RENTON — In his two years at USC playing under Pete Carroll, Lofa Tatupu went 25-1 and won one national title outright and a share of a second title.
And while the Seahawks linebacker knows that kind of success isn’t likely in the NFL, he expects the team will succeed under its newly hired coach.
“This is a bit of a different situation, but I’m excited about it,” Tatupu said. “I only lost one game down there. I can’t imagine it’ll be like that, but I know with Pete’s expectations, it will be somewhat similar.”
So just what made Carroll so good at USC?
“He expects the very best out of each player individually, and that collectively makes a great picture,” said defensive end Lawrence Jackson, who also played under Carroll at USC. “And I think the onus is on the players to open up and embrace the change and know that if you want to be a great football player and you want to reach the individual goals that you set for yourself within a team perspective, this is a great situation. He really is passionate about getting the most out of every player because it produces a winning program.”
There are those who wonder if Carroll’s coaching style, described by some as rah-rah, will work in the NFL. Justin Forsett, who played against Carroll while at California, doesn’t see that as a problem.
“Guys want to see that, guys want to have that energy,” Forsett said. “It’s a business, but it’s something we love to do and it’s supposed to be fun, so I think guys are going to take to that well.”
But while players are excited to play for Carroll, many are also sad to see Jim Mora go.
“I’m a believer in Jim Mora,” said safety Lawyer Milloy, who played for Carroll in New England and Mora in both Atlanta and Seattle. “He’s one of the reasons why I didn’t retire last year. This day is kind of weird for me personally because I’m friends with both coaches. One coach I feel very, very sorry for, only given one year to try to make magic happen. Then I’m ecstatic that another coach that I think very highly of has another shot.”
Milloy credits Carroll with turning him into a Pro-Bowl safety. When Carroll was hired by the Patriots, he sat down with Milloy, then a second-year pro, and told the young player that he could be that team’s Tim McDonald, a reference to the Pro-Bowl safety Carroll had coached in San Francisco.
“He’s probably on of the best motivators I’ve had individually,” Milloy said. “… He made me believe.”
Building his staff
Carroll did not specify who has so far been added to his coaching staff, but said he is in the process of contacting and hiring assistants. Various reports this week said Carroll is expected to bring former USC offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates and linebacker coach Ken Norton Jr. to fill the same roles with the Seahawks. DeWayne Walker, the head coach at New Mexico State and a former member of Carroll’s USC staff, is believed to be a top candidate for the defensive coordinator job according to a report on NFL.com.
An ESPN report Tuesday said Carroll will pursue offensive line coach Alex Gibbs, one of the league’s most respected line coaches who helped the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowls titles with his zone-blocking scheme. Carroll didn’t say the hire had been made, but acknowledged that he is interested in Gibbs, who is currently Houston’s line coach.
“I haven’t talked to Alex yet today,” Carroll said. “But if that comes together, it’ll be one of the great achievements in our early process of putting this thing together. He’s a fantastic football coach, and I can’t wait to get out of here so I can go call him and see where we are in that.”
Carroll also said he’s looking at members of the previous Seahawks coaching staff, and some of those coaches could be retained. Carroll’s defense will be similar to what the Seahawks ran under Gus Bradley and it’s more likely there would be carry over on that side of the ball than on offense, where more schematic changes are expected.
Endorsing Hasselbeck
Carroll said that he hadn’t evaluated the team enough to discuss personnel, but he did make an exception when it came to quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
“I know that we have a quarterback that has played really good football in his career,” Carroll said. “Matty, he’s feeling pretty good. He’s bouncing back from a sore shoulder during the season. He’s ready to go. That is one of the key elements of putting together a team that has a chance to win right away. You’ve got to have a quarterback. I know that we have a first-class guy in Matt and I can’t wait to get working with him. … The NFL is a quarterback-driven process. And so the fact that we have Matt Hasselbeck here is a big factor.”
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
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