Steve Spurrier
Encyclopedia
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football
coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina
's Gamecocks football
team. He is also a former professional player and coach. Spurrier is a native of Florida
, graduated from high school
in Tennessee
, and is an alumnus
of the University of Florida
, where he played college football
for the Florida Gators
. He was a two-time All-American quarterback
, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a player. Spurrier played professional football for the San Francisco 49ers
and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
of the National Football League
(NFL) for ten seasons in the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for winning the Heisman Trophy
in 1966, and for coaching the Florida Gators football team to six Southeastern Conference
(SEC) championships and a consensus national championship
in 1996
.
in Johnson City, Tennessee
, where he was a three-sport letterman starring in high school football
, basketball
and baseball
for the Science Hill Hilltoppers. In three years as the starting pitcher for Science Hill, he never lost a game and led his team to two consecutive state baseball championships. He was an all-state selection in football, basketball and baseball, and a high school All-American quarterback
.
, and played quarterback for coach Ray Graves
' Florida Gators football
team from 1964 to 1966. In addition to being a stellar passer, he gained notoriety by waving off the starting place-kicker and booting a forty-yard field goal
to defeat Auburn
30–27 in a key game during his senior season in 1966. Spurrier finished his three-year, thirty-one-game career as Florida's starting quarterback having completed 392 of 692 attempts, with 4,848 passing yards, thirty-seven touchdown
s and 442 yards rushing. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy
as a senior, he was selected as a Football Writers Association
first-team All-American as junior in 1965 and a unanimous first-team All-American in 1966. He was also the recipient of the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award, recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage."
. Spurrier played for the 49ers for nine seasons, mostly as a punter and backup quarterback to John Brodie
, before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers expansion team for his final NFL season in 1976
. He played his best game as an NFL quarterback against the Minnesota Vikings
in 1973, when he completed thirty-one of forty-eight pass attempts for 320 yards. During his ten-year NFL career, Spurrier played in 106 games, completing 597 passes in 1,151 attempts, for a total of 6,878 yards and forty touchdown
s.
under head coach Doug Dickey
in 1978, but he was not retained by the new Gators head coach, Charley Pell
, when Pell took control of the program the following season. In 1979
, he coached the quarterbacks at Georgia Tech
under Pepper Rodgers
, and worked as an assistant coach and the offensive coordinator
at Duke University
from 1980 to 1982.
In 1983, Spurrier became the youngest head coach in professional football (37) when he was hired to lead the Tampa Bay Bandits
of the new United States Football League
(USFL). His Bandits teams were regularly among the league leaders in offense and compiled an overall record of 35–21 over three seasons before the USFL dissolved.
In 1987
, Spurrier accepted the head coaching position for the Duke Blue Devils
of the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC). Before he arrived in Durham
, Duke had become the perennial cellar-dweller of the ACC. Spurrier proceeded to lead his Blue Devils to levels of success the team had not known in over twenty-five years, including Duke's first bowl game appearance since the 1960 Cotton Bowl, and a tie for the 1989 ACC championship, Duke's first since 1962. After back-to-back winning seasons, Spurrier was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1989.
. He inherited a team under NCAA investigation for the second time in five years, and a football program that had never won an officially recognized Southeastern Conference
(SEC) football championship in fifty-seven seasons of SEC play. Spurrier successfully steered the program away from the previous scandals and captured the Gators' first officially recognized SEC title in 1991. Under Spurrier, the Gators won the SEC title in four of the next five years, and represented the SEC East in the first five SEC Championship Game
s. The 1996 team
captured the Gators' first-ever National Championship with a 52–20 win over Florida State
in the Sugar Bowl
, avenging the Gators' sole regular season loss in which Florida State upset Florida 24–21 in Tallahassee.
The 1996 National Championship
notwithstanding, Spurrier's finest moment as a coach may have been the Gators' 1997 game against the previously undefeated and national title game-bound Florida State Seminoles
. Spurrier used a two-quarterback offense, rotating quarterback
s Doug Johnson and Noah Brindise in and out of the game, confusing the Florida State defense and its veteran coordinator, Mickey Andrews
, and giving Spurrier more time to counsel his quarterbacks on the sidelines without having to use time-outs. Florida upset the heavily-favored Seminoles 32–29.
