Carroll plays down punt
USC coach checked with Willingham after game
By Scott Wolf, Staff Writer
USC has already won the Pacific-10 Conference championship and could stake a claim for the Big East title after routing Notre Dame by a far greater margin than did Pittsburgh and Boston College, who are tied for first place in that conference.
And the crosstown rivalry with UCLA on Saturday takes on its greatest meaning in maybe 32 years, as the Trojans are one step from advancing to the Orange Bowl for the national championship game.
Before considering all these issues, USC coach Pete Carroll took a step back Sunday, mindful of some criticism over a fake punt against Notre Dame with seven minutes remaining and the Trojans leading by 24 points.
Before anyone thinks it's a silly issue, consider that Carroll sought out Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham in the Coliseum tunnel about an hour after the game to make sure there were no misunderstandings.
"I checked with Tyrone. He totally understood," Carroll said. "I thought it was meaningful enough to check in with him. I sense pretty clearly that people were concerned about it."
Before the meeting, Willingham told reporters he didn't have a problem with the fake punt, saying, "Was the fake punt inappropriate? No way."
"It doesn't have anything to do with anything except trying to make a first down," Carroll added. "In that moment, we're competing and looking for a way to do something."
Carroll said he wasn't trying to run up the score to impress top-25-poll voters, although the top-ranked Trojans lost some votes the previous two weeks.
"If someone thinks we're mindful of the ramifications, we're just playing ball," he said. "The way we scored so fast (after that) might have been something, too."
Carroll said he wouldn't have a problem if another team ran the score up on the Trojans.
"If we're in a situation to get behind, they have a right to do whatever they want," he said. "We put ourselves in that situation. I'm never going to apologize for a big score. That happens when you prepare and play so well."
That was about the only controversy emerging from the Notre Dame game, although it's not the first time Carroll has pulled out a trick play in a blowout. He faked a field goal and scored a touchdown three years ago against California with a 28-7 lead.
"I do understand people see it differently," Carroll said.
Historians might remember former Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian running up the score in a 51-0 victory over USC in 1966. The Irish were ranked No. 1 at the time but needed to impress poll voters a week after they tied No. 2 Michigan State 10-10.
Meanwhile, the Trojans are 21-point favorites against UCLA, which seems to be the standard point spread this season.
"This is a big-time final game, with all that's going on," Carroll said. "We like playing in the Rose Bowl anyways. We have a chance to start as No. 1 and finish as No. 1. That's something that goes along with this game. This will call for as much focus as we've been involved with this season."
Notes: USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow is a candidate to replace Buddy Teevens at Stanford. Teevens is expected to be fired this week, and Chow is considered one of the top candidates.
Cornerbacks Kevin Arbet and Ronald Nunn were limited because of injuries, and their status this week will be evaluated.
Carroll was unhappy USC allowed a season-high 195 yards rushing against Notre Dame. "I was disappointed," he said. "We missed a bunch of tackles."
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