DIANE PUCIN Los Angeles Times
USC football Coach Pete Carroll did not immediately accept the CBS invitation to be profiled on "60 Minutes" when it arrived last summer
"I was kind of doubting it at first," Carroll said Thursday. "I may not know everything about the show, but I do know they've been kind of tough on people in the past. I saw the piece they did on [Notre Dame Coach] Charlie Weis a couple years ago. I thought it was horrible.
"But I took a leap of faith and decided I needed to represent USC and the stuff we do for the inner city."
Carroll will be the focus of a "60 Minutes" segment Sunday between 7 and 8 p.m. on Channel 2. Carroll was interviewed by Byron Pitts on campus, at practice, in the locker room and during his late-night trips to the inner city, where Carroll, who has started a group, A Better LA, makes contact with young men on the street.
Pitts, 48, was a defensive back during his college days at Ohio Wesleyan and at first said he thought he might put on pads and participate in a Carroll practice. "That desire lasted about a minute," Pitts said.
The filming began last summer during two-a-day practices, and Pitts said Carroll's unsuccessful NFL days as well as the issues surrounding former USC tailback Reggie Bush and possible NCAA violations were discussed.
"We brought up some not particularly pleasant topics," Pitts said. "What I found with Pete was that, like every successful person, he has a certain amount of ego but there is also a real level of decency that you do not always see at this level of sports.
"I grew up with the Bear Bryant, Woody Hayes approach to coaching, and what struck me was how Pete uses the power of positive thinking so effectively. He uplifts players instead of breaks them down."
Pitts has also done recent stories about televangelist Joel Osteen, presidential candidate Barack Obama and Dr. Paul Farmer of Partners in Health, which goes worldwide to give medical help in countries where natural disasters strike.
"What these men have in common," Pitts said, "is that while they all think in different ways, they all are men who like to be in control. But each of them is relentlessly positive about everything."
Friday, December 12, 2008
'60 Minutes' will find out what makes Pete Carroll tick
USC's Rey Maualuga wins Bednarik Award
Los Angeles Times
USC linebacker Rey Maualuga won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation's top defensive player at the college football awards Thursday night at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Maualuga beat out James Laurinaitis of Ohio State and Aaron Maybin of Penn State.
Maualuga and safety Taylor Mays of USC were named to the Walter Camp All-American team. The Trojans resume practice today and also will work out Saturday and Sunday in preparation for the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
Heisman Trophy finalists Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow were also award winners Thursday night. Florida's Tebow won the Maxwell Award as the nation's best all-around player for the second consecutive year.
Oklahoma's Bradford won the Davey O'Brien Award, beating out Texas' McCoy and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell as top quarterback.
McCoy was the Walter Camp player of the year, leading the All-American team.
Michael Crabtree, a Texas Tech sophomore, won his second straight Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. Crabtree caught 18 touchdown passes this year, and has 93 receptions for 1,135 yards. He made the last-second, game-winning touchdown catch against Texas.
Shonn Greene of Iowa won the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back, finishing ahead of Knowshon Moreno of Georgia and Javon Ringer of Michigan State.
The Outland Trophy (best interior lineman) was won by Andre Smith of Alabama.
The Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back) went to Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State. He finished ahead of Eric Berry (Tennessee) and Mays.
Nick Saban was selected coach of the year after leading Alabama to a 12-1 record.
Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs agreed to pay the $5.08-million buyout to Tommy Tuberville even though the coach quit. Under the contract, Auburn was required to pay Tuberville millions to purchase the remainder of his deal if he were fired. The school was under no obligation to pay if he quit. . . . East Carolina Coach Skip Holtz says he has withdrawn his name from consideration to become the head coach at Syracuse. . . . Alcorn State Coach Ernest T. Jones was fired days after filing a lawsuit seeking the reinstatement of seven assistant coaches, his attorney said. . . . Arizona Coach Mike Stoops said linebacker Sterling Lewis would be suspended for the Las Vegas Bowl after being arrested on an extreme DUI charge.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Roses still smell sweet to Trojans
DAN WEBER PE.com
LOS ANGELES - Don't call it a consolation prize.
And don't listen to the talk that USC's fourth straight trip to the Rose Bowl has the fifth-ranked Trojans (11-1) disappointed the way things have worked out again, Coach Pete Carroll said Sunday, with a single loss denying them a BCS championship game appearance for the third straight season.
