LOS ANGELES — Former longtime USC and Los Angeles Rams head coach John Robinson, one of the most legendary figures in the Trojans’ extended history, died at 89 on Monday of complications from pneumonia, USC announced in a press release.
Robinson died in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USC said.
Best known for constructing a program that lay claim to a national championship in 1978 and an undefeated season in 1979, Robinson was hired at USC in 1976 on the heels of John McKay’s tenure and authored his own era in Southern California. He served two stints at USC, first racking up seven consecutive winning seasons from 1976-1982, then being rehired from 1993-1997 and winning three more bowl games.
A former tight end at the University of Oregon, Robinson later became one of the greatest coaches in Rams history after his initial stint at USC, grappling with the San Francisco 49ers for years of NFC West control in the 1980s. He also coached at UNLV for six seasons following his tenure with the Rams, and returned to the collegiate ranks for a year as a senior consultant under former USC coach Ed Orgeron at LSU, winning the national championship in 2019.
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Robinson was widely considered beloved by his players, coaching legends like Marcus Allen and Ronnie Lott at USC and Eric Dickerson with the Rams. He leaves behind an indelible imprint on the game of football, still standing as Rams’ all-time winningest head coach and racking up the third-most victories in USC’s long program history.
More to come on this story.