Carroll moves to fill the void

The post-Lane Kiffin era at USC began Tuesday as the Trojans’ former offensive coordinator was introduced as the Oakland Raiders head coach and Pete Carroll began to shuffle his staff.

Carroll said his son, Brennan, the Trojans’ tight ends coach, would assume Kiffin’s role as recruiting coordinator. Carroll added that he was not concerned that the changeover was occurring two weeks before recruits can sign national letters of intent.

The Trojans had received commitments from 14 high school players, but recently lost one when lineman James Wilson of Florida changed his mind and said he would attend Florida.

“We’re well organized with all of it,” Carroll said of a recruiting effort that is expected to yield one of the nation’s top-rated classes.

“We’re just finishing and we should be in good shape.”

Carroll reiterated that assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian would take over complete control of the offense and call plays. He also said Sarkisian will “most likely” remain as quarterbacks coach.

Asked whether Sarkisian would call plays from the press box or the field, Carroll said there was no hurry to make a determination.

“I don’t have to make all those decisions right now, but it’s likely that he’s going to stay right where he is and call the game from the sidelines,” Carroll said. “That’s what we’ve talked about so far and we’ll see what happens. We’ll use all the time to figure it out, but that’s the plan right now.”

Other staff moves or additions will be made as Carroll looks to fill Kiffin’s role as receivers coach.

Graduate assistant Yogi Roth, who played receiver at Pittsburgh, is one possibility.

On Monday, when he was hired by the Raiders, Kiffin declined to comment when asked if he would take any USC assistants with him.

Carroll expects some reconfiguration of his staff regardless.

“We’re just working and looking at options,” Carroll said. “Calls are coming in and stuff. We get flooded with guys that are interested.”

USC players expressed surprise at Kiffin’s hiring by the Raiders but wished him well.

“Coach Carroll is going to definitely do his best so that whenever someone leaves someone just as good takes his place,” running back Chauncey Washington said. “We’re going to be the No. 1 team and have a fantastic season. Sark will take care of us.”

Freshman running back Allen Bradford said it would be hard to predict how Kiffin’s absence would affect the Trojans’ offense in 2007.

“It could be worse or it could be better,” he said. “Only time will tell.”

Former USC receiver Keary Colbert, who has played three seasons for the Carolina Panthers, said the 31-year-old Kiffin could be successful in the NFL despite being the youngest head coach in the league.

“It’s about winning football games,” he said. “I don’t think anyone cares about age. He’s knowledgeable and he’ll be prepared. Once they start winning games, I don’t think it will be an issue.”

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gary.klein@latimes.com