Mark Sanchez shares incredible story on Pete Carroll's recruiting pitch inside The Coliseum

Mark Sanchez came to love the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in part because of Pete Carroll. The former USC football coach used to make a point of taking recruits to the Trojans home stadium on visits, and it certainly left an impression on Sanchez.

A former Trojans quarterback, he remembers Carroll putting together an evening scrimmage where talked about the history of the Coliseum and why it is such a special place. Sanchez was sold, committing to play for USC from 2005-08, where his love for the Coliseum only grew larger.

“That place rocks,” Sanchez said in a recent appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “Just walking down the tunnel I would always put my hand against the stone wall as I walked through. In a way I was trying to channel all the greatness that has been in that stadium because coach Carroll would preach that to us. He would take us there at night on our visit. We played football with all the recruits that were on their weekend visit. We’d literally play a football game in the Coliseum at night and he’d light up the torch and bring everybody in tight and be like, ‘Do you realize what’s gone on here? Olympics, the Pope has spoken here. There is greatness that’s on this field right here where you’re standing on you’re gonna be a chapter in that. You get to have a part of this rich history, this rich tradition that is the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.’

“It’s big time and you feel it. Coach Carroll’s big thing was, ‘We’re gonna let ’em in the tunnel. We’re gonna lock the damn door and they don’t get to leave until we beat their ass.’ He took it personal. Like, ‘This is our home. You don’t mess with our spot.'”

That strategy seemed to be effective for Carroll, as he delivered back-to-back national championships to the Trojans in 2003 and 2004. He coached for nine seasons in Los Angeles where he amassed a 97-19 record before moving on to take over the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. He went on to lead them to a Super Bowl victory in 2013, becoming just the third coach in history to win but a Super Bowl and college football national title.

Mark Sanchez arrived just in time for the end of the Pete Carroll era at USC. The quarterback spent most of his career as a backup before earning the starting job as a junior in 2008. He finished that year with 3,207 yards passing, 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as the Trojans won their third straight Rose Bowl. That prompted him to enter the 2009 NFL Draft, where he was taken fifth overall by the New York Jets.

Sanchez went on to enjoy an eight-year NFL career that included leading the Jets to the AFC Championship during the 2010 season. Now retired since 2018, he is ready to enjoy football as a fan, where he will likely take in many games at the Coliseum on Saturdays.