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Men of Troy: The Epic Afternoons, Wild Nights, and Enduring Legacy of Pete Carroll’s USC Trojans
448 pages, Hardcover
Published January 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 5, 2026
There's plenty to like in this book about a historic era in college football. I had forgotten both that USC was basically in the Top 5 for six or so years in a row, but also that they lost a number of easily winnable games that would have brought more national titles. I hadn't known about the cocaine use during the glory days. Burke makes an excellent point connecting the Bush case, which led to USC's demise for more than a decade, to the eventual collapse of the Pac-12. And vacating wins as part of USC's punishment -- while Miami had worse transgressions and a lighter sentence -- was truly pointless.
May 28, 2026
𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 is the chronological analysis of the years in which Pete Carroll was the head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans football program. The book which was written by talented writer Monte Burke, is a must read for college football historians and of course Trojans football historians.
𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 in my eyes is the definite book to read when it comes to the Pete Carroll era at USC. I've read four books in my lifetime on USC football which includes 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 & 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙 by Steve Delsohn, 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩 by Gary Klein, 𝙒𝙞𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 by Pete Carroll and now 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮. All of those books discussed the Carroll era at USC especially 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 and 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 & 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙 and in fact the latter book may be the best overall book on this planet about USC football period. But what set 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 apart from those other books was the deep dive that Burke took on the Carroll years which included him giving his own opinions or analysis of the players and coaches from that era with a psychological and or critical angle.
The first 74 pages of 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 concerned Carroll's pre-USC coaching days which included a chapter (chapter, The Education of a Coach) about why he needed his own platform (later at USC) as a head coach where he could be him which includes instituting or relaying his different methods and ideologies of coaching.
On page 19 there were a few paragraphs written by Burke where I said to myself, man, Carroll really needed his own college or pro platform or environment (as for pro, namely the Seahawks organization in the late 2000s to early 2010s). In that part of the book Burke described a time when Carroll and Head Coach Chester Caddas (Carroll coached at the University of the Pacific 1973-1976) were having a conversation. Carroll in that conversation told Caddas about a meeting he had with his defensive backs where he asked them what they wanted from the football program (from the coaches, season practices, and etc.) and then Caddas cut his young assistant off while he was still talking and said that you are never supposed to ask players what they want. What a lesson for Carroll on the thought process of an old, old school head coach and how his (Carroll) philosophy on coaching wouldn't mesh with certain team administrations and players, a lesson he would learn very well down the line.
One of the things I appreciated about this book was the analysis of the Paul Hackett era (the head coach at USC from 1998 to 2000); the book didn't do a deep dive or super detailed analysis of the Hackett era but Burke gave you enough background information on that coach's era as to help set up why USC needed an energetic and effective head coach by 2001.
One of the best things about 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 was the quotes Burke added to his book from former USC players and coaches. One of those player quotes summed up the Hackett era so well. That quote was on page 41, and it was by former Trojans defensive end Omar Nazel who was a part of Hackett's second to last recruiting class (1999), he was a redshirt freshman backup defensive end for Hackett in 2000, and he played for Carroll from 2001 to 2003. I won't put that quote here, you'll just have to read the book. And Nazel also contributed a quote on page 43 which helped to explain why Hackett was fired after the 2000 season. He was one of Burke's go to guys for quotes in this book.
Even though I enjoyed the first 74 pages of this book, the book really started to pick up for me starting on page 75 (chapter 5, Turnover) where Burke began to discuss (with game recaps or scores of games) the 2001 season or the beginning of the Carroll era at USC. From page 75 and on the book just took off and with game recaps, back stories, and profiles of certain Trojan players and coaches from the 2001 to 2009 period.
I consider myself an expert on the Carroll era at USC, but this book revealed some things to me about that 2001 to 2009 period that I didn't even know about. Examples include the time Carroll wanted to start true freshman and the super green and inexperienced Matt Leinart in the Arizona game of 2001 over by then three-year starter Carson Palmer (pages 78-79). Or that brilliant former Trojans Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow's nationwide and program wide acclaim (a lot of people within the USC athletic department respected and liked Chow) was privately resented by Carroll.
