Carroll staying at USC

During an often confusing news conference, Carroll spoke glowingly of Huizenga and an NFL situation that would afford him full control, seemingly leaving the door open for a possible return to pro football.

"I'm not leaving USC ," Carroll said.

That's what Carroll said 30 minutes after meeting with reporters, when he called Times columnist T.J. Simers and emphatically repeated several times that he would not leave USC even if the Dolphins offered him everything he wanted.

Carroll, who has guided the Trojans to a 59-6 record and two national championships in the last five seasons, has been connected with NFL coaching vacancies after nearly every one of his six seasons at USC .

Carroll did the same thing as Nick Saban.

"He was very firm about his stance and then things hange," Carroll said during the news conference.

"This is a very unique owner," Carroll said. "He's like the only guy I know who's in the NFL that actually hires guys to do everything. That's why I thought it was worthwhile talking and hearing him out."

Carroll said he learned of kicker Mario Danelo's death, and then contacted Dennis Slutak, USC Trojans's director of football operations, minutes before his airport interview with Huizenga and other Dolphins officials that he declined to identify. Danelo's body was found Saturday at the bottom
of a cliff in San Pedro.

"That was the first thing we talked about," Carroll said. "I was in shock."

Also, Carroll was not troubled by the perception by some that he should have returned to USC sooner in the wake of Danelo's death.

He said he had talked to Danelo's father, Joe, and that he would participate in a memorial service Friday in San Pedro.

Carroll said he attempted to schedule an earlier departure but was unsuccessful.