By Matt Pitman

UPDATE 01/13/10: Walker denies he has even been contacted by the Seahawks, telling the Las Cruses Sun News "I have not been offered the job. Therefore, I have not accepted the job. Everything everybody is writing is false."

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It sounds like Pete Carroll has tapped another key piece of his coaching staff with the Seahawks.

Several reports, including College Football Talk and NFL Network's Jason LaConfora are reporting that current New Mexico State Head Coach, and former UCLA defensive coordinator Dewayne Walker could be the man in charge of Seattle defense. Click the links above to read those stories. It's also being rumored that Carroll might be bringing USC special teams coach Ryan Schneider up north with him, according to Bruce Feldman of ESPN and referenced by Danny O'Neil of The Seattle Times.

Within the last two days Carroll has nicely filled out his coaching staff. Nothing has been officially announced by the team, who has been very busy with Carroll's signing made official just yesterday, then the press blitz today, and General Manager Interviews scheduled for the rest of the week. But here is how things appear to be shaping up:

Dewayne Walker - Defensive Coordinator

Jeremy Bates - Offensive Coordinator

Alex Gibbs - Assistant Head Coach/ Offensive Line

Ken Norton Jr. - Linebackers Coach

Ryan Schneider - Special Teams

By Matt Pitman

The room was filled with easily over 100 members of the media, Seahawks staff, corporate partners and others who wanted to see The Man. And Pete Carroll did not disappoint in his debut as the new Head Coach and Vice President of Football Operations with the Seattle Seahawks in his debut press conference.

Listen to Pete Carroll's first press conference with the Seahawks

"My appreciation for this opportunity, from the top of the organization from Paul Allen, Tod Leiweke and everybody that I've had a chance to deal with, have set this thing in motion in a manner that is almost dreamlike for me," Carroll said.

Carroll leaves USC after one of the most successful runs of any head coach in college football history. That, he believes, answers the question of why would he say 'so long' to paradise for a franchise with only 9 wins (and as Tod Leiweke will gladly point out, 4 of those over the lowly Rams)? "I come from a place where we had tremendous fortune and I was blessed to be at the University of Southern California for the years that I was there. The things we accomplished, the growth that we experienced has really given me an opportunity to grow as a coach, that makes me a much different guy than I was a few years back," he said. "I just could not pass up the opportunity to come here."

Carroll calls this the next stage in his career as a football coach. It allows him to grow, to challenge himself with something new, and most importantly for him, it allows the coach to prove to the skeptics that he can be successful in the NFL.

"I loved my time in college football, but always I've had a though that maybe it could come together in a manner that would fit right, and it's come together," he said.

Perhaps the burning question since Friday, when it became clear that the Seahawks wanted Carroll, has been 'Can he be successful in the NFL after being fired twice and spending the last nine years at the college level?' Carroll believes his experience in both areas of the game, a failed NFL coach and unprecedented success in the NCAA will produce positive results in Seattle.

"Looking back on his first two head coach jobs in the NFL Carroll candidly admits "I didn't know who the heck I was as a football coach." So what has changed between then and now? Carroll says the difference is night and day. In what he called an epiphany between being fired from his second stint in the NFL with the Jets and being hired at USC, Carroll says delivering a message of what he wants his team to be leaves no grey area when it comes to who he is as a coach, or what his style is. "I feel like I'm bringing a very, very clear message to our football team when we get in that meeting room. When we start this thing off, they're going to know where I'm coming from because I know where I'm coming from," he said.

Listen here as Carroll talks in depth about learning from his past in the NFL and how it makes him a better coach today:

And what is that message? "We're going to do things better than it's every been done before in everything that we're doing. That is the line that we live with. That is the principle," he said.

Then, naturally, there are the matters of who he is working with to build his team. The process of hiring a GM is underway. CEO Tod Leiweke confirmed that Pittsburgh Steelers Director of Football and Business Administration Omar Kahn is in town to interview for the Seahawks GM position. Pete Carroll will sit on on those interviews.

Yesterday Leiweke laid out the restructured alignment of the football hierarchy for the Seahawks. The "collaborative relationship" is an effort to avoid a repeat of the dysfunctional relationship that developed between Mike Holmgren and Tim Ruskell that ultimately led to Holmgren leaving, Ruskell's contract not being renewed, and Ruskell's hand picked replacement head coach Jim Mora being fired after only one year.

This new structure is part of what excited Carroll the most about coming to the Seahawks. "This is exactly the format and the make-up of the job as I've envisioned it. When that came to light, it was clear that this is a very serious opportunity. In short order, after a couple of phone calls and meeting on Sunday, we were able to put this thing together," Carroll said.

