Giving Pete Carroll his due, creepy 'Oompa Loompa' vibe ensues

True freshman quarterback Matt Barkley tossed three interceptions during Southern Cal’s practice this morning, but that’s not why I called.

It was the words head coach Pete Carroll uttered after the practice that has me absolutely convinced he could win with Charles Barkley under center, let alone the All-American thoroughbreds he parades onto the practice field year-in and year-out.

Here’s what Carroll had to say about today’s misadventures of his latest QB prodigy:

“I said, ‘OK, that is a good day to come back from.’ And he says, ‘Yeah, I’ll try.’ And I said, ‘What do you mean try?’  We are working on our language and how we are going to deal with situations. It’s all part of molding the mentality that it takes.”

I don’t care who you are, that’s genius right there.

“What do you mean try?“

The man simply gets QBs, what goes on in their unique psyche, how to tweak the right buttons.  He has the “it” factor when it comes to coaching players in general, and the men under center in particular.

Certainly the fact that he’s dealing with highly-rated players at the most important position on the field and must be part of any equation.

But, put aside the negatives — the “Pissy Pete” routine when Mark Sanchez left school early, the Reggie Bush imbroglio, the overall smugness — and focus on the coaching aspect of college football.  If you do that, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better football coach in all of Division 1.

I don’t know if Barkley will or won’t succeed if the Aaron Corp injury lingers and forces him into the lineup very early, but I do know his chances are better because of the man stalking up and down his sideline.

And now I must go shower myself.  I feel dirty for some odd reason…