Right after LOI Day....
Titans ready to interview USC’s Chow
By Terry McCormick,
[email protected]
February 03, 2005
Norm Chow, offensive coordinator at two-time defending national champion Southern California, appears to be the first serious outside candidate who will get a look in filling the same role with the Tennessee Titans.
The Los Angeles Times reported in its Thursday editions that Tennessee would begin serious pursuit of Chow soon.
“You have to be,” Chow told the Times when asked of his potential interest in the Titans.
The Titans and coach Jeff Fisher treaded carefully where Chow was concerned up until National Signing Day Wednesday, so as not to harm any potential recruiting at USC, which is also Fisher’s alma mater.
Fisher is expected to talk with Chow soon, perhaps meeting with him as early as Friday or the weekend, about the possibility of Chow replacing the departed Mike Heimerdinger as the Titans’ offensive coordinator.
Chow, 58, has no coaching experience at the professional level, but is regarded as one of the most creative offensive minds at the collegiate level in his 30-plus years of coaching.
Chow also has a reputation as a quarterbacks guru, having helped develop during his career the likes of Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Phillip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.
There are no guarantees, however, that Chow is a shoo-in for the Titans position or that he can be enticed to leave the Trojans.
Chow is one of college football’s highest paid assistant coaches with a salary in the $500,000 range. However, that does not include the free education his two children are receiving at USC.
The Titans reportedly had an offer in the $800,000 territory on the table to Heimerdinger, a deal he scuttled in favor of a $1 million per year contract for three seasons with the New York Jets two weeks ago.
While luring Chow to Nashville from Los Angeles won’t be the easiest selling job, as Chow has purchased a house and put down some roots in the area, there has been speculation that Trojans head coach Pete Carroll might not stand in the way of Chow moving on, if he is interested in the Titans position.
Southern California has already lost offensive line coach Ed Orgeron to Ole Miss this offseason, and quarterbacks coach Carl Smith left to be offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
Carroll could offer Chow the assistant head coach title that Orgeron had to entice him to stay.
Chow had an interest in the Stanford head coaching job this offseason that went to Walt Harris, and had Carroll’s blessing to pursue that move.
Last week, Chow was quoted in a Raleigh, N.C., newspaper that he could be considering a move to the NFL.
In-house candidates Craig Johnson and George Henshaw are still in the running for the Titans offensive coordinator’s job as well.
Los Angeles Daily News
Chow-Carroll relations sour
By Scott Wolf
Staff Writer
Thursday, February 03, 2005 - Norm Chow, the offensive coordinator for the national champion USC football team, is contemplating leaving the school due to his strained relationship with head coach Pete Carroll.
Sources within the football program said Wednesday that they would not be surprised if Chow left, possibly for a job with the NFL's Tennessee Titans.
Although there's been no public rift between the two, Chow's current job duties are at risk and several sources believe Carroll would like to replace him with another assistant.
Chow -- who makes approximately $500,000 at USC -- is expected to meet with the Titans on Friday and though he prefers college football, would take the NFL job if offered, sources said.
Carroll denied any problems exist and said this week that he's completely satisfied with Chow and hopes Chow spurns the NFL to remain at USC.
"He's the offensive coordinator," Carroll said. "He's a fantastic coach. I have nothing for you. There's nothing going on in that regard."
But Carroll also said he's considering making Chow the Trojans' assistant head coach, a move that might not exactly be considered a promotion. According to Chow supporters, the switch would be a way of wresting control of the offense away from Chow and placing more power with Carroll.
Under that plan, Carroll could rehire Oakland Raiders assistant Steve Sarkisian as either offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach and grant a larger role to wide receivers coach Lane Kiffin.
Who would call plays is undetermined, even though Chow has called the plays the past four seasons at USC.
"I think they wouldn't mind if (Chow) left," said an associate of Carroll and Chow. "I think it's about ego and maybe they are tired of Norm. They don't need him anymore."
Carroll, Kiffin and Sarkisian met last week in Mobile, Ala., at the Senior Bowl. Carroll has also discussed this plan with several other people in the past two weeks, according to sources.
Chow declined comment for this story but he's told friends recently that he's been "hurt" and "upset" by the way he's being treated and thinks he might be forced out.
Carroll said Chow is happy at USC and that it's nonsense to think he would force Chow out.
"I think he loves it here. He's turned down opportunity after opportunity," Carroll said.
There's also an open rift between Chow and Kiffin, which became public during an Orange Bowl practice when the two quarreled in front of the team. Sources said relations between Chow and Sarkisian also soured because of recent developments, even though Chow coached Sarkisian at Brigham Young and hired him at USC in 2001.
Carroll's backers say Chow's merely overreacting to the current changes being considered for the coaching staff and uncertainty regarding his role. Carroll said he hasn't made any final decisions yet.
"I'm not ready yet; by early next week, I hope to have something done," Carroll said. "We have to play it out."
Exactly what could cause Carroll and Chow's falling out is unknown, although sources said there's been a growing resentment within the program over the way Chow is credited with revitalizing USC's offense. Carroll's frequently pointed out that he revamped USC's offense after the 2001 season, assumed a hands-on role in making key decisions and even ditched some of the terminology Chow used at Brigham Young.
"This isn't the BYU offense," Carroll said in December.
But whenever the media mentions USC's two Heisman Trophy winners the past three seasons, or the Trojans' explosive offense, Chow receives most of the credit. Carroll has stressed in bits and pieces during the past three years that the offense would not fall apart if Chow left.
An associate of Carroll and Chow said problems had festered for some time.
"It's been brewing," he said. "You never know for sure what's happening behind closed doors."
Chow's never been interested in coaching in the NFL, and rebuffed interest from the Arizona Cardinals last season. If he took the Titans job, it's believed it would be an escape route from USC.
There still remains the chance that Carroll will not change the staff at all and leave Chow in his current position. But many people who work in Heritage Hall wonder whether the relationship could be repaired following the current drama and notice a difference in the way the pair interacts.
"Norm knows it's a bad deal," said a current college coach who is friendly with Chow and Carroll.
Scott Wolf, (818) 713-3607
[email protected]
