USC quarterback Mark Sanchez met for about an hour with Coach Pete Carroll on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of Sanchez turning pro.
He said he is not leaning toward leaving or staying at this point.
“I’m right in the middle, I guess,” he said. “I have no timetable yet. I really don’t know. I’m still just gathering facts. That’s basically what this meeting was about. He gave me facts about everything he’s heard. A lot of it is good. A lot of it is positive.
“He wants me to do the best for myself and be selfish with this decision. It’s encouraging to know your coach wants you to do that.”
Sanchez is rated in most mock drafts as the third-ranked quarterback behind Georgia’s Matthew Stafford and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, neither of whom has declared his intentions. Sanchez said he is assuming they both will go pro.
“I need to make my decision based on that, that everybody’s coming out. Then, how do I stand?” Sanchez said.
“I think the big thing for me to understand is I’m not coming back to a 6-6 program. This is an unbelievable place. If you ask anybody where they want to be quarterback, 90 percent of the people will say here. It’s a really unique opportunity.
“I’d love to come back here and do it all over again.”
A week ago Sanchez played maybe his best game of the season in the Rose Bowl, where he earned offensive MVP honors. When asked how much that performance has affected his outlook, he said: “It can’t hurt your stock. If anything it creates a little buzz around the opportunity I have. But you can’t base everything off of one game.”
Sanchez expressed optimism about the hiring of former NFL offensive coordinator Carl Smith as quarterbacks coach.
Sanchez spoke with former USC quarterback Carson Palmer and plans tonight to speak with Matt Leinart, who returned for his redshirt senior season after winning the Heisman Trophy his junior year.
“People still say he should have gone out early,” Sanchez said of Leinart. “Some say it was a great idea to stay.”
More from the USC blog:
- USC basketball: Washington ‘doubtful’ for UCLA game
- USC football: Josh Pinkard’s situation
- USC football: And on the other side of the ball …
- USC football: Carl Smith named QB coach; will call plays
- USC football: Why Holt changed his mind about UW
- USC football poll: Holt vs. Sark — Who’ll be missed more?
- USC football: Mark Sanchez still undecided. But …
- USC football: Seto interested in succeeding Holt
- USC football: Holt leaving, meet-and-greet Tuesday
Wow, I had no idea it was that up in the air. It seems like he is definitely going to leave and take his chances in the NFL. But USC has two other QB’s waiting in the wings. If he left now, Carroll could do some other great work with them and that would be exciting to see. I would love to see Sanchez stay as we have only seen a portion of his potential.
Think hard Mark, think hard!
I’m reposting my comments from another blurb on Sanchez and should he stay or go.
I tend to feel pretty certain that Sanchez is coming back next year. He’ll have all the weapons back on offense, except for PT (and Sark calling the plays), so they ought to put up at least 35 every game, and he’ll look like a superstar.
Palmer and Leinart will tell him that he will get drafted by a lousy team and that the USC teams all three of them played with, had more talent than the pro teams they are stuck with. So the pro situaiton will be a HUGE comedown from where and when he finishes his college ball. So the lesson is, stay in college as long as possible and enjoy the atmosphere and wonderful things associated with college football and being SC’s QB. Granted you get a huge payday in the pros, but the pounding you’ll take when the lousy lineman screw up, the frustration you’ll feel at average WRs and RBs not executing, and the demoralization of being on a losing organization will really sap your energy, enthusiasm, and love for the game, thus affecting your performance. In a nutshell, most likely, playing QB at USC is as great as things will be in your entire football career, so stretch it out and enjoy it as long as possible.