Robinson headed for Hall

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, May 1, 2001 | 10:14 a.m.

UNLV football coach John Robinson likes to spend his summer vacation with wife Linda on the sunny beaches of Maui. But the Robinsons will be making a detour to Canton, Ohio, in early August this year.

That's because Robinson has been bestowed with the honor of introducing Jackie Slater at this year's NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Aug. 4.

Slater, who anchored the Los Angeles Rams' dominating offensive lines of the '80s while Robinson was the head coach, made the announcement at an informal roast of Robinson following the coach's third annual golf tournament at Anthem Country Club in Green Valley on Monday afternoon.

"It's a big thrill for me," Robinson admitted. "I'm really looking forward to it."

Slater was one of two dozen athletes, coaches and celebrities who took part in the tournament, which benefits the Rebel Football Foundation.

"It was kind of a tough decision because I had an offensive line coach (Hudson Houck) for nine years who also played a big part in my career," Slater said. "But Coach Robinson was unlike any other head coach I've ever had in my 20 years in the NFL.

"I think I had seven head coaches with the Rams. He was the guy who left an impression on me that the offensive linemen were the most important people on his team. And he treated me that way. He handpicked me as one of his captains every year and treated me like a leader. I've always remembered that. He had a big impact on my life."

Robinson was also the person responsible for bringing Houck, now an assistant coach with the Dallas Cowboys and long regarded as the top offensive line coach in the NFL, to the Rams with him from USC.

"I was with the Rams for seven years before (Robinson) was hired and never made any Pro Bowls," Slater said. "The first one came in 1983 when he took over. I hurt my knee in 1984 but then made six straight Pro Bowls after that. That was all while he was there."

This was the second straight year that Slater played in Robinson's golf tourney which also featured former NFL stars Marcus Allen, Ronnie Lott, Kevin Greene, Tom Mack and Napoleon McCallum as well as head coaches such as Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, San Diego State's Ted Tollner, Colorado State's Sonny Lubick, Texas A&M's R.C. Slocum, Tulsa's Keith Burns, the Las Vegas Outlaws' Jim Criner as well as the San Diego Charger trio of head coach Mike Riley, offensive coordinator Norv Turner and wide receivers coach Mike Sanford.

Now, more than three decades later, Robinson will coach Turner's son.

Scott Turner, a 6-2, 195-pound quarterback from Oakton High School in Vienna, Va., has decided to walk on at UNLV in the fall.

"He's coming to UNLV as a walk-on quarterback," Robinson said. "He's a really good player."

National talent scout Tom Lemming of Schaumberg, Ill., who is the top prep football recruiting analyst for ESPN.com, called Turner "one of the fastest-rising QB prospects in the Atlantic Coast region" before the season. Lemming was also impressed by what he called Turner's "strong arm and quick release ... he's an extremely intelligent player who makes few mistakes."

Turner chose UNLV over Illinois, where his uncle, Ron Turner, is head coach.

"My disappointment (in not getting the job) has turned into energy for the program," Theus said. "It's not about the coach or the administration or anybody. It's about supporting the program and making sure we do the best thing as alumni for our program. That's all that matters."