University Southern California Trojans
February 05, 2004 | Football
Feb. 5, 2004
Carl Smith has been named the tight ends coach at USC, while Rocky Seto moves from safeties to linebackers coach and Ken Norton Jr. joins the Trojan staff as a graduate assistant coach working with the linebackers, USC head coach Pete Carroll announced today.
A new running backs coach has yet to be named.
Smith, who comes to USC after spending the past 3 seasons (2001-03) as the quarterbacks coach with the Cleveland Browns, has 32 years of collegiate and professional coaching experience.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1971 and Colorado in 1972 (CU played in the Gator Bowl). He became the Buffaloes' linebackers coach in 1973 before moving to Southwestern Louisiana, where he handled the defensive line (1974) and defensive backs (1975-76) and was offensive coordinator (1977-78). He then spent 3 years (1979-81) as the offensive coordinator at Lamar (he also served as the offensive line coach there in 1981) and the 1982 season as the offensive coordinator at North Carolina State before moving to the pros.
Smith, 55, was with the USFL's Philadelphia (later Baltimore) Stars for 3 seasons (1983-85), handling the special teams the first year and the quarterbacks and wide receivers the next 2 years when the team captured USFL titles. He spent the next 11 seasons (1986-96) as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with the New Orleans Saints before going to the New England Patriots for 3 seasons (1997-99), the first as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach and the next 2 as the tight ends coach. His teams advanced into the playoffs 7 times, as the Saints did so 4 times (1987-90-91-92 while winning the NFC West title in 1991), the Patriots did so in 1997 (after winning the AFC East crown) and 1998, and the Browns did it in 2002. He wrote for NFL.com in 2000.
He was a 2-year (1969-70) letterman defensive back at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo after transferring from Bakersfield (Calif.) Junior College, where he played quarterback in 1966 and 1967. He earned his bachelor's (1971) and master's (1972) degrees in physical education from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, as well as a teaching credential.
He prepped at Wasco (Calif.) High, where he starred in football, basketball and baseball.
Born April 26, 1948, he and his wife, Dianne, have 3 sons: Tracy, 21, Tyler, 18, and Nicholas, 13.
Norton, 37, was one of the NFL's premier linebackers during his 13-year pro career, first with the Dallas Cowboys for 6 seasons (1988-93) and then 7 years with the San Francisco 49ers (1994-2000). The All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection is the only player in history to play on 3 consecutive Super Bowl-winning teams (the Cowboys in 1992 and 1993 and the 49ers in 1994).
Since retiring from the NFL, he has been a radio and television, commentator and analyst, including on the NFL Network. He also served as the defensive coordinator at Hamilton High in Los Angeles in 2003.
He was the Cowboys' second round NFL draft pick in 1988 after earning All-American honors at UCLA in 1987. He lettered 4 seasons (1984-87) with the Bruins and was a finalist for the 1987 Butkus Award. He earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from UCLA in 1998.
He prepped at Westchester (Calif.) High.
Born Sept. 29, 1966, he and his wife, Angela, have 3 children: daughters Brittney, 16, and Sabrina, 9, and son Ken III, 8. His father, Ken Sr., is the former world heavyweight boxing champion and played football at Northeast Missouri State.
Seto, a former USC linebacker, has been on the Trojan staff for 5 years (1999-2003), but the 2003 season was his first as a full-time assistant (he was in charge of the safeties).
He spent the previous 2 years (2001-02) as a Trojan graduate assistant, the first year working with the defense in general and then handling the safeties in 2002.
He spent the 2000 season as an administrative graduate assistant with the USC program. In 1999, he was a volunteer assistant, working with the defense and special teams.
Seto, 27, was a linebacker at USC for 2 seasons (1997-98). After spending 1997 as a walk-on, he earned a scholarship for the 1998 season.
He transferred to USC from Mt. San Antonio Junior College in Walnut (Calif.), where he was a fullback and defensive end in 1995 and 1996.
He prepped at Arcadia (Calif.) High, where he was on the football and track teams.
He earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from USC in 1999 after getting his associate's degree in general studies from Mt. San Antonio in 1997. He then earned his master's degree in public administration from USC in 2001.
Born March 12, 1976, his wife's name is Sharla.
