Before getting into anything else, it is important to look at Pete Carroll’s career as head coach at USC. Coming into the program in 2001, Carroll’s hire was not a popular one. However, after posting a 6-6 record in his first season, he turned USC back into a national powerhouse. From 2002 to 2008 USC was the mark of consistency when they went through a period in which they won at least 11 games, won at least a share of the PAC-10 Conference title, finished in the top four in the final AP poll, and played in a BCS bowl game each season. Overall at USC, Carroll has amassed a 97-19 (.836 win pct.) record, a 14-4 mark against the AP top 10, a 7-2 bowl record while setting tons of records in the process. Along with numerous award winners, All-Americans, and NFL draft picks under Carroll, USC has had three Heisman Trophy winners in Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and
Again with all of the success mentioned above, one wonders why Carroll’s last coaching job would not be as head coach at USC. It seems like the perfect marriage and it is not as if Carroll had a tremendous amount of success as a head coach in the NFL previous to his time at USC. However, unlike previous years when Carroll flirted with the NFL, there seems to be more reasons why Carroll would leave USC this time. First and foremost, USC may have NCAA sanctions coming down in the near future as a result of violations involving former football players Reggie Bush and Joe McKnight, former basketball player O.J. Mayo, and who knows whom/what else. In the past few weeks, USC self imposed sanctions on its basketball program. It is difficult to know what is going on at USC, but the NCAA has been investigating their athletic program for some time now; at some point the NCAA will be coming up with a ruling on this investigation. Maybe Carroll foresaw sanctions or maybe he simply does not want to risk sanctions. None of us know what role these possible sanctions play in his decision, but it is certainly something that should be discussed as a possible factor. Additionally, maybe he is leaving because he has grown weary of some aspects of the college system (and/or his specific situation at USC) such as players leaving early for the NFL draft, coaches leaving the program for other jobs, and the flaws of the BCS system. USC struggled this season for the first time since Carroll’s first season as the rest of the PAC-10 seemed to have caught up to the Trojans. Maybe this plays a factor in his decision. Maybe Carroll is leaving USC for the money and the facilities in Seattle. Maybe Carroll simply wants a change of scenery. As much as I do not wish to speculate, I cannot help but wonder how much of a role potential NCAA sanctions play in Pete’s decision; of all the factors mentioned, it seems somewhat obvious to me that this factor would play the most realistic and substantial role. Let’s not kid ourselves here; Pete certainly would not be the first coach to leave his post with possible NCAA sanctions on the way. While I can see Carroll getting tired of his players and coaches leaving the program along with having to deal with the BCS system, I do not think those factors on their own would be enough for him to leave. Carroll’s mantra at USC has been to compete for everything. In part, because of this mantra I think that Pete would see this past year as a challenge, not as a sign to leave. At the same time, I can see how Carroll may think that he has unfinished business in the NFL; maybe he wants to take on that challenge. I really do not see money playing too much of a role in him leaving. From all reports I have ever seen, Pete gets paid quite well at USC. If money were a factor I would be shocked if USC did not pay him anything within reason to stay. We do not know why he would leave USC, but these are some potential factors.
Some may think that it is odd that I would spend so much time thinking/writing about the end of the Pete Carroll Era at USC. Well, here’s why. First, I have been a USC fan since I was a kid; my dad has been going to USC games since he was a teenager and I have been going with him since I was young. I have followed the program for a long time and have been through some poor seasons to say the least. When Carroll got USC rolling in the 2002 season it was as if he woke up a sleeping giant. After it became clear that Carroll was a godsend to the USC football program, it also became clear that there would be a time when he would leave and a hole of unrealistic expectations would be left for the next coach to fill. As a fan, I was concerned about what would happen after he left. Another reason I have given this a lot of thought is because of the nature of college football. Head coaches in college football are the most critical piece to a team/program. As much as I am not a supporter of the current college football system and its way of determining champions, there is no doubt that the system makes every game of the season a pseudo playoff game. If a team loses one game their chances of winning a championship are likely over, lose two games something out of the ordinary would have to happen (2007 LSU Tigers) to still have a chance, and three losses means better luck next year. In college football, individual games just matter more than other sports; there is very little margin for error. Pete Carroll is as good as they come at navigating a team through a college football season.
So, how do I feel about this whole situation? I know this much. I know I am going to miss Pete Carroll as the coach at USC. I know that it is going to be difficult to find a coach that can come close to matching Carroll’s success at USC. I know that I appreciated what Carroll and the teams he coached at USC accomplished on the field. I know how much I enjoyed watching USC football under Carroll. Lastly, I know that Carroll has done a lot for the community of Los Angeles. With all of this stated, I still have a bad feeling about the whole situation. If Carroll leaves he is doing it at one of the worst possible times. The next recruiting class is set to sign their intent in a few weeks. In the past few days I have seen numerous articles with a headline about USC recruiting and I am too scared and depressed to read on because the news cannot be good. Carroll’s departure is most likely to decimate a potential top five class. Because of the timing USC will likely rush to get a new coach in place to keep some of the recruiting class intact. I will finish where I started, Pete Carroll. Why is he leaving? Is he leaving because of violations that occurred under his watch? If he is leaving for that reason is he essentially abandoning the team and escaping this problem? How much can we blame him for the possible violations? Should we expect him to be able to control what his players do off the field? Can we expect him to be aware of what his players do off the field? I do not know the answers to these questions which is why I still do not know how to feel about this situation. I know that I hate asking myself these questions.
