SO, WHAT'S NEXT? POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL USC COACH FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

Jerritt Elliott knows he's in a strange and uncertain position. He is the two-time Pac-10 women's volleyball Coach of the Year who has guided USC to its first NCAA Final Four berth in 15 years.

Yet as early as Thursday night and as late as Saturday, he will lose his position.

Looking to bolster the program, and thinking a name coach would help, USC hired national-team coach Mick Haley in June 1999. Haley has been present at practices and matches since the Olympics ended, but he usually sits off to the side and says little.

Elliott has been interim coach for two seasons, but this is his team, his moment.

No one expected Elliott's successes, but now many are talking. He recruited what Volleyball Magazine called the year's top freshman class, then merged it with veterans and nurtured them to a 29-2 record, the school's first Pac-10 conference title, and a No. 2 national ranking. The Trojans face Wisconsin in one national semifinal Thursday in Richmond, Va., at 5:30 p.m PST. In the early match, Nebraska faces Hawaii.

``He's displaying patience and the savvy of the coaches who have been in the business a long time,'' said USC women's athletic director Lisa Love, who hired Elliott six years ago as a volunteer assistant. ``It's a good story: Two awesome recruiting classes and he's displayed a lot of savvy in elevating a team to this level.''

The man

Elliott, 32, stands 6-feet-4 with blond hair and an engaging smile. Behind his looks is a drive to improve.

Although he attended City Section volleyball power Palisades High, he came by the sport accidentally. A pinched nerve in his back forced him out of baseball and soccer, but the school's volleyball coach took one look at his height and wanted him.

Elliott played with future beach-tour star Kent Steffes on a Pali team that went 36-0, but he loved the game because of the camaraderie, the individual skills and the nuances of the game. He wanted to know more.

So after playing at Hawaii and Pepperdine, he coached Palisades to the 1989 City title, then went to Marymount and won a league title. He also ran a club in Santa Monica and assisted at Cal State Northridge in 1993, the year the Matadors reached the national championship.

In 1994, deciding he needed more Division I experience, he called then- coach Love, who hired him and immediately became impressed with Elliott's ability to relate to players. In one year, Elliott had gone from volunteer assistant to a full-time paid position with an emphasis on recruiting.

``He's got extraordinary charisma and people skills,'' Love said. ``I like his way with players. I like how genuine he was. I thought, `This guy has a future.' ''

The skills

Elliott recruited the entire Trojans team, telling the freshmen that one day they would be taught by the national-team coach.

His talent isn't in what he does (writings letters, home visits, leading a campus tour). It's how he does it.

Junior middle blocker Jennifer Pahl was impressed that Elliott decorated his letters with USC-colored stars and how, when he learned of her love of primates, took her to the zoo.

``You were someone special that he wants at the school,'' Pahl said.

Once players arrived, they saw Elliott's enthusiasm and work ethic. Toni Anderson can't count the number of times she has walked by the volleyball office and seen Elliott on his computer diagramming practices or on the phone talking to recruits.

On the court, Elliott efficiently runs practices, explaining everything along the way. Off the court, he is everyone's friend, analyst, father figure.

``I'll plop on the couch and say, `Jerritt, what's wrong with me?' '' Pahl said. ``He usually says, `You need to stop thinking and have fun.' ''

``He's very personable,'' freshman outside hitter Kelli Lantz said. `'I felt I could trust him. Being away from my parents, I knew I needed a leader.''

Elliott said it's all about mutual trust and respect and being able to relate to the players at their level. That's why there's no problem when the players tease him for overusing the word ``standpoint'' when describing volleyball strategy.

When Elliott uses other words, ``perspective'' and ``system,'' they still giggle. Elliott doesn't have a problem with that.

``I don't put myself on a pedestal and expect people to abide by what I say because I'm the coach,'' he said. ``I have confidence in what I can do. I don't believe in the ego trips of other coaches.''

Soon, however, he will have to confront his future.

The question

Will he stay?

The players want him. So does the administration. Haley said last week he would do everything possible to keep Elliott on his staff.

Love said she expects the competition for Elliott will be fierce. In situations like these, Love said, it takes the right amount of money, power and responsibility to keep a coach.

One certainty is Elliott won't be a co-head coach with Haley.

Lantz is one of the few players to ask Elliott directly. She said she can't get a read on him. As for Elliott, he isn't thinking about the future. He's preparing for Wisconsin.

``I'm enjoying things at SC,'' he said. ``I want to stay. I'll weigh opportunities, but it'll have to be special for me to leave.''

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

NCAA FINAL FOUR

USC vs. WISCONSIN

Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

NCAA FINAL FOUR at Richmond, Va.

Thursday

Nebraska (32-0) vs. Hawaii (31-1), 3 p.m. PST

USC (29-2) vs. Wisconsin (32-3), 5:30 p.m. or 30 minutes after conclusion of first match

Saturday

Winners, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo: (color) Interim USC volleyball coach Jerritt Elliott, left, will be replaced by Mick Haley, who coached the U.S. team at the Sydney Games.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer

Box: WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

NCAA FINAL FOUR at Richmond, Va. (see text)