The latest buzz from Atlanta is that the Falcons and Pete Carroll are looking longingly at each other.
Late Tuesday night, ESPN.com, citing multiple sources, reported that Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is pursuing USC coach Pete Carroll according to a report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
According to the story, the Falcons "might be willing to grant Carroll far-reaching responsibilities." The Falcons on Tuesday said they were extending their simultaneous searches for a new head coach and general manager.
On Tuesday, the Falcons were granted permission to interview Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. That interview is slated for this week. But the team was denied permission to talk to New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First point to be made is that I don't think Lombardi could fix the mess in Atlanta but they aren't planning to fold the organization, so they have to do something.
Carroll has clearly been a dominant force in college football since 2002 posting 6 Pac-10 titles and 2 National Championships. Before anyone attributes that success to the high-profile recruiting alone, be prepared to defend Mack Brown at Texas.
Didn't Atlanta learn anything from their last college coach hire? Wasn't the Bobby Petrino fiasco humiliating enough?
Again, Atlanta has to do something and all of the top NFL candidates have already told them to pound sand. Carroll actually has NFL experience though, and it's fairly considerable.
In his first head coaching job in 1994, he went 6-10 with the NY Jets. Hey, it was the Jets and that record would double the Falcons performance of this season. From 97-99 at the helm in New England, Carroll went 27-21 with two trips to the playoffs.
So, maybe Carroll isn't a bad select for Atlanta; but why would he even consider it given his current place at the top of the NCAA coaching heap?
That answer may be best made by folks like Lou Holtz who left every program he ever coached at with the NCAA rules committee breathing down his throat and more times than not, leaving a program on probation which can kill recruiting.
The Reggie Bush scandal is just starting to gain momentum. If this thing continues down its likely path, Carroll will likely be looking for a job anyway. Might as well get a pro gig while it's available.
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