Cowboys Tell USC It’s OK to Talk to Hackett

USC Athletic Director Mike McGee has been given permission by the Dallas Cowboys to talk to Dallas assistant coach Paul Hackett about the Trojan coaching job when the Cowboys’ season ends.

McGee was out of town Friday and unavailable for comment. He is interviewing candidates for the job.

Ted Tollner was fired Monday but will coach the Trojans through the Florida Citrus Bowl game with Auburn Jan. 1.

“Mike McGee said he knew we were still involved with the season and that he wouldn’t bother (Hackett) until it was over,� Tex Schramm, president and general manager of the Cowboys, said.

“I haven’t talked to Hackett about it, or pursued it any further, so I don’t know anything else about it.�

Hackett, a former USC assistant coach, could not be reached for comment.

It has been rumored that Hackett is the heir apparent to Tom Landry’s job when the longtime Dallas coach retires. But a Dallas source said that there is no indication that Landry plans to retire.

The Cowboys will end the regular season Dec. 21 against the Chicago Bears. They have a 7-7 record and only an outside chance of making the playoffs.

McGee also plans to interview Dave Levy, another former USC assistant coach, who is now the offensive line coach for the San Diego Chargers.

It also was learned that McGee has either made contact with, or plans to meet with, Coach Joe Gibbs of the Washington Redskins, who was a USC assistant coach in 1969 and 1970.

Gibbs’ Redskins are already assured a spot in the playoffs. It would seem that Gibbs couldn’t afford to take the USC job, considering that he earns an estimated $400,000 to $500,000 a year, but his name is presumably high on McGee’s list.

Gibbs has told Eastern newspapers that he doesn’t intend to leave the Redskins.

Hackett, 39, was USC’s quarterback coach from 1976 through 1980 after serving in a similar capacity at California.

He became the quarterback coach for the Cleveland Browns in 1981-82, moved on to the San Francisco 49ers in 1983 and was then hired by Schramm--not Landry--to become the club’s “passing offensive coordinator� this season.

Hackett was reportedly a strong candidate to become USC’s coach in 1981 when John Robinson was undecided whether to become the New England Patriots’ coach.

Robinson stayed at USC, but for only one more season. Hackett and Levy were both shut out of consideration for the vacated job when President James H. Zumberge quickly hired Tollner on a recommendation from Robinson.

It is also strongly rumored that Arizona Coach Larry Smith is on McGee’s list as a possible replacement for Tollner, along with Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson and Baylor Coach Grant Teaff, among others.

Smith has a seven-year record of 47-28-3 at Arizona and has won seven or more games in each of the past four seasons. He has beaten traditional rival Arizona State five straight times.

“I have not interviewed for any job, nor do I expect to,� Smith said Friday in Tucson. “I want my name the hell out of the papers. I’m here at Arizona and I’m coaching the Arizona football program. That’s it, plain and simple.

“A lot of this talk is started by people recruiting against us and by some of the media in Phoenix that would like to see me leave.�

Don Lindsey, a former defensive coordinator at USC from 1971 through 1980, said he would definitely be interested in the USC job if contacted. Lindsey is the defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, a position he held at Arkansas for three years after leaving USC.