Or that Chow because of his introverted personality didn't (page 97) really like talking to potential recruits, even the ones he needed for his offenses. And please read page 118; I found on that page why gifted former USC safety Troy Polamalu grew out his hair instead of going with the buzz cut look that he went with when he got to USC in 1999.
One of my favorite chapters in the book was chapter 10, The Hottest Ticket in Town. In that chapter Burke over four pages (pages 174-177) expressed the bandwagon and fair-weather nature of Los Angeles people when it comes to sports teams out here, and those people include celebrities and the general public. That chapter wouldn't be the last time Burke expressed his true feelings over the phony and bandwagon culture of people in Los Angeles when it comes to sports.
Another testament or good example of Burke's writing skills and his commitment to this book's plot, subject, and whatever was on page 199 (the first paragraph of that page and it concerns Chow and Carroll). Read that page and you'll see what I mean.
Another element of this book that I enjoyed was how Burke analyzed the two biggest stars of the Carroll era at USC in Bush and Leinart, he really pulled back the curtain on what time it was with those two from 2001 to 2005. I still laugh at this writing sample by Burke on page 235 even though I finished the book five days ago and it was this, ".... with his winning smile and seemingly humble demeanor off it, ....". That quote was about Bush. It was well known by those who knew Bush even back to when he was a Varsity football player at Helix High School (2000-2002) that he came off as this humble and good guy (the latter is true), but he had a side of him that was very arrogant and aware of his star power because of his God given gifts as a running back and athlete.
Chapters 15 (Texas Holds Em) and 16 (Surviving Greatness) were bookend chapters in that one of them (15) discussed or signaled the impending end of the Trojans 2002-2005 dynasty while the latter chapter (16) discussed in detail the Bush scandal that would ultimately cripple and hurt the program for much of the 2010s in terms of recruiting, winning seasons, the vacating of wins from the 2004 to 2005 seasons.
Any writer who covered the Trojans from 2005 to 2009 knows very well how hard it was for Carroll to replace running backs Bush and Lendale White after the 2005 season, and Burke wrote about that subject on page 314 (chapter 16) and elsewhere in the book.
Over chapters 16 to 18, Burke wrote about the 2006 to 2008 seasons. In those three chapters you the reader got a good idea of why the magic was gone from the Trojans program.
Then by the time chapter 19 (Not with a Bang) rolled around, you could tell that Burke's interest in his subject was waning and could you blame him? The 2009 season was miles and miles away from what went down with the Trojans program from 2002 to 2005. In chapter 19 Burke wrote some short or long (the Washington game) but mostly short capsules on games from the '09 season and running back Joe McKnight and true freshman quarterback Matt Barkley got more ink in that chapter than any other player on that '09 team. And for good reason. Nobody in 2009 really stood for USC and Burke knew that, and so why make that chapter longer than it should have been in what was a forgettable season.
Honestly after chapter 15, the book waned in interest to me, and it didn't pick back up until the book's last chapter 21 (Crime and Punishment). I knew about the Bush scandal and its contents, but that chapter (21) gave me some more insight into that scandal. I found out some things about that scandal that even I didn't know about. After reading that chapter you'll wonder why a lot of people distanced themselves from Bush and his family including USC (the school banned him appearing on their campus for 10 years). And please read pages 396-397, the contents of those pages will shock you.
Pros of 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮: Monte Burke really did his homework with this book. The man interviewed more than 150 people for this book, and it showed. He received a ton of inside information from Trojans insiders (players, coaches, and school employees) for this book which helped to enrich the book's cause and readability. If you didn't know anything about the Pete Carroll era at USC before you picked up this book, well, after reading it you won't be ignorant anymore about quite possibly the best era in USC football history.
Cons of 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮: Even though I learned some things about USC football in the 2002 to 2009 era from this book, a lot of the information in this book on those seasons was common knowledge for me and even for some historic USC football fans (of which I am not and never have been).
In closing, 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 had one job and one job only and that was to educate its readers on the Pete Carroll era at USC, and the book did that. This book will make you look at the Reggie Bush scandal and the Carroll era a little differently than you did before and that was Burke's intent.
𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 in my eyes is the definite book to read when it comes to the Pete Carroll era at USC. I've read four books in my lifetime on USC football which includes 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 & 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙 by Steve Delsohn, 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩 by Gary Klein, 𝙒𝙞𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 by Pete Carroll and now 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮. All of those books discussed the Carroll era at USC especially 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 and 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 & 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙 and in fact the latter book may be the best overall book on this planet about USC football period. But what set 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 apart from those other books was the deep dive that Burke took on the Carroll years which included him giving his own opinions or analysis of the players and coaches from that era with a psychological and or critical angle.
The first 74 pages of 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 concerned Carroll's pre-USC coaching days which included a chapter (chapter, The Education of a Coach) about why he needed his own platform (later at USC) as a head coach where he could be him which includes instituting or relaying his different methods and ideologies of coaching.
On page 19 there were a few paragraphs written by Burke where I said to myself, man, Carroll really needed his own college or pro platform or environment (as for pro, namely the Seahawks organization in the late 2000s to early 2010s). In that part of the book Burke described a time when Carroll and Head Coach Chester Caddas (Carroll coached at the University of the Pacific 1973-1976) were having a conversation. Carroll in that conversation told Caddas about a meeting he had with his defensive backs where he asked them what they wanted from the football program (from the coaches, season practices, and etc.) and then Caddas cut his young assistant off while he was still talking and said that you are never supposed to ask players what they want. What a lesson for Carroll on the thought process of an old, old school head coach and how his (Carroll) philosophy on coaching wouldn't mesh with certain team administrations and players, a lesson he would learn very well down the line.
One of the things I appreciated about this book was the analysis of the Paul Hackett era (the head coach at USC from 1998 to 2000); the book didn't do a deep dive or super detailed analysis of the Hackett era but Burke gave you enough background information on that coach's era as to help set up why USC needed an energetic and effective head coach by 2001.
One of the best things about 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 was the quotes Burke added to his book from former USC players and coaches. One of those player quotes summed up the Hackett era so well. That quote was on page 41, and it was by former Trojans defensive end Omar Nazel who was a part of Hackett's second to last recruiting class (1999), he was a redshirt freshman backup defensive end for Hackett in 2000, and he played for Carroll from 2001 to 2003. I won't put that quote here, you'll just have to read the book. And Nazel also contributed a quote on page 43 which helped to explain why Hackett was fired after the 2000 season. He was one of Burke's go to guys for quotes in this book.
Even though I enjoyed the first 74 pages of this book, the book really started to pick up for me starting on page 75 (chapter 5, Turnover) where Burke began to discuss (with game recaps or scores of games) the 2001 season or the beginning of the Carroll era at USC. From page 75 and on the book just took off and with game recaps, back stories, and profiles of certain Trojan players and coaches from the 2001 to 2009 period.
I consider myself an expert on the Carroll era at USC, but this book revealed some things to me about that 2001 to 2009 period that I didn't even know about. Examples include the time Carroll wanted to start true freshman and the super green and inexperienced Matt Leinart in the Arizona game of 2001 over by then three-year starter Carson Palmer (pages 78-79). Or that brilliant former Trojans Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow's nationwide and program wide acclaim (a lot of people within the USC athletic department respected and liked Chow) was privately resented by Carroll.
Or that Chow because of his introverted personality didn't (page 97) really like talking to potential recruits, even the ones he needed for his offenses. And please read page 118; I found on that page why gifted former USC safety Troy Polamalu grew out his hair instead of going with the buzz cut look that he went with when he got to USC in 1999.
One of my favorite chapters in the book was chapter 10, The Hottest Ticket in Town. In that chapter Burke over four pages (pages 174-177) expressed the bandwagon and fair-weather nature of Los Angeles people when it comes to sports teams out here, and those people include celebrities and the general public. That chapter wouldn't be the last time Burke expressed his true feelings over the phony and bandwagon culture of people in Los Angeles when it comes to sports.
