I am on the road until Sunday on business so while I have not been able to to address Mark Sanchez's decision to go to the NFL and Pete Carroll's reaction to it in real time I have been aware of the numerous complaints and criticisms mounted against Carroll.
Pete Carroll nails it right here...
Pete Carroll explained his feelings further tonight.
``He just wants to. He just wants to go do it. It didn't matter what the facts were, he just wanted to go do it. It was in his heart to go take this challenge on and that just overrode everything that was out there.''
Most of Carroll's critics are from outside the program or have already been identified as haters so their criticism is already jaded and not credible.
When you look around the college coaching landscape the only coach with major NFL experience and a solid track record of putting top talent in the NFL is Pete Carroll. Alabama's Nick Saban and South Carolina's Steve Spurrier comes to mind but Carroll leeds by a mile. Pete Carroll knows the NFL, regardless of his track record as a head coach his tenure coupled with what he has done at USC makes him an expert at knowing what it takes and what is expect to succeed at he next level.
From a business perspective I could see why Mark Sanchez decided to declare and I said last week that he probably should go, though I wasn't clear that his decison would probably be based on business and not football. He is going to make a lot of money and be able to take care of his family. He will have his degree so I can understand that short of personal glory and achievements he has pretty much met the goals that he set out for himself to get to the next level.
Form a football perspective I do not see the body of work that indicate that Sanchez is ready to go. Not with only 15 starts under his belt especially when some of those starts were against some very pedestrian defenses. No is saying that the talent isn't there...it is. But when most of the tough games on this years schedule are at home its hard to see the full picture. Had he stayed the schedule for next season would have tested his mettle far better as all the tough games on the road and without a vaunted defense to bail him out it would have been on him to carry the team.
Wolf had quoted an NFL scout on his blog that Sanchez had probably gone as far as he could possible go at USC.
Here's what else our NFL scout said on Mark Sanchez.
``I think he should come out now. How much better will he get in a year? He should turn pro and be a backup next year with an NFL team. It would be better preparation for him.''
I ahve quoted the above passage before but I really didn't look at it closely. The fact that Sanchez has so few starts makes me wonder who this guys is couting for...Detroit. Playing in a hostile environment does test ones mettle and games on the road against Oregon and ND in 2007 and Oregon St. in 2008 is not enough in my eyes.
I look at Pete Carroll's visible disappointment no differently than a parent being disappointed in a decision that one of their children makes. As parents we would never disown our children for making bad decisions but that doesn't mean that we would not be disappointed if said child made a decision that "goes against the grain" of conventional wisdom. That's what we have here, the only difference is that it was played out on the national stage for all to see and critique.
I think Wolf shows poor form when he tries to allude that Pete Carroll might not give glowing reviews of Sanchez to the NFL just because Sanchez left without Carroll's blessing that is not Pete Carroll's way and I have a hard time that he would something like that.
I think he does a good job of explaining himself here...without the filter of one may write.
We all want the best for Mark and we all wish him luck... but SC goes on and there are recruits to lock up and a coaching staff that appears to be in flux.
Frankly, I am fine with Carroll's candor. He knows what he's talking about and he refused to sugar coat it. I think it sends the RIGHT message to future recruits...no BS. You can do what what with the info but most of the time the guy providing this type of info usually knows what he is talking about.