Former USC quarterbacks share thoughts on Pete Carroll's coaching legacy
The long tenures of three coaching legends all came to an end over the past 24 hours as Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will all be moving on from the positions with which they’ve become synonymous. While Saban and Belichick won more championships at their current stop, Carroll probably has a claim to the most success at a previous spot, winning two national championships with the USC Trojans.
Former USC quarterback Matt Leinart delivered a heartfelt message on X regarding Carroll’s tenure with the Trojans. Leinart called it an “incredible career” that Carroll might have just finished.
Leinart said he shared the thoughts of many when he heard the Trojans hired Carroll.
“Who is this guy?” Leinart remembers thinking.
Leinart was already committed to USC when Carroll was hired. The coach made sure to keep Leinart in the fold. Leinart remembers playing catch with Carroll at Mater Dei when he came for a visit.
“I committed to Pete because of his infections personality, his energy,” Leinart said. “He was so excited about what he was going to build at USC.
“And you go back to those years I was there, he was honest,” Leinart said. “He did it. He built a dynasty. He’s one of the greatest college football coaches of all time.”
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Carroll won national championships following the 2003 and 2004 seasons, won 34-straight games with the Trojans and finished as a top-4 team in the AP Poll seven years in a row.
“He always had a laugh, he had a zest for life on the football field,” Leinart said. “He created such an incredible culture for us at USC, a winning, championship culture. And I owe a lot of my success on the football field to coach Pete.
“Congratulations on a tremendous coaching career. One of the best to ever do it.”
Fellow former USC quarterback Mark Sanchez also shared some words.
“Thank you for inspiring me,” Sanchez wrote. “Thank you for teaching me how to compete. Thank you for reminding me that something good is always coming up on the horizon.”
Since Carroll’s run of 7-straight top-4 finishes, USC has finished in the top 4 just one time (3rd in the 2016 season) in the 14 years since he left for Seattle.