"That's media-driven," Carroll said of the Jan. l matchup against Big Ten champ Penn State (11-1), only the second time those great national programs have met in the Rose Bowl, and the first in 86 years. "That's not our players talking."
Nor was it Penn State coach Joe Paterno talking. The winningest all-time coach in major college football (383-126-3), who turns 82 this month, can't wait for this one, only the third time the Nittany Lions have made it to Pasadena. Paterno (23-10-1 in bowl games), is the all-time leader in bowl wins and appearances.
"Delighted" and "excited" was the way Paterno described himself on a conference call Sunday, barely three weeks after hip replacement surgery. "It's kinda nice."
He's out of his motorized cart, he said, and thinks he'll be on the sideline, not in the press box, for the game. "I'm looking forward to seeing those Trojans and Pete across the field, (although) I may regret that."
USC, Paterno said, has a legitimate claim to being "one of the top two or three teams in the country" and "we're just a bit behind that ... we've made progress (the past four years) but whether we've made enough progress, we'll see."
Carroll said one reason not to look at what may have been as USC heads to its record 33rd Rose Bowl, and 40th overall, is simply: "This may be the best game in the country," he said of the matchup of BCS No. 5 USC and No. 8 Penn State.
Paterno called Carroll, 57, "one of the two or three young coaches out there" who have most influenced the modern college game, including his own thinking. "We're all copycats," he said.
For Carroll, the flip side of that is "we know we're up against the best of all time ... we look forward to it."
Job Opening
Carroll acknowledged that he had talked Sunday to wide receivers coach John Morton, USC's passing game coordinator, about the soon-to-be-vacant offensive coordinator's job, with Steve Sarkisian having been named head coach at Washington. Morton, 39, and an 11-year veteran with NFL stops at Oakland and New Orleans and a stint under Jim Harbaugh as offensive coordinator at the University of San Diego, said he's very much interested in the job.
Carroll said that the one other person he's talked with about the job was his former USC quarterbacks coach Carl Smith, who went on to be offensive coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars before being let go there two years ago. Smith has been in town the past week observing USC practices.
USC feeling wilted after Rose Bowl berth
Jill Painter LA Daily News
PASADENA - The Rose Bowl nameplates were hung above USC's lockers, but they still didn't have player's names on them. Roses were carried around in hands and stuffed in backpacks.
But until the official rankings come out today, some Trojans are still harboring hope the BCS computer system suddenly spits out numbers in their favor.
It's not going to happen.
USC has officially accepted a Rose Bowl invitation to play Penn State on Jan. 1, but some Trojans haven't stopped rattling off credentials they feel should've earned them a spot in the BCS Championship Game - nine consecutive wins, only one loss and a Pacific-10 Conference championship.
But there was that September loss at Oregon State.
"Yeah, we had a slipup early in the year, but we've been on a nine-game winning streak," defensive end Kyle Moore said. "They did us wrong. They did us dirty. We were (ranked) No. 5 (in the BCS) poll, we win 56-0 (against Washington), then they moved us (down) to No. 7. We've been trying to fight back to that spot since then. I don't know how this BCS works."
The Trojans all but officially will play in the Rose Bowl for the fourth consecutive year. That means another trip to Disneyland and more Beef Bowl eating contests at Lawry's.
Quarterback Mark Sanchez doesn't think the Rose Bowl has lost any of its luster and doesn't believe it's a consolation prize. He's already poking fun at his offensive linemen by saying he'll win the beef-eating contest.
"That's fine. I'll play a game in the Rose Bowl any day," Sanchez said. "It will be an energized crowd, JoePa, Penn State and the Nittany Lions. That's sweet."
Linebacker Rey Maualuga was soaking up chants of "Rey! Rey! Rey!" after the game. He said all the right things about playing in the Rose Bowl, but the disappointment was evident in his eyes.
"It's the way we've been playing consistently good offense and defense," Maualuga said. "This team deserves a whole lot. We deserve more than "
Maualuga got teary-eyed, paused, then changed his tune. He said the Trojans could only control what they could control, but their on-the-field business is done. They're not in charge of BCS number crunching.
Bowl games usually involve eventful roadtrips for players, fans and boosters.
There's no lure of Bourbon Street or South Beach for USC. Just Pasadena again.
"It really feels like another home game," wide receiver Patrick Turner said. "We've been going to Rose Bowls here for a while now. It's like a home game. We have to represent for the city. We take pride in it. It's a great deal in Pasadena. It's always exciting."
