November 16, 2009

2009 USC Football: What's Your Deal, Coach Carroll?

By now most of the rest of America who aren't USC Fans-which is just about everyone outside of the Greater Los Angeles, California Metro Area-have gone into full schadenfreude mode over the Trojans season of woe.

With three ugly losses to the University of Washington (16-13 at U-Dub), Oregon (five bajillion-not many three weeks ago...okay, so it was only 47-20) and now by the jaw dropping, eye opening final score of 55-21 to the sudenly dangerous Stanford Cardinal, the fall from the rarefied air that the Trojans have been breathing for the better part of the past decade has been as shockingly swift as it was resounding.

Perhaps the most tell-tale sign of just how far the mighty have fallen was the Fighting Harbaugh's of Stanford going for a two point conversion...after Stanford's 7th-I repeat, seventh-touchdown of the game on Saturday.

Admittedly, Harbaugh does have a bit of history with tweaking SC's head coach, and the tweak of the two-point conversion was not lost on Carroll during their post-game meeting. After meeting Harbaugh at mid-field for a somewhat terse exchange, Carroll uttered, "What's your deal? What's your deal?"

To which Harbaugh went all Joey Tribbiani on Carroll by replying, "What's your deal?"

Not exactly a lot of love lost between these two coaches-and, by extension, their teams-over the past three years, as Harbaugh is the only coach in the PAC-10 to be able to claim multiple victories over Carroll's Trojans (Oregon's won twice in the last three seasons, as well, but their 2007 win was with now Athletic Director Mike Bellotti at the helm; this year Chip Kelly was the head headset for the victory over SC).

I did some digging, & came up with this video of the post-game exchange between Harbaugh & Carroll. My favorite part is where they catch Harbaugh with the, "Look at 'em all runnin' in [to the locker room]! Look at 'em all runnin' in!" referencing SC's quick exit from the field of play at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum post-pistolwhipping.

It'll be interesting to see this Stanford team develop. Even more interesting will be whether or not Harbaugh sticks around for it. Lots of bigger tickets with lower admission standards & deeper pockets in terms of their ability to pay for a proven head coach are taking notice of what Harbaugh's been able to build in Palo Alto. A hard nosed guy whose not afraid of confronting the big kid on the block head-on, and has instilled the same mindset in his team, Harbaugh has brought in a very good quarterback in Andrew Luck, & Toby Gerhart has muscled his way into the Heisman Trophy discussion the same way he punishes Safeties on the 2nd level.

The bigger-and most interesting-question, however, remains: What in the blue you-know-what has happened to Southern Cal? Yes, we know Stefan Johnson was hurt in a freak weightlifting accident earlier this year. Yes, we know Matt Barkley is an 18 year old true freshman starting at quarterback for USC. Yes, we know that SC lost their Defensive Coordinator to the same team that handed them their first lost this year in Washington.

But, again...This is USC we're talking about. The team that's won double digit games each year since Carroll's second in Los Angeles. The team that went 5-deep at tailback with 5-Star mail-toters. Matt Barkley was the #1 player in America as a schoolboy signal caller last year. Yes, Nick Holt was a good DC for Troy, but after all, the Trojan defense was Carroll's baby.

Right?

So, again, the question remains for Carroll...What's your deal?

Comments:

2009 USC Football: What's Your Deal, Coach Carroll?
By now most of the rest of America who aren't USC Fans-which is just about everyone outside of the Greater Los Angeles, California Metro Area-have gone into full schadenfreude mode over the Trojans season of woe. With three ugly losses to the University of Washington (16-13 at U-Dub), Oregon (five bajillion-not many three weeks ago...okay, so it was only 47-20) and now by the jaw dropping, eye opening final score of 55-21 to the sudenly dangerous Stanford Cardinal, the fall from the rarefied air that the Trojans have been breathing for the better part of the past decade has been as shockingly swift as it was resounding. Perhaps the most tell-tale sign of just how far the mighty have fallen was the Fighting Harbaugh's of Stanford going for a two point conversion...after Stanford's 7th-I repeat, seventh-touchdown of the game on Saturday. Admittedly, Harbaugh does have a bit of history with tweaking SC's head coach, and the tweak of the two-point conversion was not lost on Carroll during their post-game meeting. After meeting Harbaugh at mid-field for a somewhat terse exchange, Carroll uttered, "What's your deal? What's your deal?" To which Harbaugh went all Joey Tribbiani on Carroll by replying, "What's your deal?" Not exactly a lot of love lost between these two coaches-and, by extension, their teams-over the past three years, as Harbaugh is the only coach in the PAC-10 to be able to claim multiple victories over Carroll's Trojans (Oregon's won twice in the last three seasons, as well, but their 2007 win was with now Athletic Director Mike Bellotti at the helm; this year Chip Kelly was the head headset for the victory over SC). I did some digging, & came up with this video of the post-game exchange between Harbaugh & Carroll. My favorite part is where they catch Harbaugh with the, "Look at 'em all runnin' in [to the locker room]! Look at 'em all runnin' in!" referencing SC's quick exit from the field of play at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum post-pistolwhipping. It'll be interesting to see this Stanford team develop. Even more interesting will be whether or not Harbaugh sticks around for it. Lots of bigger tickets with lower admission standards & deeper pockets in terms of their ability to pay for a proven head coach are taking notice of what Harbaugh's been able to build in Palo Alto. A hard nosed guy whose not afraid of confronting the big kid on the block head-on, and has instilled the same mindset in his team, Harbaugh has brought in a very good quarterback in Andrew Luck, & Toby Gerhart has muscled his way into the Heisman Trophy discussion the same way he punishes Safeties on the 2nd level. The bigger-and most interesting-question, however, remains: What in the blue you-know-what has happened to Southern Cal? Yes, we know Stefan Johnson was hurt in a freak weightlifting accident earlier this year. Yes, we know Matt Barkley is an 18 year old true freshman starting at quarterback for USC. Yes, we know that SC lost their Defensive Coordinator to the same team that handed them their first lost this year in Washington. But, again...This is USC we're talking about. The team that's won double digit games each year since Carroll's second in Los Angeles. The team that went 5-deep at tailback with 5-Star mail-toters. Matt Barkley was the #1 player in America as a schoolboy signal caller last year. Yes, Nick Holt was a good DC for Troy, but after all, the Trojan defense was Carroll's baby. Right? So, again, the question remains for Carroll...What's your deal?