UCLA Should Hire Pete Carroll

With the predictable firing of UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel today, the Bruins are once more searching for a head coach.  And it's time for them to make some waves.  Rumors of them talking to Boise State's Chris Petersen is a start, but while he's an excellent coach, he doesn't bring the buzz that the Bruins need.  Not after a decade of mediocrity to dismal play.  They need someone who can help close the gap between UCLA and USC (and that gap apparently is as big as the Grand Canyon after the 50-0 crosstown beat down).  The man to do it is the one who created that gap...Pete Carroll.

The new head coach of the Bruins?

Bruin fans, settle down.  I can already hear your cries of "That's the enemy" and "We don't want Pete the Cheat".  Be reasonable and hear me out.  The Bruins are a bad football team and worse, their fan base is becoming apathetic.  They can't get a quarterback to come play in southern California on a gorgeous campus.  They can't get a running back who can go for 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns.  They haven't played defense in years.  Pete Carroll can get all of those things.  And...he can make the Bruins relevant.

Carroll is/was the ideal college coach.  He loved being the Big Man on Campus and had fun doing everything related to the game - interviews, talking with fans, promoting the team.  He's what UCLA needs.  Can you imagine the energy for UCLA football next year?  Dan Guerrero, think of the season ticket sales.  Sure, some fans will think you've brought the enemy in to camp, but you'll get a whole lot more who will be excited about him being there.  You're losing millions each weekend when you're not selling out the Rose Bowl.  Pete can put them in the seats.

Carroll would also bring innovation to the offense and ferocity to the defense.  Those Trojan title teams had both.  They had stars on both sides of the ball.  But what about Pete's baggage from his time at USC?  The NCAA spent five years investigating and they couldn't come up with anything to place on Carroll.  If there was something there, don't you think it would have shown up?  Wouldn't some closet Notre Dame or UCLA fan have blown the whistle on him to cause the empire to crumble?  No one did.

Finally, think of how hiring Pete Carroll would get under all of the USC fans' skin.  The coach who returned them to glory after years of futility is now patrolling the rivals sideline in powder blue and gold, returning the Bruins to glory and Rose Bowls (yes, the Bruins used to be regular participants in that game many years ago).  If you're going to pay $4 million for Chris Petersen, why not step it up a bit more and bring in Pete Carroll?  He could make national title dreams a reality.