Another testament or good example of Burke's writing skills and his commitment to this book's plot, subject, and whatever was on page 199 (the first paragraph of that page and it concerns Chow and Carroll). Read that page and you'll see what I mean.
Another element of this book that I enjoyed was how Burke analyzed the two biggest stars of the Carroll era at USC in Bush and Leinart, he really pulled back the curtain on what time it was with those two from 2001 to 2005. I still laugh at this writing sample by Burke on page 235 even though I finished the book five days ago and it was this, ".... with his winning smile and seemingly humble demeanor off it, ....". That quote was about Bush. It was well known by those who knew Bush even back to when he was a Varsity football player at Helix High School (2000-2002) that he came off as this humble and good guy (the latter is true), but he had a side of him that was very arrogant and aware of his star power because of his God given gifts as a running back and athlete.
Chapters 15 (Texas Holds Em) and 16 (Surviving Greatness) were bookend chapters in that one of them (15) discussed or signaled the impending end of the Trojans 2002-2005 dynasty while the latter chapter (16) discussed in detail the Bush scandal that would ultimately cripple and hurt the program for much of the 2010s in terms of recruiting, winning seasons, the vacating of wins from the 2004 to 2005 seasons.
Any writer who covered the Trojans from 2005 to 2009 knows very well how hard it was for Carroll to replace running backs Bush and Lendale White after the 2005 season, and Burke wrote about that subject on page 314 (chapter 16) and elsewhere in the book.
Over chapters 16 to 18, Burke wrote about the 2006 to 2008 seasons. In those three chapters you the reader got a good idea of why the magic was gone from the Trojans program.
Then by the time chapter 19 (Not with a Bang) rolled around, you could tell that Burke's interest in his subject was waning and could you blame him? The 2009 season was miles and miles away from what went down with the Trojans program from 2002 to 2005. In chapter 19 Burke wrote some short or long (the Washington game) but mostly short capsules on games from the '09 season and running back Joe McKnight and true freshman quarterback Matt Barkley got more ink in that chapter than any other player on that '09 team. And for good reason. Nobody in 2009 really stood for USC and Burke knew that, and so why make that chapter longer than it should have been in what was a forgettable season.
Honestly after chapter 15, the book waned in interest to me, and it didn't pick back up until the book's last chapter 21 (Crime and Punishment). I knew about the Bush scandal and its contents, but that chapter (21) gave me some more insight into that scandal. I found out some things about that scandal that even I didn't know about. After reading that chapter you'll wonder why a lot of people distanced themselves from Bush and his family including USC (the school banned him appearing on their campus for 10 years). And please read pages 396-397, the contents of those pages will shock you.
Pros of 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮: Monte Burke really did his homework with this book. The man interviewed more than 150 people for this book, and it showed. He received a ton of inside information from Trojans insiders (players, coaches, and school employees) for this book which helped to enrich the book's cause and readability. If you didn't know anything about the Pete Carroll era at USC before you picked up this book, well, after reading it you won't be ignorant anymore about quite possibly the best era in USC football history.
Cons of 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮: Even though I learned some things about USC football in the 2002 to 2009 era from this book, a lot of the information in this book on those seasons was common knowledge for me and even for some historic USC football fans (of which I am not and never have been).
In closing, 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 had one job and one job only and that was to educate its readers on the Pete Carroll era at USC, and the book did that. This book will make you look at the Reggie Bush scandal and the Carroll era a little differently than you did before and that was Burke's intent.
November 24, 2025
Read an advance preview. Loved the insight it gave behind some of the traditions and into the assistant coaches behind the scenes. Would recommend to any college football fan to see behind this important team and era in college football.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Great Football, Coaching, USC, Pete Carroll book. If you like football, you will like this book.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received an advanced copy of this book.
I found it very informative, lots to learn about football and what goes on behind the scenes.
I found it very informative, lots to learn about football and what goes on behind the scenes.
Read
March 14, 2026pete carroll is such a delightful oddball. what an interesting dude. B+
June 6, 2026
Couldn’t put this book down once I started reading. An incredible story that keeps you interested on every page turn.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews