USC football coach Pete Carroll may be leaving Trojans
By Farzad Mashhood
Jan. 9, 2010 9:02 a.m.
The USC football program has yet another loss to handle this season.
Pete Carroll, the coach of the Trojans for the past nine seasons, is said to be calling it quits in Southern California and heading to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, according to several sources as reported by several media outlets. Carroll is also in the midst of two NCAA investigations over the Reggie Bush scandal and the recent investigation over whether junior running back Joe McKnight broke NCAA rules by using an SUV that does not belong to him.
With both McKnight and junior wide receiver Damian Williams leaving for the NFL, and backup quarterback Aaron Corp transferring to Richmond, the departure of Carroll will be a big blow for the Trojans as well as many of their recruits.
Though no official announcement has been made, the Seahawks and Carroll are said to agree to the deal in the principle ““ a five-year, $35-million one at that.
The Seahawks recently fired Coach Jim Mora, and they asked General Manager and President Tim Ruskell to resign Dec. 3, 2009. It has been reported that Carroll, who has turned down NFL offers in the previous seasons because of issues with not being able to make personnel decisions left to team presidents and general managers, would be given the duties of president and head coach of the Seahawks
In Carroll’s nine seasons with the Trojans, he won four Rose Bowls, two Orange Bowls and a pair of national championships. He finished in the top four of both the Coaches and AP polls for seven straight seasons and won a school- record 34 consecutive games between 2003 and 2005.
Carroll coached in the NFL from 1984, as a defensive backs coach for the Buffalo Bills, to 1999, as the head coach of the New England Patriots.
