LOS ANGELES – His predictions of the “Win Forever” philosophy served as background, with Pete Carroll standing in front of a class of nearly 60 students during an underground lecture on USC’s campus.
The 73-year-old paced back and forth, his arms animated his words, exuding infectious enthusiasm as he said.
“Practice is everything,” Carol said, diving into the doctrine of his philosophy. “If you want something, you have to do it well. …You have to find a way to make time, schedule, set priorities, and get your s.
Carol casually dressed in a sand-colored linen button-down shirt, gray jeans and matching sneakers, sounding like the fired football coach was ready to win players on the field.
But for two hours each Thursday evening in the USC spring semester, Carroll will transition from coach to first time professor, winning the Super Bowl at two national championships at the Seattle Seahawks and USC, swapping classrooms and soccer fields in the hopes of turning game plans that will help students become concrete.
“One thing I said to Pete is that this class is not a class for me,” said Shadi Angotti, a biological science major. “It’s an escape. It’s something I’m looking forward to for a week.”
This feeling seems mutual for Carol, who sits with a reporter at the annual NFL League meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, three days ago to answer countless questions, including those relating to his current interests.
“The class I teach at USC,” he said.
The courses offered through USC’s Marshall School of Business are called “Games Are Life,” and Carol teaches alongside Varun Soni, dean of religious and spiritual life, and David Velasco, an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship. The class syllabus states that it is “training students to train at the highest level in all aspects of their careers and life.”
“We’re deeply interested in the conversations we had and the lessons they learned sparked,” said junior business major Erina Koshnivas.
There’s competition It’s a bit surprising to see that interest students need to fill out an application that includes questions about why they’ve become competitors, as it’s at the heart of Carol’s philosophy. The course had a pool of 300 applicants. Students come from a variety of majors and have diverse career aspirations, ranging from musicians to dancers, entrepreneurs, athletes and accountants. AP Women’s Basketball Player of the Year Ju Watkins is not on this day due to a recent knee injury, but is also in class.
Carroll has formed connections with students 50 years younger, many of which were not born in 2003 and 2004 when he led USC to the BCS title. I know him because of his success with the Seahawks or because one student admitted that he saw a documentary about Carroll’s USC team.
“He somehow can find a way to connect with everyone [one of us]”Someone said Mia Triolo, communications major and lacrosse player.
Carroll relies on his experience of being fired as a coach for the New York Jets and the New England Patriots to present a real example of resilience. He also emphasizes his commitment, as he made to teach the course a month before he was nominated for coaching the Las Vegas Raiders.
“He’s a microcosm of the game,” Angotti said. “Everything he has gone through, what he has learned, he is the perfect professor.”
“The vulnerability was so crazy to hear the true passion he spoke,” said Drew Liddell, a business major.
Students arrive early and are late. Even if Carroll enters the room with actor Rain Wilson, when he plays Dwight Schroot in “The Office,” Carroll is a major attraction.
For the first 15 minutes of class, students rush into a small group where they hold a hoop shooting contest (where there is a portable basketball hoop sitting in front of the room), get to know each other and discuss the topic of the day, as rapper Mac Miller’s “weekend” performs at the lecture. Carol walks around the room like a sideline greeted with embraces and handshakes. Students want to share their weekly achievements and struggles while seeking his advice.
“He gives everyone he comes into contact with is the absolute best,” said senior business major and lacrosse player Alexis Niblock.
It takes Carroll to summarise his previous class when Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was the latest guest speaker in the lineup, including actor Jason Sudeikis, author Deepak Chopra and Olympic gold medalists April Ross and Ly Benjamin. He appeals to students by name to contribute to their takeaway.
Carol then turns his attention to today’s lesson: elasticity.
“Through hard work, I know that passion connections and you can overcome things,” Carol said. “Resilience is having hope. If you lose hope, you’re not bounced. You’re done.”
He called out to Michelle and asked what happened to him as the student he remembered had to give a speech. She spoke of her experience and considered it a victory. Her classmates are happy with her and applaud her. Carol will be taking part.
It is noticeable throughout Of course, the laptop remains in the backpack and the phone scribbles notes inside the notebook issued by rank, so the phone is nowhere to be seen. The energy in the room is obvious when Carol speaks.
At one point, he presents another personal story – in five days he shares how he meets the Raiders team for the first time.
“It’s my first time meeting the team. They’re going to come to a room like this. I’m going to ‘wow’ their butts,” Carol said, as the face across the room was lit by a smile.
“We’re leaving our classes on fire,” Niblock said. “I always write things down.”
Carol gives the floor to Wilson. Wilson repeats the resilience lessons of the day by sharing his experiences of rejection and finding a way to success in the entertainment industry.
The class will rap in a 40-minute Q&A session where Carol, Wilson and Soni share the floor and provide serious answers.
One student is seeking advice on handling her initial job offer and pay negotiations. Another student, an aspiring performer artist, asks about work-life balance. Someone else asks for the meaning and definition of passion and satisfaction.
Throughout all lessons, Carol offers one admission that may be difficult to match.
“I’m really, really optimistic at the end,” he said.
When your hands are left in the air, time runs out. This class begins to appear in the auditorium.
Carol moves with herds around him. Several students want to share their latest victory or seek Carol’s guidance on the next move.
“If we hadn’t been kicked out of there, we would have been there for another 30 minutes,” Carroll said.
Carol says he must walk slowly towards the elevator, attending the event of former USC quarterback Matt Reinart and attending the return flight to Las Vegas.
The elevator door opens and another student’s walk turns into a jogging, diving in before the door closes.
Another chance to talk to Professor Carol before he transforms into a coach.
