It was time for ball.
"Our philosophy of football is: it's all about the ball," Carroll bellowed to open the meeting, emphatically breaking the silence with the program's No. 1 emphasis. "No matter what it takes on offense, you're going to protect this ball. And on defense, there's no play where we're not trying to get the ball away."
Carroll then delved into the team's other mottos, repeating the dictums that players have heard over and over but doing it in a way that sounded fresh, new, exciting. It's one of Carroll's greatest strengths, the ability to plainly and powerfully articulate every philosophy of the program, and to somehow do it in an exciting way each time. They're philosophies such as:
- Style: "Our style is that we play with have effort, great enthusiasm and we play smart."
- Three rules: "Protect the team; No whining, no complaining, no excuses; Be early."
- Practice is everything: "Practice is where we make us."
- Everything counts: "You're either competing or you're not."
Carroll's talent for articulating every facet of the program is a huge reason for USC's long-term success and the quick melding of freshmen into the program, as the expectations and philosophies are unmistakably clear from Day 1. But not only clear, they also are fresh and carry an air of exhilaration each and every time they're repeated.
"Let's go," Carroll said to close the 30-minute meeting. "It all happens -- starting today."
