IT’S NOT RIGHT, BUT IT’S OKAY
That The Humanitarian only wants what’s best for his angels is a fact disputed only by cads and ne’er-do-wells. If no one’s saying he’s crying into his pillow at night over losing Sanchez, that’s only because Carroll never sleeps. But going on the record a month later and saying early-departure quarterbacks have a 62% failure rate? That’s just cold, girl.

Sanchez, by the way, has gotten the hang of the oh-it’s-just-about-the-game two-step with a quickness that would make FaRve proud:
If a quarterback sends the wrong message at this week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, it can cost him $10 million or more.
That’s why USC’s Mark Sanchez and his handlers are especially careful these days about the signals that he’s sending. With the top of the draft still very murky, and Sanchez a legitimate candidate to go No. 1, everything counts — every impression he leaves, every word he utters, and every minute he spends preparing to wow talent evaluators.
His message: Forget Tinseltown, I’m all about football.
“There’s a lot that comes with being an ‘SC quarterback,” said Sanchez, who was initially reluctant to be interviewed because, he said, he wants to stay under the radar before the combine.
Emphasis ours, because the day an SC quarterback is serious about shunning the spotlight is the day the football monopoly in Los Angeles is actually over. Well played, young sir.









1
Techie says:
FTR, who was the last non-senior QB drafted at No. 1 that went on to have a “successful career”?
February 17th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
2
Rick Muscles says:
All Rick Neuheisel has to do to beat Carroll in recruiting is talk about Sanchez’s departure.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
3
suicidewatch says:
Big Ben and Phillip Rivers both left early and it worked out okay for them.
February 17th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
4
suicidewatch says:
wait, no Rivers did play all 4 years. but still Roethlisberger pokes about as big a whole in the argument that QBs who leave early are def gonna fail as anyone could.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
5
Year2 says:
@Techie -
It depends on your view of Mike Vick. He was in the 2001 draft and did all right for himself on the field. It’s just the off the field stuff that was bad newz for him. Before that, it’s probably Drew Bledsoe from the ‘93 draft.
Between then and now, you have Carson Palmer and the Manning Bros. as senior quarterbacks who were successful. David Carr was the one senior quarterback who didn’t work out. Tim Couch and Alex Smith were early entrants who didn’t work out so well; the other juniors were Vick (in prison) and JaMarcus Russell (too early to judge yet).
February 17th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
6
I'm A Lasagna Hog says:
vick was a redshirt sophomore iirc
February 17th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
7
yoyofutbawl says:
The record of SC QBs in the pros is simply put, unbelieveably poor for the talent they supposedly have. Not to mention the OL talent. And this includes every coach from John McKay to Petey C.
For example, the leading NFL passer in total yardage from SC is Calvin Peete. Oops, make that Rodney Peete. Sorry about that Calvin.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
8
Coop says:
Rivers was at State for 18 years. By the way, did you know he was married and had a child while playing for State? Mike Hogewood and Doc Walker will fill you in case you never watched State play the noon game.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
9
JTG says:
Why do we keep calling him an “early entry”? He was there four years in the program and is leaving as a senior academically, I presume. The fact that he didn’t see the field his freshman year shouldn’t make us confuse him with a true junior or sophomore leaving early.
February 17th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
10
Sparrow says:
JTG –
Because this is a football blog, not an academic messageboard, although that distinction does get confusing from time to time.
February 17th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
11
Sparrow says:
or confused… depending on your perspective.
February 17th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
12
oc phil says:
yoyofutbawl: I don’t know about this “USC has better talent than everybody else” excuse that gets thrown around so much on the interwebs. SC does very well every year, but they hardly stand alone. Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, LSU & Ohio State (and now Alabama) all do as well in the recruiting rankings on a year in and year out basis. USC does recruit well but they also develop the talent they get very well.
There is no way this supposed advantage goes all the way back to John McKay though, that’s just silly.
Next year SC will have 5 QB’s in the NFL including a recent pro-bowler (Palmer) and another who went 11-5 as a starter last year (Cassell). Is there a program around with more?
February 17th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
13
www.southbendblarney.com says:
This goes to show that Pete is relentless in recruiting, whether it is high school players or guys that are ready to play in the pros…
February 18th, 2009 at 12:06 am
14
oc phil says:
Pete cited that 62% figure the day of the Sanchez news conference. Wolf just mentioned the quote today to mix it in with the other opinions of the draftnick.
Pete is very big on not dwelling on negative outcomes. You can’t change the past. That was a case of Wolf reporting old news in the content desert of the offseason, not Pete going on the record a month later.
February 18th, 2009 at 1:00 am
15
Holly says:
Dammit. Can’t trust that guy for anything but cheerleader photos! What’s the world coming to?
February 18th, 2009 at 1:58 am
16
Soulpatch Adams says:
oc phil,
I count four USC QBs who will be in the NFL after the 2009 draft: Leinart, Carson Palmer, Cassel, and Sanchez. Leinart is an epic fail. Carson generated decent stats before blowing out his knee, but he never won anything. Cassel has had one respectable season, but it took him two months to figure out he should throw the ball to Randy Moss, and they’re already printing up t-shirts that say, “Back to Riding the Pine in 2009.” Sanchez of course hasn’t done squat. Not exactly a record to be proud of. Guys like Todd Marinovich and Rob Johnson don’t add much to the equation.
I don’t know if there’s another program with more QBs on NFL rosters, but purely from a quality perspective, Purdue has USC beat, with probably the best QB in the NFL (Brees) and another who is a starter (Orton).
February 18th, 2009 at 8:51 am
17
Steve says:
@yoyo
In the Pete Carroll Era he’s had 4 Qbs go pro. One is a Franchise QB. One just got Franchise tagged. Two are backups. Obviously Leinart is a disappointment (though to be fair he’s twice ended seasons due to injury, and he backs up a Borderline HOFer), but to call their QB record of achievement “unbelievably poor” is wrong.
February 18th, 2009 at 9:30 am
18
Dave says:
16 – John David Booty is on the roster with the Vikings.
February 18th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
19
QB controversy says:
@ Soulpatch
You’re counting the fact that the Neckbeard is technically a “starter’ for the bears as proof of Purdue’s QB making quality?
Carson Palmer is a franchise QB. Yes he’s been hurt, but you can’t exactly hold that up as some kind of evidence against SC.
Cassel has already overachieved more than anyone has a right to. The odds of a career college backup even making an NFL roster are astrofuckinomical, and he not only did that but has hung around for 4 years and proved himself worthy of a franchise tag. If he never plays another down he’ll still be ahead.
Booty is Booty, but he’s still in the NFL. Sanchez “hasn’t done squat” for obvious reasons stemming from the fact the he wont be drafted for 2 months. Leinart has been a disappointment so far, but I honestly think he’ll find his way to some legit NFL success. Drew Brees may be awesome now, but we forget that it took him 3 ugly years before his breakout.
February 19th, 2009 at 12:00 am