chargers head coach (1986-88) and assistant head coach of the Chiefs, Redskins and Raiders. The other graduate assistant was Hudson Houck, a legendary USC offensive line coach (1976-82) and NFL offensive line coach for five teams.

Offensive line coach Rod Humenuik was head coach at Cal State Northridge (1971-72) and a long-time NFL assistant that included a stint as assistant head coach of the New England Patriots (1985-88) when they went to their first Super Bowl. Running backs coach Pete Yoder was the head coach at Cal State Fullerton from 1972-74.

Assistant coach Phil Krueger was the head coach at Fresno State (1964-65) before coming to USC and then left to become head coach at Utah State (1973-75). In 1986, he became general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I previously covered these Trojan greats in 1972: Willie Brown was a former star player and Adoree Jackson before Adoree Jackson. Craig Fertig became the head coach at Oregon State (1976-79). Dave Levy was just inducted into the USC Hall of Fame and can stand next to anyone in coaching acumen. Marv Goux is Mr. USC, the most inspirational assistant coach or coach in school history.

Now, someone will inevitably mention in the comments that USC went 6-4-1 that season. Yes they did. But at least we know coaching was not the reason.

Here’s the coaches in order in the photo:

(left to right) kneeling: Rod Humenuik, Phil Krueger, John McKay, Willie Brown, Pete Yoder. standing: ]oe Gibbs, Craig Fertig, Dave Levy and Marv Goux.

70 thoughts on “Morning Buzz: USC Coaching Roulette, 1970 Edition

      • The hilarious thing about Crotch Boy (bucket) is that he actually thinks he’s very smart. Glorifies in his own delusional self-opinion. In reality, he’s just a lonely common Troll who posts here incessantly to give himself a life, tag-teaming with that drunken degenerate uclaownszilch – the little gutties.

        • I’ve learned not to take him very seriously….he’s like a heckler with courtside seats given to him by his boss, yet he knows nothing at all about sports…he just enjoys heckling and seeing how the crowd around him reacts to his mindless comments……

        • Better show your beard Garry Bleauz how to do it, Dr. Rachel Maddow of Inside USC.

        • Garry Bleauz was denied posting a link, Dr. Rachel Maddow of Inside USC. Or were you passed out on airplane glue again when he posted about that?

  1. Okay, Scott… we get it…..So if it wasn’t coaching, then it was the players…..then, using your logic, that would be an indictment of their poor recruiting skills, no?

    • Actually, after the season, McKay told his assistants to go get bigger and faster players. In 1972 they stomped the crap out of everyone and went 12-0 with what is said to have been the greatest college team ever.

      • That’s fair enough, but what kind of players did he tell his assistants to get before?

  2. In the last few years I’ve looked for places to find information about UCLA sports but noted those do not exist. It’s come down to hanging on a USC blog watching UCLA fans post things that Nellie would find classless and despicably. It gives one perspective on the feelings I used to get putting on those powder blue colors listening to something called an 8 clap? Nellie what have I done?

    JW

    • johnny boy, I agree you’re classless and despicable.

      According to Nellie, she’s kicked you out of the house and you’re now living part time in a South Central library toilet.

      So just pick and peck “UCLA” on a library computer should the computers be working. Sorry to hear your cane was stolen. Limp on johnny.

    • Where do you get your information on Smurfs, Star Wars and Comic Cons, Golly_Nerd?

  3. What he’s trying to show you rah rah, pom pom up your fanny idiots is that the last two USC head coaches stated they were going to attract the ” best staff in college football “. Neither of them can attract flies. NO ONE wants to work for Sark, NO ONE, unless it’s retreads who need a paycheck. NO ONE wanted to work for Kiffin, who would ? PC had a monster staff and then let his ego get the better of him so he surrounded himself with children ( Kiffin, Sark, Roth his idiot kid Fredo ) who said ” yes ” and never told him ” no “. Good head coaches, and great one’s like McKay, attract good assistants, Sark will never have that problem.

    • I am by no means defending the current coaching staff of USC, but as transient as coaches are nowadays, whether it be due to big money and/or ego (Norm Chow), it’s pretty tough to keep as staff together for more than a few years….and schools are poaching assist coaches, left and right, especially in the SEC…..Heck, one of the top 2 coaches in the country even hired Lane Kiffin to transform his offense (we’ll see how much longer THAT lasts….)…McKay had a once in a generation type of all-star coaching staff….and, of course, we are using the benefit of hindsight to make these types comparisons against the current staff…..The University of Miami has had a good run of coaches go through their program, too

      • Why on Erath would you NOT defend the current coaching staff??? These guys (Sark, Helton) have and will do nothing but good things (remember Sark’s FIVE 1st round draft picks that happened like a week ago???) Do you realize that SC has had ZERO corner backs drafted in like 10 years, and now we have potentially three first rounders in Adoree Jackson, Kevon Seymore and Iman Marshall? I see a LOT of W’s coming up with this crew.

          • Yes, but they were the first ones in a very very long time – sorry I over-reacted, I am just trying to choke the negativity out of this trolly blog!!!

        • Dude… take a chill pill….I have always staunchly defended the ability of this staff recruit…. they are among the best in the country…..and I see a lot of W’s coming with this staff, as well…..but how can you argue the quality of this coaching tree until it all plays out?..McKay’s staff has the benefit of almost 50 years of history to support their case…. this is where Scott’s comparison is a bit unfair, IMO….

      • Grantland Rice’s ghost fails to mention that Pat O’Haden desperately tried to steal UCLA Coaches Klemm and Savage and failed miserably.

          • Savage has just been named coach of the year and his UCLA team is the #1 seed the NCAA Baseball tournament. Yes Krapola, silly Savage.

          • Savage doesn’t have to deal with the big USC Baseball Scandal that just broke on the wires either. No wonder they couldn’t concentrate on hitting the baseball!

          • Scott’s cub report is all over the story, I see……why isn’t the person being paid to run this blog chiming in?…. is he waiting for others to do his work for him, as USUAL?

          • Not at all surprised. ..while our beloved Scott is living it up in Lake Elsinore, the Wangster of Love is busy scooping the rotund one. …Oy!

          • Curious timing, no?…..and it’s pretty ironic, considering that this is the TMZ of USC sports blogs……..

          • And even though the lawsuit was filed only yesterday, this incident occurred over 2 years ago, with 2 of the 3 players no longer on the team

    • Come back in 20 years and post your comment. Only time will tell how successful the current staff will be.

      • The Dr. Rachel Maddow of Inside USC has nothing but praise for the high school coach Sark had to settle for -errrr- I mean hired.

      • Helen, Sark will WASTE more talent than any coach has since Mack Brown. Now go pull the pom poms from your fanny

    • Yep. Even Kiffins distant personality couldn’t keep a good staff from joining him. And Sark is a more likeable person. I guess it’s the weight and power of being at USC.

  4. awesome reportage, wolfman!!

    i still have concerns that your inspiring stories serve to help KEEP the Dummies mired in the PAST, nonetheless, it is a PRIVILEGE reading these tour de force history lessons (while at the same time watching you kick Ocho in the crouch!!)

    #WolfmanIsJustThatGood

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