IMO the whole Carroll back to the NFL talk is blown way out of proportion...
1. It was started by some off-the-cuff comment Matt Leinart made. A reporter hinted at the fact that Denny Green would not be around Glendale much longer, and asked Leinart if he wouldn't mind Carroll coaching. Of course, he said that'd be great.
2. Pete Carroll has already done the NFL thing. Many college coaches are 'on the way up' using their college gig as a springboard to try and cut it in the pros. Nick Saban recently did this. Spurrier tried it. There's still a decent chance Weis will make it up there. I'm sure Cutcliffe wants in the NFL sometime. Carroll's already done all that. He's a guy who's been around the block, and knows he can't cut it in the NFL. It's not tougher there, it's just different.
3. WHY would Carroll leave what he's got at USC? Two national championships, played for three in a row, fifth straight Pac-10 title and major bowl game to go with it, and this year his team controlled its own destiny in the national title race after losing two Heisman winners and start fifteen freshmen. Honestly, he is far and away the best in the college game today. No question about it.
What would compell him to leave?