LOS ANGELES – Trumain Carroll, a two-decade expert in strength and conditioning, has been named USC’s director of football sports performance, Trojan head coach Lincoln Riley announced today (May 7).
“Coach Carroll is an accomplished strength and conditioning professional who has consistently trained his teams to compete at the highest level,” said Riley. “His ability to develop players with an emphasis on a strong team culture has been evident throughout his career. He will have a tremendous impact on our program. We’re excited to welcome Trumain and his family to USC.”
Carroll most recently served as the director of strength and conditioning at Kansas State where he helped oversee a culture change within the program. Throughout his time in Manhattan, Kan., the Wildcats recorded a combined 36-17 record, collected three bowl victories and the 2022 Big 12 Championship with a 31-28 overtime victory over No. 3 TCU. Since Carroll began working with the Wildcats prior to the 2021 season, K-State was one of only five Power 4 teams to win at least nine games in each of the last three seasons (2022-24) with at least one conference championship in that timeframe.
Prior to arriving at K-State, he was the director of football strength and conditioning at South Florida in 2020 and spent two seasons (2018-19) as the director of strength and conditioning at Arkansas.
From 2015-17, Carroll was the director of strength and conditioning at SMU. While in Dallas, Carroll oversaw all strength and conditioning for over 400 student-athletes throughout 17 sports with his primary focus being football. During his tenure at SMU, Carroll’s efforts in the weight room aided in the development of First Team All-American wide receivers Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn who were both drafted in 2018. Sutton and Quinn were two of the most dynamic wide receivers in college football in 2017, each posting 1,000-yard receiving seasons. SMU competed in the Frisco Bowl in 2017.
Carroll was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Oklahoma State from 2013-14. In his second coaching stint in Stillwater, Okla., the Cowboys went 17-9 throughout those two seasons and played in the 2014 Cotton Bowl and the 2015 Cactus Bowl.
He then went on to be the head strength and conditioning coach at South Carolina State from 2011-12 where he oversaw the strength and conditioning program for over 300 student-athletes throughout 14 sports.
From 2008-11, Carroll was the director of strength and conditioning at Missouri-Kansas City.
Carroll began his coaching career in the weight room at Oklahoma State as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. He designed and directed the strength program for the Oklahoma State women’s basketball program that advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. He also assisted in the strength and conditioning program with the football team that went 23-16 throughout those three seasons and competed in the 2006 Independence Bowl, 2007 Insight Bowl and 2008 Holiday Bowl.
Carroll was a defensive end at Oklahoma State from 2001-05. During his playing career, he helped the Cowboys earn three-consecutive bowl berths, including a victory in the 2002 Houston Bowl and appearances in the 2003 Cotton Bowl and 2004 Alamo Bowl.
Carroll earned his bachelor’s degree in university studies from Oklahoma State in December 2005. He received his Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach Certification in May 2007 and his USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Certification in February 2008. Most recently, Carroll earned his Master Strength and Conditioning Certification in May 2020.