SC's Carroll leaving for NFL; Whittingham a candidate?

Here we go again.

Another job opening and another mention of Kyle Whittingham. It hasn't even been a month since we all held our collective breaths at the news of Urban Meyer's premature retirement and we're already faced with potential coaching speculation once again.

What we do know is that sometime this week, the Seattle Seahawks will make it official and hire away Pete Carroll from SC. It's a surprise move, since Carroll failed in his last stint at the NFL with the Patriots and Jets; but it looks to be happening. 

That means arguably the best job in the land will open up. Now there is one caveat in all of this - is Carrol leaving because of the impending throw down of the gauntlet by the NCAA? If that is the case, I'm not sure anyone touches that program with a ten-foot pole. 

Including Whittingham. But if it's just Carroll realizing it's the time to move on from the program he built, then things do get interesting. 

Of course, it is SC and they could realistically have any coach in America. At least you'd think. Would Whittingham register on their radar? Probably. But I'd wager behind such names as Mike Riley (was their top-choice in 2000 and only settled on Carroll when he - and Oregon coach Mike Bellotti - rebuffed the program), Chris Petersen and even Norm Chow. 

There is also Steve Sarkisian at Washington. Though he's only been there a year.

Regardless, don't be surprised if you hear Whittingham's name tossed around a bit until the coaching vacancy is filled. Unlike with Florida, though, I think he's a bit down their list. Maybe a hire made if no one else is interested.

And unless there is about to be a firestorm of controversy there, I don't expect that to be the case. If there is, I don't expect Whittingham to take the job anyway.