USC Trojans undergo staff turnover

LOS ANGELES (AP ) - USC coach Pete Carroll faces a rebuilding job with the two-time defending national champion Trojans - not the team, the coaching staff.

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Offensive coordinator Norm Chow joined the Tennessee Titans in the same role Wednesday, the fifth Trojans assistant to leave since they ended their season with a 55-19 rout of Oklahoma in the BCS championship game.

The Trojans' success this past season and the previous year, when they shared the national title with LSU, predictably boosted their assistant coaches' stock in the job market.

Three of them - quarterbacks coach Carl Smith, offensive line coach Tim Davis and Chow - moved on to the NFL.

Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron took the head coaching job at Mississippi, then hired Trojans' graduate assistant Dennis Slutak.

Smith moved to the Jacksonville Jaguars as offensive coordinator. Davis left to coach the Miami Dolphins' line.

So although Heisman winner Matt Leinart will be back for his final season at USC along with Reggie Bush, LenDale White and a host of other outstanding players, Carroll will shuffle his staff and hire some new assistants.

Steve Sarkisian, a quarterback at BYU when Chow was an assistant there, is returning to USC after a year with the Oakland Raiders' staff. Sarkisian was USC's quarterback coach in 2002 and '03. Carroll also is promoting graduate assistant Ken Norton Jr. to a full-time job.

Carroll spoke earlier Wednesday with a head coach who also has to retool his staff - Bill Belichick of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.

"Bill's in town for some TV shows and we sat down and talked. They are in the same situation," said Carroll, who formerly coached the Patriots and the New York Jets. "Bill and I talked during the year and he mentioned that he might lose both of his coordinators. He lost both of them.

"I think there's a real parallel there, you get on top and people come after your guys. It's natural."

Miami-bound Davis believes the Trojans won't miss a beat and will repeat as national champions.

"It's all about the kids and they're going to be a year older. I don't see it changing. I think it's going to be phenomenal," Davis said. "Anything that's happening, Pete's already thought of it. He's always a step ahead."

Chow tutored Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Leinart during his four years under Carroll, after working as an assistant at BYU with such outstanding passers as Jim McMahon, Steve Young and Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer.

Chow was considered the Trojans' offensive guru, complementing Carroll's defensive wizardry.

"We're losing a great coach and a great leader in Norm Chow," Carroll said. "He will bring his history of success and winning to the league and I'm certain he will enhance the Titans' chances of getting to the Super Bowl."

Leinart, who last month decided to return to school rather than enter the NFL draft, was especially close to Chow.

"Of course, I'm disappointed that Coach Chow is leaving. I was really looking forward to him being here for my senior year," Leinart said. "But we all have to recognize that with the success we've had, coaches are going to get opportunities to better themselves.

"Life goes on. We'll be fine. I'm so proud and happy for him to be able to go to the NFL as an offensive coordinator. It's a great, great opportunity. Coach Chow and I will always have a great relationship. I know I'll keep in contact with him."

Although dissension reportedly arose between Carroll and Chow over the head coach's intention to switch some staff duties, both denied there was a problem.

"There were some discussions between Pete Carroll and me, as there were every year, about possible changes within the coaching staff," Chow said. "But then this opportunity arose with the Tennessee Titans and it all happened very quickly."

Said Carroll: "I'm sure we will continue to share and exchange ideas like we always did. Amid speculation to the contrary, Norm and I had a great relationship during our years together. I know that will continue in the future and will be foundation of a lifetime friendship."