Comfortable At The Top
"We want to be very comfortable—very normal—with being the number one team in the country, with winning Heismans every year," he says.
Own The Rose Bowl
“Every single day we walk off the practice field, we see the Rose Bowl at the end of the tunnel, everybody knows that's what we're shooting for,” Carroll said. “There's no doubt about it. We're all pumped up about this. Everything you hear contrary, you can go ahead and know that's coming from somewhere else.”
Overcoming Adversity
“You think I’m uncomfortable in this situation right now? Hell no, because we’ve been through this for years. We’re going to be great, because of you guys in here.”
“This is about opportunity. This has happened a million times here. It doesn’t matter who goes; it matters who stayed. This is all about seizing the opportunities you get. Everything you do counts. If you want to go, go get it. The competition is on.”
Information
“We’re experimenting with guys and seeing how far they can take it,” Carroll said. “We don’t have results right now but it helps us out in the long run.”
Adding Value
“If you are in this position you need to add value. Be as good as you can, doing one thing. Then do something else.” –Yogi Roth
Every Game Is The Game
"It’s no different as we see it. Our kids are excited about this game, for all the logical reasons. But we are trying to make every game we play the biggest game in the world to our players. We can’t approach it differently if we’re going to expect to play well. The whole point is for us to play really well. It’s not who you are playing; it’s for us to play really well. If we can do that, then we’ll have a chance."
Who Is Going To Touch Us?
“If we stay on this track, who’s going to touch us? But it doesn’t mean a thing unless we do it day after day. You just played a normal football game tonight — we did what we do. If we stay on track — one day at a time, one play at a time — it’s all on us. Think how much power that gives us. We control what’s going on. Just do what we do and we’re really tough to beat.”
New Challenges
There are always new challenges,” he said. “There is no time for complacency. We have never felt like what we have done is good enough, the competitive mode is always here. Whether it be coaching methods, teaching methods, schemes or philosophies, we are continually trying to get better.”
Always Protect The Team
Always Protect The Team
He emphasized the Trojans’ Rule No. 1 — “protect the team” — in his address to the players because in the end, what they do both on and off the field will dictate how the season will go.
“There’s nothing to stop us but us,” Carroll said.
Approaching The Notre Dame Game
Today’s about beating Notre Dame,” offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said during meetings this afternoon. “Don’t worry about Saturday — beat them today.”
You should respect this rivalry because it means a lot to people who have come before you and who have been around awhile,” Carroll told the players today. “You’ll understand it when you get older, so make sure you show it respect it now.”
“This is truly the finish now, and it’s awesome — it’s as good as it gets,” Carroll excitedly told the players to kick off the meeting. “We’ve got to capture this opportunity, because if we miss it, it would be such a travesty. So what we’ve got to do is go to practice tomorrow and give it everything we’ve got, and then again on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and all the way through Saturday.
“Let’s get every drop out of this season. In great Trojan fashion, let’s understand our situation, max it out and have a blast doing it.”
“Let’s get every drop out of this season. In great Trojan fashion, let’s understand our situation, max it out and have a blast doing it.”
We own this city when we do it right, boys,” Carroll would tell his players in one early-season team meeting. “And it’s huge. It’s L.A.! Hollywood! It’s all that. It’s the Trojans!”
