If Pete Carroll Is Gone at USC, Who Steps In? (Updated)

Rumors are flying today that USC head football coach Pete Carroll is the leading choice of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks to replace the fired Jim Mora Jr.

From Carroll's perspective, he would get what he has always desired if he were to return to the NFL—head coaching and control of player personnel. If Carroll were to receive that from Seattle, I think he's gone. Plus, he can also give a quarterback job to that backup in Arizona, Matt Leinart.

Which turns the attention of college football fans to who will be the replacement at USC.

USC's athletic director needs to make two phone calls.

One to Oregon State head coach Mike Riley.

One to Boise State head coach Chris Petersen.

No one else. Not Trojan alums like Jeff Fisher or Jack Del Rio, who are NFL head coaches. Not to people like Steve Sarkisian (Washington) or Lane Kiffin (Tennessee), who are former members of Carroll's USC staff and now college head coaches.

Mike Riley, on a level playing field, might be the best game-planning coach in college football. He has a bowl record of 5-1. He has been able to recruit to Corvallis, Ore. If he can get talent to the Willamette Valley, do you not think he can keep the talent in Los Angeles?

Not only that, Riley has NFL experience. Yes, he was not very good in the NFL. But neither was Carroll. With his NFL experience, however, he can convince recruits that he has what it takes to prepare four- and five-star talent for careers as pros.

He also understands the USC dynamic. He was an assistant at USC under John Robinson, knows the politics and value USC and its alumni place on the football program, and, most importantly, has been a successful Pac-10 coach during the Trojans' decade of reign over the conference. To top it all off, he played at Alabama under Bear Bryant.

Riley was born and raised in Corvallis, though. So if he does not want to leave his hometown gig, call Chris Petersen.

Petersen is 49-4 as the head coach at Boise State. He has led the Broncos to two wins in BCS bowls. He is known as innovative offensive coach, his defenses at BSU have continually improved, and he is looked at nationally as one of the best "mid-major" conference coaches (with Gary Patterson at TCU).

Petersen also has Pac-10 roots. He was an assistant coach for Oregon for six seasons, so he is certainly familiar with the conference. Also, his current defensive coordinator at Boise St. is Justin Wilcox, widely regarded as one of the top young defensive coordinators in the game. As an Oregon grad, Wilcox may certainly enjoy the return to the Pac-10.

Petersen has always mentioned how his family feels at home in Boise, but it's not as if his family roots are in Boise (heck—no one's are). In fact, his college roots are in northern California, at Sacramento City College and UC Davis. 

Kind of sounds like another USC coach with NoCal roots—Carroll.

There is one other college head coach who might be interested in the job.

Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Harbaugh cannot stand Pete Carroll and the feeling is mutual. What better way for Harbaugh to annoy Pete Carroll than to take the USC job and win one or two national titles. He would be able to do the impossible and make Trojan fans even forget about Carroll for a little while.

There are two problems with Harbaugh.

One, he is always rumored to be looking for an NFL job. His brother John is the Baltimore Raven's head coach so it is easy to see him wanting to be on the pro stage with his brother. Not to mention, doesn't it seem like Harbaugh is a candidate for just about any job that opens?

Second, Harbaugh has a way of opening his mouth at the worst times and coming across as arrogant. This is probably due to him actually being arrogant. If Harbaugh were to be the USC coach, I can se him demanding his way and when things do not work out the way he wants, off he goes to another job.

That being said, If Riley or Petersen say no, I would give him a call. But only if those two say reject USC.

If USC were to bring in an NFL guy like Fisher or Del Rio (who may get fired from Jacksonville, anyway) Trojans fans will always have the fear of one of them returning to the pros, like Carroll.

Also, what do those pro guys know about recruiting? Nothing. They have not done it in years and there is a fine art to doing it. True, Pete Carroll came from the NFL and was instantly a great recruiter. Carroll however had a college-type personality and was surrounded on his initial staffs with college assistants who excelled in recruiting, coaches like Ed Orgeron, Tim Davis, and Norm Chow (though Chow is not know for his recruiting prowess.)

The argument with both Fisher and Del Rio is they are Trojans. That does not make them the best choice to be the next USC coach. 

Pete Carroll was not a Trojan. He will go down though as possibly the greatest Trojan coach of all time, though I might still argue for John McKay.

Riley's been to the pros and has decided he is a college guy.

Petersen's style doesn't fit in with the NFL, but he prepares guys for the league.

Sarkisian and Kiffin would probably jump at the opportunity to coach the Trojans and would consider it their dream job. Neither, however, has established himself yet as a successful college coach.

There is also the issue of the NCAA investigation. If sanctions are coming, Carroll's move makes sense. It also might complicate things with bringing in a new coach. If the NCAA is only going to take away past victories—or even a championship, for that matter—it's not as if this means anything to a new coach.

Many Trojans fans are probably walking around with their fingers crossed, hoping the news of Carroll leaving is just one more false rumor (recall Chargers and Dolphins whispers in past years). If the rumor is true, though, and Carroll is leaving for the rain and the coffee, Mike Garrett has two people to call and pay whatever it takes to bring into the fold.

There is a silver lining, though, Trojans fans. Carroll will be taking Jeremy Bates with him.

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