Maybe Last Chris Petersen-USC Nugget Cont.

Washington coach Chris Petersen told the Idaho Statesman: “Certainly when I was going to talk to USC, I was extremely serious about that. There’s no question.”

After watching Petersen’s press conference yesterday at Washington, it is hard to see why he did not “fit” with USC. Did he want too much money? Was he going to be more difficult to control than a younger coach?

UPDATED: The Boise State Rivals.com site, Blue Turf, reported that Bryan Harsin withdrew from Broncos’ job search. That helps Justin Wilcox’s chances of getting the job and would mean Steve Sarkisian needs a defensive coordinator.

54 thoughts on “Maybe Last Chris Petersen-USC Nugget Cont.

  1. I’ve heard that Petersen was concerned about coming to a metropolis like LA, and that Seattle was a better fit for him and his family. They like a bucolic feel, and within 10-15 minutes of the UW campus there are many places like that (which would be harder to find in LA).
    His daughter also has special needs, and the UW medical Center and Med school have great programs that made he and his wife feel comfortable.
    Finally, I think PH did feel more comfortable with Sark. Don’t think it had anything to do with being “easier to control”….more like it was a personality and cultural fit.
    So PH settled on SS, and did not offer Petersen the job (which is implied in both men’s comments).
    Having said all of that, cannot deny that Petersen has the superior track record as a head coach. He will no doubt do a great job at Washington. But bottom line: he was not offered the job, and wasn’t necessarily inclined to take it had he been offered.

    • Thank you for more in depth reporting than Wolf ever has produced.

      I suspect Haden wanted Sark all along and never seriously considered anyone else.

      • Agreed. And let’s sign this guy up to replace Scottie.

        Besides, Haden never comes across as controlling. On the contrary, I would have liked to see him be more forceful and make Kiffin give up the OC and play-calling duties and focus on being a head coach.

        • Helen I’m with you ‘but’ then you have an ‘AD’ crossing the lines like an owner with a manager etc.. That was what Garrett was doing towards the end of PC’s time w. Troy – PC finally banned Garrett from the locker rooms because of the insane rants Garret would throw at the kids after a loss.

          No better to have a Haden rather than that fraud crook JD Morgan of UCLA – he was such a meddling ‘blank’ the NCAA imposed a rule banning ‘athletic directors from sitting ‘on the bench’ at mens basketball games.

      • Here’s some in depth reporting for you:
        After receiving his bachelor’s degree in psychology from UC Davis in 1988, Petersen started his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as UC Davis’ head freshman coach in 1987-88 and the receivers coach from 1989-91. Petersen holds a master’s degree in educational psychology from UC Davis. He and his wife Barbara are the parents of two sons, Jack and Sam.
        THERE IS NO DAUGHTER!

        • Oh, wow, aren’t you so smart? You find one piece of misinformation and you jump on it, but you ignore the constant BS from every other Ruin fan on here.

          ESPN reported, at some point, that Petersen had a special needs child. In fact, that was wrong. Petersen’s son suffered from cancer (I am finding several sources for what kind – some say brain, some say it spread to his spine, some say spinal. I’m not sure what kind it was). In any case, this was years ago (though, anyone who understands cancer knows that a doctor can never fully say the cancer is gone and the boy needs checkups throughout his life to ensure it has not returned). The reason they reported this was when Petersen was in talks for the UCLA job – the point being that UCLA has a world-renowned medical center that could help the boy.

          The rest of the comment is incredibly salient and you would care to take note of how intellectual’s actually discuss and analyze situations.

          • Dude, you sound like an idiot. Tone it down. If only you clowns would ignore the fucla trolls commenting on here, it would make things better. marvgoux just tells it like it is…you just can’t handle the truth.
            Next time you write about “intellectual’s” you may want to make sure whether you actually mean “intellectuals.” I bet you’ll go change that now, smart guy.

          • LOL. Oops one typo on my part that was actually correct until I edited the sentence.

            Aren’t you soOo smart? Tell time you call someone an idiot, make sure you have a degree (which I have. From USC. OOPS!)

            Now, go off to the klan meeting with your racist fucla friends. Bye, troll.

            (But, I will follow your posts and point out when you’re wrong because you think you’re so smart.)

            Lulz.

    • Wow, good info. You should tell Petersen about that special-needs daughter though. He may know that he has a son who once had a brain tumor, but he’d probably also know that his son has been healthy for over a decade now too. I wonder why Wolfie didn’t report your news – it’s really insightful! Thanks!

    • LOL. Petersen doesn’t even have a daughter. His son had a tumor a decade ago and has been fine since. And you wonder why Wolfie didn’t post this stuff?

  2. Is there something I’m missing about Wilcox? I didn’t watch many UW games this season but looking at their games, he doesn’t seem that great. I’d rather have Pendergast. Sure we had a few bad defensive games, but I think another year with him would probably improve the defense more. USC was top 20 total defense all season.

    • I think Wilcox has had more defensive breakdowns than we have. I like Pendergast – especially when you realize he has barely subbed.

    • People tend to forget how really, really bad USC’s defense was the last half of 2012. They were so tired in the second half it was like playing pinball. Pendergast has made great strides and we have many returning players for next year.

  3. Good analysis by ‘Scott’ – one more item in addition to the ‘Petersens’ connection to a more woodsy feel (bucolic) I do think the aversion Petersen has shown dealing with the media was something I doubt he could readily conceal in his interview with Haden. It isn’t just coaching in the largest media market for college football in the USA (NYC has no team regardless of Rutgers) I honestly believe Haden sensed Petersen’s lack of comfort in dealing with the media as well as the expectations that come with coaching one of the truly top 5 programs in college football.

    Petersen may truly have wanted the job but his body language told Haden he’d not be able to handle the pressure.

    • Like watching coach O do an interview. You do have to have some media savvy if you are the HC at USC>

    • Good point. I’m sure Haden was super-sensitive to dealing with the media after the problems Kiffin had.

      The Seattle media market is much more laid back than LA and there are no moron beat writers.

  4. Is it just me or does anyone else really, really, really not care about either Peterson or the University of Washington? Of for the grammatically persnickety among you: I care about neither Peterson nor the University of Washington.

  5. I know zip about Petersen, never having seen him interviewed or talk.

    But I do know Haden and Sark a little through their public talks and comments, and it seems that they are similar, would like each other a lot, and would feel comfortable in each other’s company.

    That’s how a lot of folks get hired in this world

    • That’s also how ADs make mediocre hires. Go with the Devil you know instead of the ridiculously good coach you don’t know. Nepotism. Cronyism. Call it what you want, but hiring people based on connections is a great way to go 8-4 every year.

      Hope I’m wrong though.

  6. Why doesn’t Scott call Peterson and ask him why he didn’t think he was a “fit”?

  7. Is that the same Harsin who just took the Boise State job? Sports reporting has taken a turn for the worse in this world of “scoop wrangling.”

    Still, Wilcox may be a good hire, but I’m with the majority that thinks Pendergast is something special. Keep him and try to lure Lupoi away. USC may recruit itself, but you still need good people to close the deal.

  8. Great questions a real columnist would ask Petersen..
    Instead of on a blog, that I’m sure Petersen doesn’t even know exists.

Comments are closed.