Conquest: Pete Carroll and the Trojans' Climb to the Top of the College Football Mountain - Hardcover

Wharton, David; Klein, Gary

4.25

16 ratings by Goodreads

9781572437890: Conquest: Pete Carroll and the Trojans' Climb to the Top of the College Football Mountain

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1572437898 ISBN 13: 9781572437890

Publisher: Triumph Books, 2005

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A look at Pete Carroll and the rebuilding of USC, this investigation revisits the ups and downs and critical moments that have gone into rebuilding the Trojans into one of the best football programs in the country. Readers are given the inside story on the Trojan's downward spiral and long road back through stories such as why Coach Pete Carroll wasn't the Trojan's first choice as head coach, the history of how losing became the norm, how Carson Palmer went from disappointing to Heisman Trophy winner, recaps of key victories that sent the Trojans on a remarkable winning streak, and the sweet victory in the 2005 Orange Bowl vs. the Oklahoma Sooners.

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From the Inside Flap:

It was a turnaround so sudden, so dramatic and unexpected, that it took college football by storm. When USC routed Oklahoma at the 2005 Orange Bowl, the Trojans completed a meteoric transformation, rising from fallen powerhouse to two-time national champion in only four seasons. Conquest, written by two sportswriters who were with the team every step of the way, chronicles this journey by looking behind the scenes of the most successful college football program in the nation. Sit in on a closed-door meeting during the early days, as coaches decide to bench a struggling Carson Palmer. then change their minds at the last second, giving the young quarterback a chance to revive his career and win the Heisman Trophy. Find out what really happened in the locker room at halftime of the 2004 Stanford game, a comeback victory that served as a turning point for the Trojans’ undefeated campaign. Conquest begins with a once-proud USC football team in shambles after the 2000 season. A program that epitomized dominance during the sixties and seventies—producing Heisman winners Mike Garrett, O. J. Simpson, Charles White, and Marcus Allen—was mired in mediocrity. The Trojans had gone more than two decades without a national title. Coach Pete Carroll—twice fired by NFL teams—seemed an unlikely choice to lead them back to glory. But the new coach silenced his critics with unsinkable enthusiasm, an innovative approach, and quick results: three straight trips to major bowl games, two Heisman-winning quarterbacks, and a 22-game winning streak that led to consecutive national championships. Conquest touches on all of the most dramatic moments in this saga. Learn previously undisclosed details of Carroll’s hiring and how he lured passing guru Norm Chow to become his offensive coordinator. Step into the huddle as exhausted players coax each other through a goal-line stand against California. Be a fly on the wall as Carroll lashes out at his team before a UCLA game. There’s more. Carroll and Chow forge a sometimes uneasy but fabulously successful partnership, which ends with Chow’s abrupt departure to the NFL. Receiver Mike Williams embarks on a star-crossed odyssey. Quarterback Matt Leinart and tailback Reggie Bush emerge as superstars. These are but a few of the stories from four unforgettable seasons.

About the Author:

David Wharton has covered sports for the Los Angeles Times for 25 years. His work has won a range of national honors, including the Associated Press Sports Editors award, and has been selected for the Best American Sports Writing series. He has also written for magazines such as Men's Fitness and Surfer, and is the coauthor of USC Football: Yesterday & Today. Gary Klein is a journalist for the Los Angeles Times. Pat Haden is the athletic director for the University of Southern California. He is a former USC and NFL quarterback.

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