USC wide receivers coach Morton to replace Sarkisian, Carroll says
Scott Wolf LA Daily News
PASADENA - USC coach Pete Carroll said he expected to name wide receivers coach John Morton as his next offensive coordinator and replacement for new Washington coach Steve Sarkisian.
"John Morton is in line for this job," Carroll said Saturday after the Trojans defeated UCLA 28-7 at the Rose Bowl. "The thought is of looking at guys for continuity."
Carroll said he was unsure if former quarterbacks coach Carl Smith "would be interested," despite overtures last week. He invited Smith to watch practices and attend the Notre Dame game.
Morton was a candidate to join Sarkisian at Washington because they worked together with the Raiders in 2004 and Sarkisian brought Morton to USC in 2006.
Sarkisian, who will be introduced as Washington's new coach Monday, said Saturday night he would call plays next season for Washington. "I told them during the interview that's what I wanted to do," he said.
Williams hurt
Wide receiver Damian Williams left the game in the second quarter with a slightly separated right shoulder. He is expected to be out 10-14 days. It's the same shoulder Williams sprained earlier in the season.
"It's the same one I hurt before but a little worse this time," Williams said.
Uniform tradition
USC wore its cardinal jerseys as the visiting team for the first time since 1982. The referees assessed USC a timeout at the outset and also charged UCLA with a timeout as Bruins coach Rick Neuheisel called one in a gesture of sportsmanship.
"I thought it looked great out there today," Carroll said. "It's the way it's supposed to be."
Same place, same hit
Linebacker Rey Maualuga delivered a jarring blow on quarterback Kevin Craft in the first quarter that was out of bounds and resulted in a penalty. It was nearly the same spot he hit UCLA quarterback Patrick Cowan two years ago in another jarring hit.
"I wasn't thinking about (2006)," Maualuga said. "I wanted to show the crowd it would be a physical game. But I was thinking about myself and I should have thought about the team."
Hat trick
Kicker David Buehler went 0 for 3 on field goals, the worst game of his career. Buehler was 8 for 9 on field goals entering the contest.
"I just didn't have a good game," Buehler said. "I wasn't myself. I'm at a loss for words."
Rivalry record
Carroll improved his record against UCLA and Notre Dame to 14-2. He is 7-1 against each school. USC extended its record of 11-win seasons and BCS bowl berths to seven.
Sanchez stat
Quarterback Mark Sanchez finished the regular season with 30 touchdown passes. It is the fourth-most in a season by a USC quarterback. Matt Leinart threw 38 touchdowns in 2003 and 33 in 2004. Carson Palmer threw 33 in 2002.
Two coaches with quite the resumes
Gary Klein Los Angeles Times
Penn State's Joe Paterno has won more games than any coach in major college football history.
USC's Pete Carroll, however, has a higher winning percentage.
Both said Sunday that they were looking forward to matching up in the 95th Rose Bowl game on Jan. 1.
"We know we're up against the best of all time," Carroll said of Paterno after his team gathered to watch the announcement of the Bowl Championship Series bowl participants.
USC's Sept. 25 loss at Oregon State eliminated any suspense on Sunday.
After finishing 11-1 and winning the Pacific 10 Conference, the Trojans knew they would play Penn State (11-1) in their third consecutive Jan. 1 game against a Big Ten opponent.
Paterno, 81, said he had been studying the Trojans for two weeks and cited the 57-year-old Carroll as one of the sport's great "young" innovators.
"There's two, three young coaches out there that really changed the whole game of football, and Pete's certainly been right there at the top of it," said Paterno, who has a 383-126-3 record (74.8%) in 43 seasons with the Nittany Lions.
Carroll is 87-15 (85.3%) in eight seasons at USC.
USC is 4-4 against Penn State, including a 14-3 victory over the Nittany Lions in the 1923 Rose Bowl.
Coordinated effort
Carroll met with receivers coach John Morton on Sunday to discuss the possibility of becoming offensive coordinator. After the Trojans' victory over UCLA on Saturday, Carroll said Morton was the front-runner to replace Steve Sarkisian, who is Washington's new head coach but will also remain with the Trojans through the Rose Bowl.
Morton, 39, worked for the Oakland Raiders from 1997 to 2004, coached at the University of San Diego in 2005 and worked on the New Orleans Saints' staff in 2006. He has been receivers coach at USC for two seasons.
