Coaching Staff

 

Head Coach Pete Carroll

Pete Carroll

Energetic and charismatic seventh-year USC head football coach Pete Carroll quickly restored the glory of the Trojan football program and has returned Troy to national prominence.

He is 65-12 (84.4%) in 6 years (2001-2006) as a college head coach (all at USC), the best winning percentage of any current Division I coach with at least 5 years of experience. He reached 50 career USC wins faster than any head coach in Trojan history. His losses have been by a total of 51 points (4.3 average) and only 1 was by more than a touchdown (it was by 11 points). After starting off his Trojan career 2-5, he has gone 63-7 (90.0%) with a pair of national championships (2003-04). He is 42-7 in Pac-10 games, giving him an 85.7% winning mark (a league record). He is 20-0 in November. He has 24 victories over AP Top 25 teams (24-6 overall, 80.0%). His teams have won 56 of their last 60 games and been ranked in the AP Top 10 for the past 56 games. His teams have won an unprecedented 5 consecutive Pac-10 titles, had 4 straight AP Top 4 finishes and appeared in a record 5 consecutive BCS bowls (including a pair of BCS Championship Games).

 

Offensive Assistants

Steve Sarkisian, Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Steve Sarkisian

Steve Sarkisian, who is in his fourth stop at USC as an assistant coach or athlete, returned to the Trojan staff in Feburary of 2005 as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. He added the offensive coordinator role in 2007. Combined, he is in his sixth year at USC.

In 2006, quarterback John David Booty made the All-Pac-10 first team as he led the league in passing efficiency and total offense.

In 2005, quarterback Matt Leinart won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting, was a finalist for the Davey O'Brien, Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards and was an All-American first teamer. He set 16 USC records (11 were Pac-10 marks and 2 was an NCAA record). He was the 10th pick of the 2006 NFL draft. USC's 4,157 passing yards in 2005 was a school record and the Trojans were fifth nationally in passing (319.8).

 

Pat Ruel, Offensive Line

Pat Ruel

Pat Ruel, who has 33 years of college and NFL coaching experience, is in his third year at USC. He joined the Trojan staff in February of 2005 and works with the offensive line.

In 2006, offense tackle Sam Baker was named an All-American first teamer for the second consecutive year, while center Ryan Kalil-a Rimington Award finalist-also was an All-American first team pick.

In 2005, Baker and offensive guard Taitusi Lutui were All-American first teamers and Kalil was on the All-Pac-10 first team. Lutui and offensive tackle Winston Justice were a second round picks in the 2006 NFL draft, while offensive guard Fred Matua was a seventh rounder.

 

John Morton, Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers

John Morton

John Morton, formerly an assistant coach with the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders, joined the USC staff in February of 2007 as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator

Morton, 37, was an offensive assistant in 2006 with the New Orleans Saints, assisting in the passing game and other facets of game preparation on offense. The Saints advanced to the 2006 NFC Championship game.

 

Todd McNair, Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator

Todd McNair

Former NFL player Todd McNair, a one-time NFL running back and assistant coach, is in his fourth year at USC. He joined the Trojan staff in February of 2004. He also took on the additional duty of special teams coordinator beginning in 2005.

In 2006, he was named one of the nation's top 25 recruiters by Rivals.com.

In 2005, tailback Reggie Bush won the Heisman Trophy and Doak Walker Award, was a unanimous All-American, was the Player of the Year by AP, Walter Camp and the Touchdown Club of Columbus and was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year. Bush joined fellow tailback LenDale White as the first pair of USC runners to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in a season. Bush was the second pick of the 2006 NFL draft and White was a second rounder, while fullback David Kirtman was a fifth round choice. USC was sixth nationally in rushing offense (260.0) in 2005 and averaged a national-best 6.4 yards per carry. He was named the nation's third-best recruiter by Rivals.com in 2005.

 

Brennan Carroll, Tight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator

Brennan Carroll

Brennan Carroll, the oldest son of USC head coach Pete Carroll, is in his sixth year on the USC staff, including his fourth as a full-time assistant. He is in charge of the tight ends.

Tight end Dominique Byrd was a third round NFL draft pick following the 2005 season.

He joined the USC staff in August of 2002 as a graduate assistant. He spent 2002 working with the offense and special teams, then handled the tight ends in 2003.

 

Yogi Roth, Quarterbacks (Graduate Assistant)

Yogi Roth, who spent the past 2 years (2005-06) as a video assistant with the USC football program, is in his first year on the Trojan staff as a graduate assistant working with the quarterbacks.

USC played in the 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and 2007 Rose Bowl.

Roth, 25, came to USC after spending 2004 as a sports broadcaster. He was an analyst on college football and basketball telecasts on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh and served as the sideline reporter and pre- and post-game host for Pittsburgh football radio broadcasts.

