USC official announcements or news reports

John Robinson, Legendary USC and Rams Coach, Dies at 89 from Pneumonia

Nov 12, 2024, 12:34 AM

John Robinson, a revered football coach who led the University of Southern California (USC) to the 1978 national championship and guided the Los Angeles Rams to two NFL conference championship games, has died at the age of 89 due to complications from pneumonia in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Robinson passed away on Monday, November 11, with family members by his side. He coached at USC over two stints, achieving significant success including five league titles and four Rose Bowl victories. He also coached the Rams from 1983 to 1991, becoming the winningest coach in Rams history until Sean McVay broke his record last month. Later in his career, Robinson coached at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), leading the Rebels to a rare bowl appearance and serving as the school's athletic director. A childhood friend of John Madden, Robinson was a College Football Hall of Fame inductee and recently served as a consultant for Louisiana State University's (LSU) most recent national championship team.