There’s no doubt the now-vacant North Carolina job always appealed to former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who enjoys mythic status in the Tar Heel State from his successful season as an assistant at North Carolina State.
Ironically, USC coach Pete Carroll aggressively pursued the North Carolina job before John Bunting was hired in 2000.
But do not assume Chow will leave the NFL. Even if Tennessee fired Jeff Fisher, we hear Fisher is considered the top candidate to replace Bill Parcells in Dallas after the season if Parcells retires.
And just to anticipate some possible comments, the Chow-Carroll relationship is over and the pair will not work together again.

Don’t expect any Pac-10 coaches that already played USC and California to pick sides.
“Don’t ask me who’s better, them or Southern Cal,” Washington State coach Bill Doba said. “I think I would pay to watch that one.”

USC’s rash of close victories might be viewed as the mark of a struggling team but Trojans coach Pete Carroll thinks the halfway point is merely where this year’s team will start playing much better, like his then-youthful team three years ago.
“It is like the 2003 team because we didn’t know what we were doing and we were young,” Carroll said. “That year, this is just where we got going.”

Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett practiced healthy together for the first time in several weeks and Pete Carroll said quarterback John David Booty’s confidence shot up noticeably.
Kyle Williams, Thomas Williams and Oscar Lua all practiced and will play against Oregon State. Tailback Chauncey Washington missed practice to take a midterm but said he is doing fine academically and his grades are not an issue.

Since 1921, USC has lost to Oregon State only twice (in 1935 and 2000), in games which the Trojans actually scored any points.

After watching game films, USC coach Pete Carroll is impressed with Oregon State tailback Yvenson Bernard, who is second in the Pac-10 in rushing (106.6 ypg).
“He’s a little guy but he’s a special player,” Carroll said.
However Bernard is nursing an ankle injury that forced him to leave the Arizona game last weekend.

According to nonpartisan polls, former USC wide receiver Lynn Swann trails Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell by 19 points in his bid to become governor of Pennsylvania.

The worst game of the season will kickoff at 4 p.m. and be shown on Fox Sports Net.

USC coach Pete Carroll is not concerned the Trojans dropped to No. 3 in the BCS rankings this week.
“I thought the week off was supposed to help us,” Carroll joked. “But I’m not worried about. I’m worried about winning the Pac-10. This just shows how close a lot of the teams are right now.”
If USC wins the rest of its regular-season games, it will finish in the top two and advance to the championship game.

USC coach Pete Carroll said Sunday night he expects wide receiver Steve Smith (ankle) and linebacker Oscar Lua (bone bruise) back at practice today.