Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll recorded this video message in response to the sanctions imposed by the NCAA against the University of Southern California, where Carroll coached for nine seasons.

"I'm absolutely shocked and disappointed in the findings of the NCAA," Carroll began. "I never, ever thought it would come to this."

Carroll said that after going through depositions and hearings over the years, he never thought there were any facts that supported these "significant sanctions".

"The university didn't know, we didn't know", Carroll said of the findings by the NCAA. "The agenda of the NCAA infractions committee took them beyond the facts," Carroll says in the video. "And the facts don't match the sanctions."

Carroll supports the appeal by USC, and will do anything he can do to contribute to their efforts.

"It's time for the NCAA and the universities to come together, to elevate the awareness and the understanding of the vulnerability of college athletes and their families. We need to be proactive and work in every way to protect this college experience for our kids.

"I feel terrible for the Trojan family that we have to go through this. But as always, we'll be strong. And we'll keep our heads up, and we'll keep fighting on. I'll continue to support and cooperate, again, in the appeals process, and do everything I can to help.

"Fight on."