"I've earned my stripes," Morton said, citing his experiences with head coaches Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton and Carroll.
Morton's only experience calling plays came under Harbaugh at San Diego. He said he believes in a balanced offense and would not favor changes in the Trojans' scheme.
"There's a certain blueprint, a certain philosophy that they've had here for years," he said. "They've been successful doing it, I've learned it and there's no reason to change anything."
Carroll said there was no timetable for selecting Sarkisian's replacement. He also has spoken to former Trojans quarterbacks coach Carl Smith about rejoining the staff.
Gable still upset
Tailback C.J. Gable remained upset and frustrated about being pulled from the UCLA game for the remainder of the first half after fumbling during the Trojans' first series.
It was Gable's first fumble this season. Fellow tailbacks Joe McKnight and Stafon Johnson have fumbled multiple times, but neither was pulled for an extended period.
"I fumbled once and I can't get back in?" Gable said. "They said the look on my face made it seem like I wasn't ready to get back in. They can read minds, I guess."
Carroll said coaches thought Gable simply dropped the ball and did not realize at the time that it had been knocked from his grasp.
"It was unfortunate," Carroll said. "We got him back in some in the second half."
Gable finished with three carries for three yards.
Quick kicks
Carroll said he encouraged all draft-eligible players, including quarterback Mark Sanchez, to fill out paperwork that would allow them to receive a projected draft evaluation from the NFL . . . The Trojans are off this week for finals but are tentatively scheduled to practice Friday and Saturday.
USC Juniors to Look at NFL
One of those juniors sending shockwaves throughout NFL draft-boards is junior free safety Taylor Mays, who will apply for an early evaluation from the NFL.
The junior defensive back said he will follow the advice of USC head coach Pete Carroll, whether he is informed to stay for a senior year or dart for the NFL draft.
Carroll will sit down and talk with Taylor’s father, Stafford Mays this week to discuss what ultimately might be best for his son.
“I’ve planned to meet with his (Taylor Mays) dad,” said Carroll of Mays’ pro possibilities. “We’re old friends, and we’ll make sure we talk through everything. We’ll get more information on all of our guys.
“I told all of ours guys that are considering the thought of it (the NFL) at all to go ahead and apply to the NFL for their evaluations and use that as information.”
This process might seem out of the ordinary to many USC fans, although proven by example, Carroll believes that the information retained from the NFL is nothing but helpful.
Last year Carroll informed linebackers Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing to return for their senior season to improve their stock, a decision that will most likely pay big dividends for the seniors.
One player declaring early last year, Chilo Rachal, failed to receive an early evaluation from the NFL, something Carroll still harped on.
“I was disappointed last year that Chilo (Rachal) didn’t do that,” commented Carroll on the current San Francisco 49er. “We talked about it and he decided not to, and opted out of it.”
The information is not only beneficial to the players themselves, but also to the coaches, who seek for any way to improve their players as they head toward their ultimate goal.
“I just think it is one more piece to the puzzle,” he said of receiving an early NFL evaluation. “It’s not the end-all information. It is what you can do so you should do it, because it will help our guys understand what’s happening.”
Following the BCS selection show, the USC head coach stated that he wanted each of his players entertaining the thought to be completely content with their eventual decision.
“I want them (the players) to be very comfortable with their decision and what they’re doing,” Carroll said Sunday evening. “I don’t expect to see a lot of guys take off.
“We’ve proven the right way to do this, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be right for some guys.”
One possible junior in current draft discussions is quarterback Mark Sanchez, who at the advice of Carroll, will turn in an application to the NFL.
“I asked him to,” said Carroll of Sanchez applying early for the NFL. “I think he should, and again he doesn’t have to do that. I don’t think it’s an indication that they’re going, I use the system to gather more information.
“I’m not afraid of that information at all, I think that’s important information for the players to know.”
The deadline for an early evaluation from the NFL is December 19th, and do not be surprised to see more then a couple of underclassmen to apply.
BCS Selection Show: USC vs. PSU Reaction
Brian Matthews WeAreSC.com
The USC Trojans gathered at Galen Dining Hall Sunday evening to view the BCS selection show, void of it's usual suspense and excitement.
What is customarily an eventful evening for numerous teams dreaming of a berth in a BCS game, was anything but that.
