Orange Bowl notebook: OU coach applauds Robinson’s effort

Steve Guiremand

Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2001 | 10:38 a.m.

MIAMI -- Oklahoma quarterbacks coach Chuck Long has drawn his share of kudos for the coaching job he has done this year with Heisman Trophy runnerup Josh Heupel.

And Long gives UNLV head coach John Robinson an assist for that, saying Robinson was one of the coaches who helped influence his coaching style.

Long was a quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams back in the early 1990s after starring at the University of Iowa, where he finished second to Auburn's Bo Jackson in the 1985 Heisman Trophy voting. He began his career with the Detroit Lions before ending up with the Rams and Robinson.

"He was a great influence," Long said. "It was really a joy being with Coach Robinson. He's a good football coach and a good players' coach. I know the guys played hard for him each and every game.

"He actually would take the time to get to know you," Long continued. "That's a sign of a good football coach. He was very positive and confident in what he did. I can honestly say every day was great going to work for him."

Long said he isn't surprised how quickly his old coach has turned things around at UNLV.

"He was the right medicine for that job," Long said. "I had no doubt that he was going to turn it around there.

"I picked up a lot from him and Coach (Ernie) Zampese when I was with the Rams. I felt like I learned a great offense there ... the West Coast offense. I've taken a lot of the teaching from that system and put it into what I do today in coaching."

"Not if they want to win," Bowden deadpanned in a dig at his in-state rival.

After the laughter stopped, Bowden grinned and added, "That was for Steve. That was for Steve."

Then turning serious, Bowden continued.

"I imagine they have had some good talks with Steve," Bowden said. "I talk to my son (Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden). You see how much I helped him (the Tigers lost to Virginia Tech, 41-20, in the Gator Bowl on Monday). But I can imagine they would. ... If they don't ask him, they are nuts, because that's what I would do."

Jesse Grummer, an 18-year-old from Olympia, Wash., who has an incurable kidney disorder, asked the Make-A-Wish Foundation if he could meet the Heisman Trophy winner.

Grummer, who grew up in Boynton Beach, Fla., before moving to the West Coast, not only got to meet Weinke at Sunday's Media Day where they posed for pictures and chatted for several minutes, he also was invited by Florida State coach Bobby Bowden to attend the Seminoles' practice along with his parents.

And the Orange Bowl Committee chipped in by inviting the family to tonight's game as well as to Sunday's parade and Tuesday's coaches' luncheon.

"I think he's still kind of in shock over the whole thing, he's so excited," Grummer's mother, Mary Jo, said.

In fact, during Bobby Bowden's quarter century as head coach at FSU, the Seminoles have tied only four times, most recently a 31-31 deadlock with Florida in 1994.