 

Defensive Assistants

Nick Holt, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line

Nick Holt

Nick Holt, who was the head coach at Idaho for 2 recent seasons and previously was an assistant at USC, returned to the Trojan program in February of 2006 as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Combined, he is in his fifth year at USC.

Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis was an All-American first teamer in 2006. USC was 12th nationally in scoring defense (14.9), 17th in rushing defense (97.7), 20th in pass efficiency defense (107.9) and 23rd in total defense (293.8). USC played in the 2007 Rose Bowl.

Holt spent the previous 2 seasons (2004-05) as the head coach at Idaho, going 5-18. The Vandals were 3-9 in 2004 and 2-9 in 2005.

He originally joined the Trojan staff in January of 2001 and spent 3 seasons (2001-03) as the linebackers coach. In 2002, linebacker Matt Grootegoed was an All-Pac-10 first teamer. USC played in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl (USC won the national championship that year) and 2004 Rose Bowl.

 

Ken Norton Jr., Linebackers

Ken Norton Jr.

Ken Norton Jr., one of the premier linebackers in NFL and collegiate history, is in his fourth year on the USC staff, including his third as a full-time assistant working with the linebackers (he was promoted in February of 2005). He spent his first year at USC as a graduate assistant (helping with the linebackers) after joining the Trojan staff in February of 2004.

In 2006, linebackers Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga made the All-Pac-10 first team.

In 2005, Maualuga was a Freshman All-American first teamer.

In 2004, linebackers Matt Grootegoed and Lofa Tatupu were named All-American first teamers (Grootegoed also was a Butkus Award finalist and Tatupu was a NFL second round pick). The Trojans won the national championship.

USC played in the 2005 Orange Bowl (BCS Championship Game), 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and 2007 Rose Bowl.

Norton Jr., 40, spent 13 years playing in the NFL, first with the Dallas Cowboys for 6 seasons (1988-93) and then 7 years with the San Francisco 49ers (1994-2000). The All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection is the only player in history to play on 3 consecutive Super Bowl-winning teams (the Cowboys in 1992 and 1993 and the 49ers in 1994).

 

Rocky Seto, Secondary

Rocky Seto

Former USC linebacker Rocky Seto is in his eighth year on the USC staff, including his fourth as a full-time assistant. He took over handling of the secondary in 2006 after being in charge of the linebackers in 2004 and 2005 and the safeties in 2003.

In 2005, linebacker Rey Maualuga was a Freshman All-American first teamer.

In 2004, linebackers Matt Grootegoed and Lofa Tatupu were named All-American first teamers (Grootegoed also was a Butkus Award finalist and Tatupu was a NFL second round pick). The Trojans won their second consecutive national championship.

In 2003, safety Darnell Bing was a Freshman All-American first teamer. Troy won its first national championship since 1978.

He spent the previous 2 years (2001-02) as a Trojan graduate assistant, the first year working with the defense in general and then handling the safeties in 2002 (where he worked with All-American first teamer and NFL first rounder Troy Polamalu).

 

David Watson, Defensive Line

David Watson

David Watson is in his third year on the Trojan staff, but his second as a full-time assistant working with the defensive line (he was promoted in February of 2006). He spent his first year at USC as an offensive line graduate assistant after joining the staff in February of 2005.

Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis was an All-American first teamer in 2006.

In 2005, offensive guard Taitusi Lutui and offensive tackle Sam Baker were All-American first teamers and they joined center Ryan Kalil on the All-Pac-10 first team. Lutui and offensive tackle Winston Justice were a second round picks in the 2006 NFL draft, while offensive guard Fred Matua was a seventh rounder.

 

Kris Richard, Secondary (Graduate Assistant)

 

 

 

 

Strength and Conditioning

Chris Carlisle

Chris Carlisle

Chris Carlisle is in his seventh year as USC's head strength and conditioning coach. He joined the Trojan program in February of 2001.

He was named the 2006 National Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society.

USC played in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, 2003 Orange Bowl, 2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Orange Bowl (BCS Championship Game), 2006 Rose Bowl (BCS Championship Game) and 2007 Rose Bowl. The Trojans won national championships in 2003 and 2004.

He came to USC from Tennessee, where he was the associate head strength and conditioning coach for 3 years (1998-2000). The Volunteer football team won the 1998 national title and Southeastern Conference championship.

 

Football Operations

Dennis Slutak

Dennis Slutak

Dennis Slutak is in his fifth year at USC, including his third as director of football operations after spending his first 2 seasons (2003-04) as a graduate assistant working with the special teams. He joined the Trojan staff in July of 2003.

In 2004, punter Tom Malone was an All-Pac-10 first teamer, while placekicker Ryan Killeen set the USC and Pac-10 career records for PATs and PAT attempts and the USC career points record. The Trojans won their second consecutive national championship.

In 2003, Malone was an All-American first teamer (USC's first punter so honored) who set the school record for season punting average (49.0), while Killeen set the Pac-10 season record for PATs (65) and tied the Trojan season mark for field goals (19). Troy won its first national championship since 1978.

 


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