Can Pete Carroll Fix the Seattle Seahawks?

It seems strange to be talking about the National Football League (and NFL football betting) without any mention of the postseason. But the biggest NFL story of the week really has nothing to do with the march to the Super Bowl (or, Super Bowl odds) — Pete Carroll is the new coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

Most know Carroll from his time as coach at the University of Southern California. There, he led the Trojans to two BCS Championship games, two national championships, seven straight AP Poll Top-4 finishes and a record six BCS bowl victories. He was widely considered one of the top coaches in the country and lauded for his ability not just to attract talented players, but also mold them into quality professionals. Some of the NFL’s brightest young stars — Reggie Bush, Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews, Rey Maualuga, Troy Polamalu, Mark Sanchez and Lofa Tatupu — all played under Carroll at USC.

The question now: Can Carroll do the same in Seattle? There’s no denying the Seahawks are in disarray; they were outscored 123-37 in their final four games and were a huge disappointment under Jim Mora. From a sports betting angle, the Seahawks were a disaster, failing to cover some pretty big underdog numbers (notably a +13 in Green Bay and +10.5 in Minnesota) — pretty shocking from a club that is just a few years removed from a Super Bowl appearance. The team not only needs talented players, but also a coach that can channel that talent and turn it into victories. Ergo, the Carroll hire.

But make no mistake — Carroll has his work cut out for him in the Pacific Northwest. He inherits a 34-year-old QB that has spent much of the last two seasons riddled with injury; an offensive line that started approximately 618 different combinations a season ago but never found one that worked; a defense that has some talent but can rarely stay healthy and a ground game that hasn’t exactly inspired in recent years.

Carroll does have a few things going for him, however. The Seahawks hold the No. 6 and No. 14 picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, and given his days as a college coach, Carroll should be quite familiar with the talent available at the top of the board. He’s also got some ex-Trojans in the ‘Hawks lineup: Tatupu and DE Lawrence Jackson, two of the brighter spots on the Seattle defence.

The real question, though, will be how quickly Carroll can turn it around. While he’s been often regarded as something of a bust during his first tour of NFL duty, his work with the Patriots and Jets was, at the very least, above-average.  Carroll compiled a 33-31 record, making the playoffs twice and winning himself a division championship. He always had strong passing offenses, and that should be one of the few Seattle strengths next season, given its depth at the position.

So, can Carroll turn the Seahawks around? Only time will tell.