The Trojans knew if they took care of business against cross-town rival UCLA this past Saturday, they would earn an outright Pac-10 title sending them to the Rose Bowl against a one-loss Penn State team.
“Well it’s a little uneventful when you know what’s going on,” head coach Pete Carroll said of the Rose Bowl announcement. “It was little suspense, and I don’t know there could be much suspense because its been pretty rock-solid all the way throughout.”
The match-up will pin two of the most successful coaches in college football against one another for the first since Carroll’s arrival at USC, making this an intriguing match-up.
“Joe (Paterno) might no consider this a match-up,” joked Carroll of the two head coaches colliding. “It will be an honor to go against him, and I think it’s a great classic match-up across the country for us. A lot of people will be interested in this game, and they have an enormous following.
“I’m excited about it. I like that we get a chance to go against such an incredible team, who’s had such a great year. This could very easily be the best game in the country on that day (Jan. 1).”
Paterno, who has had his fair share of ups and downs over the past few years at Penn State, is excited to emerge from the Big Ten as the conference champions preparing to take on USC.
“Well, obviously I'm very excited,” said Paterno of the match-up. “I think any time you've gone as long as I've gone and have an opportunity to do what we're going to have in a few weeks, I'm excited. I know my team's excited. I just hope we can do a good job and make it a great game.
As I said earlier, I think we're going to play one of the two or three best football teams in the country. It’s kind of nice, kind of exciting, something 45 years ago I wouldn't have dreamed of happening. “
Carroll would not stand outside of Galen Dining Hall complaining and wining about why his one loss team did not make it into the BCS National Championship Game, although his hypothetical scenario left some thinking the what ifs.
“The thing is find interesting is out of all the (BCS) teams who do they (media) think would win it,” said Carroll of the possible playoff. “I could think we’d make a big pitch when you come in with the kind of defense we have, it’s hard to vote against that in the championship game.
“That’s just for curiosities sake.”
The Trojans will head to the Rose Bowl for the third time in as many years, although a lack of excitement is the last thing Carroll is worried about when his team comes to take the field New Year’s Day.
“We heard all of those questions last year,” said Carroll of his team potentially becoming complacent heading into yet another Rose Bowl. “Then we had one of the great explosions of energy and fun. This is a big deal to us and we love playing in the bowl game regardless of where we’re going.
“It’s a great achievement.”
A seventh straight Pac-10 title is nothing to be bitter about, and the media hype surrounding the game is leaving Carroll excited toward the opportunity.
“The whole Rose Bowl buildup to us is awesome,” commented Carroll on the activities leading up the New Year’s day game. “You get as much build-up and as much hype for the game as you can possibly get.
“The excitement is going to be enormous and the stadium is going to be rocking.”
The BCS system is the way it is, and there is no changing that.
This USC team just could not move up high enough no matter what they did, and Carroll directly relates that back to the loss to a then struggling Oregon State team.
“Even when Oregon State started playing better I don’t think the evaluation shifted at all,” commented Carroll on the Trojan’s inability to move up the BCS ranking ladder. “I don’t know why that is.”
Penn State is also on the outside looking in with one-loss, although head coach Joe Paterno would make no mention of why his team should be playing in Miami January 8th.
“I'm only looking forward to playing Southern Cal,” said the Penn State head coach. “That's all I'm looking forward to.”
The current system seems to favor a heavier dose of offensive firepower then defensive capabilities, leaving the Trojans on the outside looking in of the BCS National Championship game.
“I don’t know that a team scoring 65 points a game tells you who the best team is,” said Carroll, obviously referring to the USC defense and it’s performance this year. “I think it’s the media’s way of looking at it, I think its media-driven.
“The points and big scores are fan driven and not coaches driven.”
Having coached plenty of great linebackers in his career, Joe Paterno had this to say of the current trio of backers across the country at USC.
“I think they're terrific,” commented the legendary coach. “That (Brian)Cushing kid, I'm still mad at Cal (USC) coming into Jersey and taking him out from under our nose, Bergen Catholic. They run well, they're smart. They time blitz well. They're big time. They're big time, they really are.
“The two outside guys get maybe a little bit more action, but the third guy is pretty good, too. They're all good. It's a heck of a defensive team. I mean, they got a couple guys in that secondary that will knock your head off.”
Click here for video of the BCS announcement at Galen Center as well as comments from Patrick Turner, Stafon Johnson, Mark Sanchez and Pete Carroll on the USC match-up with Penn State