Three other candidates, Patriots Senior Advisor Floyd Reese, Packers Director of Football Operations John Schneider, Giants Director of College Scouting Marc Ross are expected to interview for the GM job this week.

Leiweke spoke only briefly at the podium during the press conference, only to introduce Carroll, but held a nearly 15 minute long briefing with reporters afterward. Much of what he said is similar to the comments he made yesterday.

Leiweke did confirm that the Seahawks initially reached out to Tony Dungee about becoming the President of Football Operations. He also re-stated his belief that the Seahawks have fully complied with the Rooney Rule and have satisfied the Fritz Pollard Alliance after interviewing Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who is African American. Leiweke says at the time of his trip to interview Frazier for the head coaching position, things between the Seahawks and Carroll were far from a done deal. "I was very straightforward with Leslie. If it hadn't worked out (with Carroll) based on my discussion with Leslie, he was going to be on the top of the list," said Leiweke.

Leiweke did say that he spoke with Jim Mora yesterday and candidly admitted that he did formally apologize to Mora for the awkward handling and timing of his firing. "Jim and I are friends and we're going to be friends," Leiweke said. "While I apologized it was also one of those awkward moments you find yourself in."

Listen to Tod Leiweke following Pete Carroll's press conference

It's been a whirlwind day, and a wild 4 days, really. But the Seahawks are finally moving forward with drastically different leadership.

Please leave your comments.

By Matt Pitman from VMAC

According to various reports, the Seahawks and new head coach Pete Carroll have pulled off another coup in landing a veteran, well respected offensive coach.

Yesterday it was reported that Jeremy Bates will stay with Carroll, a holdover from his staff at USC, and become the Seahawks new offensive coordinator.

Today we learn that Alex Gibbs will likely join the staff as Seahawks offensive line coach, replacing Mike Solari.

Gibbs is considered the preeminent offensive line coach in football. He spent last season with the Houston Texans, who ranked first...number 1 in the NFL in passing yards per game averaging over 290 yards a contest.

Zach Nally of Bleacherreport.com calls is Carroll's best hire yet.

"His longest stint was an offensive coaching gig in Denver under former head coach Mike Shanahan and Jeremy Bates, the new offensive coordinator in Seattle. He spent three marginally successful years there (1984-1987) before returning to establish one of the league's most dominant running games (1995-2003).

At Denver, the offensive line set numerous franchise records including most total yards (6,554 in 2000), most first downs (383 in 2000), most rushing yards (2,468 in 1998), and most rushing touchdowns (32 in 1998).

His offensive line also knew how to pass protect. From 1995-2000, Gibbs' line did not allow more than 35 sacks per season."

The offensive line play was so erratic last year, and sure injuries played a big part of it, that Jim Mora called them out specifically on more than one occasion. Now the Hawks have a shot to build something special, with a master architect at the drawing board from day one of the first mini camp. 12th Man, this is a big deal.

What are your thought? Do the hirings of Bate sna Gibbs leave you more optimistic that you were maybe a few days ago, based on that Pete Carroll is quickly building here in Seattle?

By Matt Pitman from VMAC

In case you missed it live on the air, here is the full audio of Pete Carroll's introductory press conference at VMAC earlier today.

Listen to Pete Carroll's first press conference with the Seahawks

I will have a more detailed post with quotes from the coach, and also audio from Tod Leiweke up here on the Seahawks Insider Blog in a bit, so please check back.

By Matt Pitman

According to this report from the AP's Gregg Bell, USC quarterback Matt Barkley confirmed that Jeremy Bates will be joining Pete Carroll in the trek north to Seattle.

This is a major get for the Seahawks organization. It could, potentially be a big breath of fresh air for the offensive players, many of whom were not buying what Greg Knapp was selling them.

Check out this recent report by Chicago Tribune's Dan Pompei. It provides a look into who Jeremy Bates is, what makes him tick and most importantly for you the Seahawks fan, what you might expect your offense to look like next season.

"Like Gruden, he believes in using a multitude of formations and pre-snap disguises. His playbook is a derivative of the West Coast offense.

One reason Cutler likes playing for Bates so much is Bates likes to air it out. He spreads the field, uses a lot of shotgun and plays multiple wide receivers. During his one season as the Broncos' play-caller in 2008, they threw the ball on 61 percent of the snaps.

He reeled it in at USC in 2009, but that might have been more to do with having a freshman quarterback.

Bates knows how to play to his team's strengths and minimize weaknesses.

"Jeremy is brilliant," said Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, who recommended Bates to Shanahan in Denver after working with him on the Jets. "He's very imaginative. He comes up with a different game plan every week. He does a great job of changing the formations. He diagnoses well."

Sound appealing?