Team

As Rocky Seto was discussing the priorities that helped pave the path to his latest incarnation as a quality control coach for the Seahawks, the proof was in the picture sitting just behind him.

The photo in his office at Virginia Mason Athletic Center shows Seto’s wife, Sharla, a former soccer player at the University of Southern California and Bellevue’s Newport High School, and their children – daughters Kaylani, 5, and Mia, 3; and son Troy, 1.

They look content and blessed, just like the man who has made the office his home away from home since rejoining new head coach Pete Carroll in January.

“I like this a lot,” said Seto, who spent the past 11 years in various capacities at USC. “One thing I like is being able to spend more time with the family in the offseason. That’s been great, because in college you’re on the road recruiting or doing something on the weekends.

“That’s a challenge as a coach, to make sure you focus on the marriage and focus on the children. Because so many times as men we get caught up in feeling like the work that we do defines us. It becomes more important than anything else.”

Seto’s relocation to the NFL – and the Seattle area – is significant because of the number of times he opted against leaving USC in the past. There was the job offer from the Buffalo Bills in 2006, the chance to join former fellow USC assistant Steve Sarkisian’s staff at the University of Washington two years later and earlier opportunities to go to the Washington Redskins and the University of Mississippi.

Each time, Seto and his wife discussed the situation, prayed on it and then said no thanks. The UW vs. USC decision even included guidance from a Wizard.

“I talked to coach Wooden,” Seto said – referring to the late John Wooden, the former basketball coach at UCLA who was dubbed “The Wizard of Westwood” while winning 10 NCAA championships in 12 seasons.

“I told him the scenario at U-Dub. He just asked me, ‘Are you happy?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ There was kind of a pause and he says, ‘Then what’s your problem?’ ”

Happy might be the best word to describe Seto’s life-long association with USC. That, and fortunate.

His father, Andy, owned a gardening business in the Los Angeles area. Was he a sports fan? Well, Seto – whose first name is Haruki – got the middle name he goes by from boxer Rocky Marciano, and his brothers are named after former NFL quarterback Sonny Jurgensen and Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench.

Not surprisingly, Seto went to a lot of USC football games growing up. But because, in his words, “I wasn’t good enough athletically or academically” coming out of Arcadia High School, he took a two-year detour to Mt. San Antonio Junior College before beginning what turned out to be an excellent SC adventure.

“Ever since I was a boy, I wanted to play for USC,” Seto said. “My dad is a blue-collar worker and didn’t have a chance to go to college. But for whatever reason, people of that generation followed SC football and UCLA basketball.

“So we used to watch and talk about it, and I always wanted to do it.”

In 1997, he walked on for the Trojans and then-coach John Robinson. The next year, new coach Paul Hackett awarded Seto a scholarship. The next season, Hackett gave Seto his start in coaching – as a volunteer assistant.

“Getting a scholarship was one of the great joys in my life so far – after becoming a Christian and getting married and having children,” he said. “I waited to tell my parents until I got home. My dad couldn’t believe it. He goes, ‘You know, you made me believe in the impossible.’

“As sons, we always long for our father’s approval. So that was a big moment for me. Huge moment. I still remember it as if it was yesterday.”

Over the next decade those moments just got larger and larger, as Seto had several titles in the football program – administrative graduate assistant (2000), graduate assistant (2001-02), fulltime coach in charge of the safeties (2003), linebackers coach (2004-05), secondary coach (2006-07), assistant head coach/defense (2008) and defensive coordinator (2009).

Obviously, Seto owes a lot to Robinson, Hackett and, of course, Carroll.

“Coach Robinson allowed me to be on the team, so I’m forever grateful,” Seto said. “Coach Hackett is the one who got me a scholarship and on top of that allowed me to get into the profession. And coach Carroll gave me an opportunity and really helped mold me as a football coach.

“All three guys have been huge, and even my junior college coach – Bill Fisk, who was a SC alum – allowed me to play at Mt. Sac and helped me get into SC. I’ve been really impacted by all those men.”

The SC connection finally was severed – at least professionally – when Seto was not retained after Lane Kiffin replaced Carroll.

“I was really thinking about not getting into coaching anymore and doing something else,” he said. “So I was at peace about it. Whereas before, I wasn’t at peace about leaving SC or coaching.”

That’s when Carroll called from the Seahawks’ headquarters and suggested that Seto come up and see the situation that was being offered.

“So I checked it out, we prayed about it and felt like this is where God called us to come next,” he said.

If Seto’s body language on the practice field is any indication, it was a good call. Seto runs – no, bounds – from one drill to the next. He scrunches his face into a grimace to make a point to a player, only to flash a grin when the advice leads to a big play.

“Yeah, I’m having a good time,” he said. “I’m just so fortunate because the coaches are great guys and the players are great guys, too. So it’s fun being around everybody.”

Especially that smiling family in the picture that graces his office, and helps him keep his priorities aligned.