USC football: Pete Carroll reacts to Lane Kiffin firing

Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll addressed USC’s firing of Lane Kiffin, who succeeded Carroll with the Trojans.

“That’s been a real tough time,” Carroll told reporters Monday in Seattle. “It’s been a hard time for the Trojan family, a hard couple of years. This is difficult too.

“It’s getting a lot of interest for obvious reasons. It’s a huge program and all of that. I’ve known Lane since he was a little kid, so I feel for him in this situation. But they’ve made a decisive move and they’re going to move forward. They’ll make a good choice and get the thing going the way they want to go. But it’s very difficult.”

Carroll said he thought interim coach Ed Orgeron would “do great.” Orgeron was head coach at Mississippi from 2005 to 2007. He compiled a record of 10-25.

“Ed has been through enough as a head coach and he’s got a real way about him that resonate, and he can take control of a very difficult situation and make something happen that’s positive,” Carroll said. “It’s very, very difficult. What are your expectations when a guy takes over?

“It’s hard to say you’re going to turn it around and all that kind of stuff. But Ed is a tough guy, a good guy who knows football and really loves and knows that program as well as anybody. I think he’ll do the best anybody can do at this time.”

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Ed Orgeron is ready for his leading role as USC’s interim coach