Seahawks' Pete Carroll 'Disappointed in College Football' with Pac-12 Exodus

After last year's unexpected playoff appearance and the promising outlook for this season, Pete Carroll firmly believes that he is creating something extraordinary in Seattle. His only wish is for it to replicate the success he achieved in his previous position.

Before taking over the Seahawks in 2010, Carroll established a dynasty along the Pacific coastline. At the University of Southern California, his Trojans won consecutive national championships in 2003-04 and came agonizingly close to securing a rare three-peat in 2005, thwarted only by Texas' Vince Young's heroic performance.

These days, the 71-year-old Carroll is fully immersed in the NFL. However, he also feels a sense of sadness for what has become of the conference his team once dominated. Carroll attained remarkable success as one of the most accomplished coaches in college football history in the Pac-10, which later expanded to become the Pac-12. But now?

The conference lies in ruins, with the recent reshuffling leaving only Cal, Stanford, Oregon State, and Washington State as its remaining members. Last week, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, and Washington all departed. Even Carroll's old USC and UCLA were responsible for initiating the collapse by joining the Big Ten.

Bill Walton and his famous "Conference of Champions!" motto would be shedding tears somewhere. Even during Seahawks' training camp, Carroll cannot escape his own teardrops.

"I am truly disappointed," he expressed to reporters over the weekend. "I believe that many people, including fans, share this disappointment."

The demise of the Pac-12 can be attributed to - unsurprisingly - money. Conference commissioner George Kilavkoff failed to secure a lucrative enough television partner, leading to almost everyone fleeing.

Carroll added, "I understand that finances play a role, and they have to make their decisions, but there is something about the essence of tradition that is lost, and I don't know how or where they can reclaim that, how they can revive the long-standing traditions."

While the Seahawks will continue their intense rivalries within their division against teams like the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, they will no longer partake in traditional matchups such as the "Civil War" between Oregon and Oregon State or the "Apple Cup" between Washington and Washington State.

"It's not just our conference here," Carroll emphasized. "It's happening across the country too. I honestly don't understand it. I am greatly disappointed in college football right now."