Steve Sarkisian was officially announced as Washington’s head coach today, and while he will remain with the Trojans through the Rose Bowl on January 1rst, the smack talk has already begun.

“It’s the year 2008, it’s about time to get back to the Rose Bowl, to Pac-10 championships, competing for a national championship, that’s our goal, no question,” Sarkisian said. “I can’t wait to get this thing going.”[As for Pete Carroll, Sark continued]… “I owe him dearly…but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to go out and beat him in the third game of [next] season.”

Adam Rose of All Thing’s Trojan captured Pete’s reaction to Sarkisian’s move up North, which was largely jovial and congratulatory…until the end.

Being the competitor Carroll is, there was only one way to end the conversation:

“We wish him the very best. I know he’s going to do a good job, you know. But we’re going to play him, I think it was week two…and we’re coming after him. You know that.“