Pete Carroll, who led the Trojans to seven Pac-10 titles and two national championships while becoming an icon in college football and L.A., has resigned to take over as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks."The nine years at USC have been the best years of my coaching life," Carroll said. "I will forever be indebted for the opportunity to represent this great university and would like to extend my thanks to President Sample and Mike Garrett for giving me the chance. For all the unforgettable memories, I want to thank the players, coaches and support staff who made it all possible. My family and I have been blessed, and we will always appreciate and respect our association with USC, our fans and the Trojan Family.
"The university graciously approached me to stay but this choice is about pursuing the great challenges of competing in the NFL and I found this opportunity too compelling to pass up."
The 58-year-old Carroll had a 97-19 (83.6 percent) record in his nine seasons (2001-09) at USC. He won a pair of national championships (2003-04), with the 2004 Trojans going a perfect 13-0. From 2002 to 2008, his teams posted seven consecutive Pac-10 titles (a conference record), BCS bowl game appearances (an NCAA record), 11-win seasons (an NCAA record) and AP Top 4 finishes.
"I had hoped this day would not come; this is a big loss to all of us," USC President Steven B. Sample said. "But we are proud of Pete Carroll and proud that the Seattle Seahawks recognize his talents and his accomplishments and are offering him this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He rewrote the book on college football and now he intends to do the same for professional football. And my guess is that he will succeed wonderfully.
"Every Trojan everywhere owes Pete a big debt of gratitude for what he did for USC and USC football these past nine years."
In his nine seasons, Carroll was at the helm of 35 victories over AP Top 25 teams (35-9 overall, 79.5%). He was 7-2 in bowl games, including 6-1 in BCS games, and USC became the first school to win three consecutive Rose Bowls. He went 16-2 against traditional rivals Notre Dame and UCLA.
"Pete Carroll propelled the USC football program to unparalleled heights and became a college football icon in doing so," Trojan athletic director Mike Garrett said. "All of us connected with the University and indeed, the entire Trojan family, thank him for everything that he did during his nine years at USC. He was a valued colleague and good friend. We're obviously sorry to see him go, but we congratulate him on the new challenge that he has accepted with the Seattle Seahawks and wish him the very best.
"Pete had an incredible run at USC as our football coach."
During his tenure with the Trojans, Carroll presided over the program's winningest era in its rich history. A search for his replacement has already begun.
"Pete built and left in place a truly outstanding organization," Garrett said. "While he leaves behind an impressive legacy, I am confident that we will find a new head coach who will continue the success to which we are accustomed at USC."
Sample lauded Carroll for his trademark energy and enthusiasm.
"He brought joy and grace back to the game," Sample said. "He filled the Coliseum to the rafters. He was an educator as much as a coach, and taught all of us by example how important it is to take personal responsibility for making the world a better place. Pete's work with the toughest gangs of Los Angeles through A Better LA is the stuff of legend.
"We will miss Pete, but he will always be a Trojan. And he and his family will always have a warm and welcoming home at the University of Southern California."
Carroll's teams established almost unheard-of records and stats that will live on in college football lore for decades to come. Take a look at all the USC accomplishments during the past nine seasons under Carroll, achievements that have "earned him a lasting place in our history," Sample said:
- Several Pac-10-record winning streaks, including 35 home games, 34 overall games, 27 Pac-10 games and 24 Pac-10 home games
- School records for winning 18 consecutive road games and 13 straight Pac-10 road games
- Carroll was 62-14 in Pacific-10 games for a league-record 81.6 percent winning mark
- USC was AP's No. 1 team in a national-record 33 straight polls
- The Trojans were ranked in the AP Top 10 for a school-record 63 consecutive games
- Carroll's teams were in the AP Top 25 for a school-record 102 consecutive games
- His Trojans also set a NCAA record by scoring at least 20 points in 63 consecutive games
- Under Carroll, USC was the first school to have three Heisman Trophy winners in a four-year span
- Carroll also coached winners of the Walter Camp, Chuck Bednarik, Johnny Unitas, Doak Walker and John Mackey awards
- In 2005, USC became the first school to have a 3,000-yard passer, a pair of 1,000-yard runners and a 1,000-yard receiver in a season
- During Carroll's tenure, USC set Pac-10 records for home average and home total attendance, as well as school standards for overall and overall average attendance and home and season sellouts.
Individual feats also abounded during Carroll's nine seasons, as he produced 35 All-American first teamers and 53 NFL draft picks (including 14 first rounders, with a No. 1 selection in Carson Palmer and a No. 2 in Reggie Bush).
In 2009, Carroll was named collegiate Coach of the Decade by Lindy's magazine. He twice was named the National Coach of the Year and three times was the Pac-10 Coach of the Year.
While at USC, Carroll received a number of community awards after he helped found A Better LA, a non-profit group consisting of a consortium of local agencies and organizations working to reduce gang violence by empowering change in individuals and communities.
"I will continue to be committed to the community through our foundation, A Better LA," Carroll said.
Added Garrett, USC's athletic director: "We did everything we could to keep Pete at USC, but he was presented with a rare opportunity to really build a program in the NFL. We know he will do a great job with the Seahawks.
"We'll be rooting for him."
After nine seasons, seven Pac-10 titles and two national championships with the Trojans, Pete Carroll is leaving USC to become head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. [Photo courtesy of Getty Images]
