USC football poll: Is Carroll committing a cardinal sin?
Time out: USC is going to do what?
Coach Pete Carroll said Monday the Trojans will wear their cardinal home jerseys on the road against UCLA on Saturday, which by NCAA rule would mean they will forfeit a timeout in each half.
“I’ve been thinking about this for years,” Carroll said. “I thought it was a cool tradition. I can’t remember all the conversations but I talked to Karl (Dorrell) about it but it didn’t come off. I talked to Rick (Neuheisel) about it just after he got the job and he liked the idea.”
USC and UCLA traditionally wore their home jerseys in their annual meeting. The last occurrence featuring cardinal and true blue was in 1982, before an NCAA rule change. Carroll said he is not concerned if the loss of two timeouts will hurt USC.
“It might. I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t care about it. We’ll just play without it. I think it’s the fun thing to do and I think our fans will appreciate it over time.
“I think it’s a cool thing to do. Maybe it isn’t. We’ll find out. I’m not really worried about it.”
There is a chance the Trojans will not be penalized, however. The Pac-10 has long requested home jerseys to be allowed for conference rivalry games. Rogers Redding, the secretary-editor of the NCAA football rules committee, told Pac-10 officials he would reconsider the rule.
Pac-10 officials hope to have a decision from Redding on Tuesday, conference associate commissioner Jim Muldoon said
Carroll said he thought about surprising UCLA with cardinal jerseys the first time he coached against them at the Rose Bowl in 2002, but reconsidered because he didn’t want to be disrespectful.
“It’s exciting,” Neuheisel said Monday night after learning of Carroll’s decision. “I think wearing the home jerseys is a great tradition.”
Neuheisel said he would be willing to waste a time out in the first half but not in the second half.
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It might be beter if USC spots UCLA 21 points because that still wont be enough. This game is going to be ugly
Once again Pete Carroll proves he truley is the Prince of the City … great to see this tradition brought back, hopefully we will get to see this every year going forward.