To say there have been a lot of shake ups on Montlake in the past six months would be an understatement. The latest bombshell was dropped on Wednesday when Troy Dannen, Washington’s athletic director who had been on the job for less than six months, announced that he was taking the same role at Nebraska.
Lately, a lot of speculation and names have been thrown around regarding who the next athletic director could be. While there aren’t a lot of concrete ideas on who it could be, one thing fans are clamoring for is somebody with loyalty to the Seattle area.
Amongst all the possibilities there is one that not only stands out, but has some superstar power behind it. Pete Carroll, longtime head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and father of offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll, could bring everything fans are hoping for and then some.
Not only would he bring another NFL connection to the football team, but he would also add a Hall of Fame coaching presence that he could use to mentor all of the school’s coaches, and his backing could be a strong sell to many of the big corporations and predominant names in the state.
Carroll’s winning record precedes him. As the head coach at USC, he brought the Trojans back to the top, with a 97-19 record over nine seasons and seven straight Pac-10 titles. His leap to the NFL found success very quickly, as he won his first Super Bowl in his fourth season as head coach.
His philosophy, which focuses more on competition than the actual result of winning, could benefit every athlete and every sport on Montlake.
“Winning forever is not about the final score; it’s about competing and striving to be the best. If you are in this pursuit, then you’re already winning.”
— Pete Carroll
His enthusiasm is one of the mainstays of his personality. His coaching technique seems to take on a more personable or humanistic approach, and he has long been known for his connections to his athletes and celebrating them for not only their performance on the field, but their personal characteristics, no matter how bold or different they might be.
“It comes down to taking care of the people in your program and making them the best they can be-not giving up on them and never failing to be there for them.”
— Pete Carroll
His experience and relationship with both the public and local corporations could be a great opportunity to expand on financial and community support for the programs, something that many have felt might have been missing under previous ADs.
Fans felt the athletic department didn’t make the needed connections with Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Starbucks, Nintendo and Amazon that are based around Seattle. Getting this type of support when fundraising would be monumental for the university.
Anyone with such a diverse set of friends like Will Farrell, Macklemore, and even Snoop Dogg would seem to have no problem building those relationships within the community.
During his career, he has been able to cultivate a positive, winning culture that has enabled him to attract some elite talent. He proved that he could scout and develop talent during his time with both USC and the Seahawks, and could translate to looking for coaches for all of the teams at Washington.
As for loyalty to the area, Carroll has shown his love for the city and with his son being a vital part of Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff, Washington fans might be able to rest their head on their pillows a little more easily knowing that he could be here to stay for quite a while if he were to be the choice.