John McKay, the colorful and innovative coach who restored dominance to USC's football program, making it a feared college powerhouse, died Sunday in Tampa, Fla. He was 77.

In 16 seasons at USC, McKay led the Trojans to four national championships and coached two Heisman Trophy winners. He was almost as well known for his legendary one-liners and quick retorts.

McKay, who left USC after the 1975 season to become the first coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, had been in the intensive care unit at St. Joseph's Hospital since last month. He died of kidney failure due to complications from diabetes, Buccaneer spokesman Reggie Roberts said.

Once an electrician's assistant in a West Virginia coal mine and later a World War II tail gunner, McKay took over the USC program in 1960 and restored it to the national prominence it had known in the 1920s and '30s, producing 40 first-team All-American players. Among them were Heisman Trophy winners Mike Garrett in 1965 and O.J. Simpson in 1968, the first two in a line of outstanding running backs that earned the school the nickname Tailback U.

USC was 127-40-8 under McKay, losing only 17 conference games.

Three of his Trojan teams were unbeaten, nine won Pacific 8 Conference championships and eight played in the Rose Bowl, winning five times. His 1962, 1967, 1972 and 1974 teams won college football's national championships.

"I think he was the best evaluator of talent that I've ever seen," said former USC quarterback Pat Haden, who helped McKay win the 1974 national title. "He would have some high school kid who was an All-American linebacker, and the first day he'd watch him practice and say, 'You're a tight end.' Two years later, that kid was an All-American tight end."

McKay was not nearly as successful with the expansion Buccaneers. But after losing their first 26 games under McKay, an NFL record, the Buccaneers rebounded and in only their fourth season came within one victory of playing in the Super Bowl, falling short when they lost to the Los Angeles Rams, 9-0, in the 1979 National Football Conference title game.

The Buccaneers made three playoff appearances in nine seasons under McKay, who retired after the 1984 season with a 44-88-1 record.

McKay's players remembered him as a blunt, demanding coach who rarely brought his famous sense of humor to the practice field.

Recalled Haden, perhaps his best quarterback: "His relationship with his players wasn't the same as it was with the press. He was tough on his players, very demanding. He expected an awful lot."

It is the McKay humor--the briskly delivered quip, often with a cigar as his prop--that football followers will remember for as long as his powerful teams.

A sampling:

When questioned after a loss during the early days at Tampa Bay about his team's execution, he responded, "I think it's a good idea."

Legendary Coach John McKay Dies Sports: He led USC to four national football titles and five Rose Bowl victories in 16 years. June 11, 2001|EARL GUSTKEY and JERRY CROWE | TIMES STAFF WRITERS

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