Editing Carson Palmer (section)

===Junior season===

{{See also|2001 USC Trojans football team}}

Following a 6–6 record in 1999 and a 5–7 record in 2000, Paul Hackett stepped down as head coach. 2001 marked [[Pete Carroll]]'s first season with USC and under a new revamped offense, Palmer threw 21/28 completions, 213 passing yards, and an interception in the season opener against [[2001 San Jose State Spartans football|San Jose State]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=San Jose State at Southern California Box Score, September 1, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-09-01-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180452/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-09-01-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> During a week 4 loss at [[2001 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon]], he threw 25/40 completions, for a career-high 411 yards, 3 interceptions, and a career-high 75-yard touchdown pass and a 93-yard touchdown pass.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at Oregon Box Score, September 22, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-09-22-oregon.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180526/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-09-22-oregon.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After four consecutive losses, where he threw a total of 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, USC finally received a win against [[2001 Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona State]] with Palmer going 18/26 for 295 passing yards and 3 touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arizona State at Southern California Box Score, October 13, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-10-13-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180556/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-10-13-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The next week at [[2001 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]], although being sacked 5 times, he finished with 19 of 30 completions, 230 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USC at Notre Dame Box Score, October 20, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-10-20-notre-dame.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180551/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-10-20-notre-dame.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> Palmer defeated [[2001 Oregon State Beavers football team|Oregon State]] in week 10, after going 21 of 28, for 171 passing yards, and an interception. The game came down to overtime, where Palmer bootlegged for a 4-yard scramble, broke one tackle, and dove at the pylon for the game-winning touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Oregon State at Southern California Box Score, November 3, 2001 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-11-03-southern-california.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180502/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2001-11-03-southern-california.html |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2018 |website=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> After 4 wins in-a-row, USC lost to [[2001 Utah Utes football team|Utah]], and Palmer finished the game with 15 of 26 completions for 150 yards. Although his first season under new head coach Pete Carroll ended with a 6–6 record, he finished his season with 221 completions, 377 attempts(58.6%), 2,717 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 12 starts.<ref name="Toeknee44" />