On Monday, legendary USC football head coach John Robinson passed away at the age of 89. As a head coach, Robinson led the Trojans to four Rose Bowl victories, produced two Heisman Trophy winners, and coached USC to the 1978 national championship. However, his finest moment as USC’s head coach did not come during a football game.
Following a victory over Northwestern in the 1996 Rose Bowl, ABC’s Lynn Swann—a former USC wide receiver who would later serve as the Trojans’ athletic director—tried to interview Robinson. However, Robinson was not in the mood to answer questions. Instead, he exclaimed on multiple occasions, “Let’s go to the band! Let’s go to the band!”
That moment perfectly encapsulated the relationship between Robinson and the University of Southern California. After a huge victory, the first thing Robinson wanted to do was not to accept the trophy and answer questions, but to celebrate with the band and fans.
Robinson’s love for USC extended to not just the football team, but also the Trojan Marching Band, Song Girls, students, faculty, alumni, and fans. He truly was a member of the Trojan family, and embraced everything about it.
More than 17 years later, after the Trojans upset No. 4 Stanford and fans stormed the field, then-USC interim head coach Ed Orgeron echoed Robinson’s famous words, telling the jubilant crowd to “Go to the band!”
In a way, that moment perfectly encapsulates the mark Robinson left on this school and its football program. While the man had coached his last game at USC more than a decade prior, his impact on the university remained undeniable.
Robinson may have passed away on Monday, but as long as USC continues to Fight On, so too will his legacy.
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