SC NOTEBOOK: CHOW EXPECTED TO TAKE JOB.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

Carolina State offensive coordinator Norm Chow has not formally accepted USC's offer to become offensive coordinator, but sources expect Chow to take the job early next week.

Chow said Friday night he had not signed a contract with USC.

will be in Atlanta next week at the NCAA Coaches Convention and will meet with North Carolina State coach Chuck Amato to discuss the situation. He is expected to receive a counteroffer from the Wolfpack.

Chow, 54, already makes $165,000 a year at North Carolina State, and studies indicated he would have to earn at least $220,000 at USC because of the higher cost of living. That means Chow probably will be the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the country if he accepts the USC job.

--Pola retained: Running backs coach Kennedy Pola has been kept on the staff by USC coach Pete Carroll, but has been switched to outside linebackers.

One reason for the switch is that Carroll's choice for linebackers coach, Green Bay Packers assistant Bo Pelini, has declined a job offer.

Without Pelini, cornerbacks coach DeWayne Walker probably will become the sole defensive coordinator.

Carroll will hire an inside linebackers coach to complete the defensive staff.

Additionally, former New York Jets executive Pat Kirwan has decided he will not become USC's recruiting coordinator/tight ends coach, and is fielding other job offers.

Assuming Chow becomes the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Carroll must hire a running backs coach, wide receivers coach, offensive line coach and tight ends coach.

--Another recruit: Carroll picked up his second recruit, tailback Frank Candela (5-foot-9, 180 pounds) of Peabody, Mass. Candela committed to Washington three years ago but decided to embark on a pro baseball career in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. He stole 89 bases in three years.

Although he is from Massachusetts, Candela and Carroll, who coached the New England Patriots, had no connection until recently, when Candela sent USC a tape of his high school games.