Conquest: Pete Carroll and the Trojans' Climb to the Top of the College Football Mountain [Hardcover]

David Wharton (Author), Gary Klein (Author), Pat Haden (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2005

Conquest tells the story of a once-proud football program’s return to glory after years of disappointment. USC’s rout of Oklahoma in the 2005 Orange Bowl completed a turnaround as dramatic and inspiring as its fall from grace was shocking. Go behind the scenes to meet the players and coaches who revived the nation’s most successful college football program.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

It was a turnaround so sudden, so dramatic and unexpected, that it took college football by storm. When USC routed Oklahoma at the 2005 Orange Bowl, the Trojans completed a meteoric transformation, rising from fallen powerhouse to two-time national champion in only four seasons. Conquest, written by two sportswriters who were with the team every step of the way, chronicles this journey by looking behind the scenes of the most successful college football program in the nation. Sit in on a closed-door meeting during the early days, as coaches decide to bench a struggling Carson Palmer. then change their minds at the last second, giving the young quarterback a chance to revive his career and win the Heisman Trophy. Find out what really happened in the locker room at halftime of the 2004 Stanford game, a comeback victory that served as a turning point for the Trojans’ undefeated campaign. Conquest begins with a once-proud USC football team in shambles after the 2000 season. A program that epitomized dominance during the sixties and seventies—producing Heisman winners Mike Garrett, O. J. Simpson, Charles White, and Marcus Allen—was mired in mediocrity. The Trojans had gone more than two decades without a national title. Coach Pete Carroll—twice fired by NFL teams—seemed an unlikely choice to lead them back to glory. But the new coach silenced his critics with unsinkable enthusiasm, an innovative approach, and quick results: three straight trips to major bowl games, two Heisman-winning quarterbacks, and a 22-game winning streak that led to consecutive national championships. Conquest touches on all of the most dramatic moments in this saga. Learn previously undisclosed details of Carroll’s hiring and how he lured passing guru Norm Chow to become his offensive coordinator. Step into the huddle as exhausted players coax each other through a goal-line stand against California. Be a fly on the wall as Carroll lashes out at his team before a UCLA game. There’s more. Carroll and Chow forge a sometimes uneasy but fabulously successful partnership, which ends with Chow’s abrupt departure to the NFL. Receiver Mike Williams embarks on a star-crossed odyssey. Quarterback Matt Leinart and tailback Reggie Bush emerge as superstars. These are but a few of the stories from four unforgettable seasons.

About the Author

David Wharton has covered college and professional sports for the Los Angeles Times for 25 years. His work has won a range of national honors, including the Associated Press Sport Editors award, and was selected for The Best American Sports Writing series. He has also written for magazines such as Surfer and Men’s Fitness.

Gary Klein covers USC football for the Los Angeles Times. A former professional baseball player, he has also written about high school, college, and pro sports for the newspaper for 20 years. His work has also appeared in College & Pro Football Newsweekly, Baseball America, and other national publications.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Triumph Books (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572437898
• ISBN-13: 978-1572437890
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,192,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Conquest...book review...., September 27, 2005

By 

Culver - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conquest: Pete Carroll and the Trojans' Climb to the Top of the College Football Mountain (Hardcover)

A "must read" for fans of USC football. The book is an engaging recap of the games from the past few seasons, along with interesting behind-the-scenes information on Pete Carroll and his role in reviving the USC football program. Even a hard-core USC football fan will likely learn something new about the team and its history. For long-time fans like me, who endured mediocre USC teams through the 1990's, it's fun to read this book and relive the excitement of Pete Carroll's Trojans. Check it out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful look at big time college football today, December 27, 2005

By 

LiLKidneys (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conquest: Pete Carroll and the Trojans' Climb to the Top of the College Football Mountain (Hardcover)

As an 'SC alum and avid football fan, this was easy reading - brain candy. Not tremendous depth, but the book gave me great insight into how players are recruited and how the coaches approach each game. John McKay's autobiography is much more thorough about the game and leading the team. "Conquest" is a recap of the last several seasons with some behind the scenes stuff thrown in.

4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific book, June 1, 2011

By 

IyMa - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conquest: Pete Carroll and the Trojans' Climb to the Top of the College Football Mountain (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book a lot. Being a life long Trojan fan, this book served justice to not only USC Football but the University itself. From the beginning it had me hooked. I wasn't really willing to read it at first but then my humanities teacher required that we have a Silent Sustained Reading(ssr)book. I forgot to bring a book and it just so happened that I had this book in my backpack. This book includes interviews, quotes and real life stats. My favorite part of the book had to be when USC lost to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl and ever since then Pete Carrol came in and brought change to the program making Trojan football a powerhouse. Unfortunately, it is a little depressing reading the book in 2011 and looking at USC football and the heartbreaking sanctions. The great part about this book is that in the end there are all of the stats and scores of USC's games mentioned in the book. If you are a true USC fan and/or appreciate Trojan football, I recommend that you read this book.