Significantly, Spurrier is credited with changing the way the SEC
played football. Spurrier employed a pass-oriented offense (known in the sports media as the "Fun 'n' Gun") in contrast to the ball-control, rush-oriented offenses that were traditionally played in the SEC. His innovative offensive schemes forced many coaches in the SEC to change their offensive and defensive play-calling.
Spurrier and his Gators accomplished a number of memorable feats during his twelve seasons as head coach for the University of Florida
(1990–2001), including:
Spurrier is also credited with creating the nickname "The Swamp" for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
, the Gators' home field. When he accepted the head coach job at the University of Florida, he insisted that the artificial turf in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium be replaced with grass, and the "Swamp" remains a natural surface field today.
Spurrier was known for his gamesmanship
while coaching Florida, doing such things as giving much-derided Georgia coach Ray Goff
the nickname of "Ray Goof." His rivalry with the Tennessee Volunteers
and their coach Phillip Fulmer
became highly publicized, as Spurrier would gig the Volunteers after the Gators' wins over Tennessee, saying that "you can't spell 'Citrus
' without 'UT
,'" a reference to the Citrus Bowl, which has the contractual right to select the second-place SEC football team. He also said of Peyton Manning
, Tennessee's quarterback, "I know why Peyton came back for his senior year: he wanted to be a three-time Citrus Bowl MVP!"
Other memorable one-liners from Steve Spurrier included nicknaming rival Florida State University
, "Free Shoes University," for the Seminoles' NCAA troubles with recruiting violations.
On January 4, 2002, Spurrier abruptly resigned his University of Florida coaching position stating, "I simply believe that twelve years as head coach at a major university in the SEC is long enough."
Before Spurrier returned to coach his Gamecocks against the Gators in 2006 and 2008, his most recent visits to Gainesville were on September 2, 2006, to take part in the Gators' celebration of the 10-year anniversary of their 1996 championship season, and on September 30, 2006, when he was one of the first four inductees into the Gator Football Ring of Honor
, alongside Danny Wuerffel
, Emmitt Smith
, and Jack Youngblood
. At both appearances, Spurrier received standing ovations from the crowd.
Spurrier is known to hold a deep loyalty for his alma mater
, and sometimes still accidentally says "we" when referring to the University of Florida. When he was inducted into the Gators' "Ring of Honor," Spurrier humbly announced to the sell-out crowd at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
: "I'd just like to thank coach Ray Graves
for bringing the skinny kid from Tennessee to the University of Florida."
Spurrier has not let his affection for the University of Florida get in the way of a budding Florida-South Carolina rivalry, however. In 2005, his Gamecocks upset the Gators 30–22 in Columbia
, costing the Gators a shot at the SEC championship
. And in November 2010, he coached South Carolina to a 36–14 victory in Gainesville (their first ever on Florida Field) in a game that decided the SEC Eastern Division title.
. Spurrier's five-year, $25 million contract with the Redskins was the most lucrative coaching contract in the history of the NFL at the time.
In his first NFL coaching season (2002
), Spurrier's Redskins
finished with a 7–9 record. The defense created a modest amount of pressure and number of interceptions, but gave up 4.4 yards a carry.
Spurrier's offensive line troubles resulted in starting quarterback Patrick Ramsey
being one of the most sacked and hurried quarterbacks in the league. Spurrier would often bench him mid-game during a bad performance in favor of Danny Wuerffel
or Shane Matthews
, who both played for Spurrier at the University of Florida.
In Spurrier's last three games as the Redskins head coach, opponents outscored them 85–31. He resigned on December 30, 2003.
Throughout the 2004 football season
, various sources openly speculated about Spurrier coaching for a college team somewhere in the Southeast. The University of Florida had announced that they would be looking for a new coach when Spurrier's successor at Florida, Ron Zook
, was fired after three seasons. Spurrier initially said that he wanted to be considered for his old job, but later removed his name from consideration stating that "12 years at Florida was probably long enough." Rumors began circulating that Spurrier was considering the University of South Carolina
. On November 22, South Carolina coach Lou Holtz
announced his retirement, and hinted that Spurrier might replace him. The next day, months of rumors were put to rest as Spurrier was introduced as South Carolina's new head coach, signing a seven-year deal that paid him $1.25 million per year.
In 2005
, his first season as the Gamecocks' new head coach, Spurrier led his South Carolina Gamecocks
with newfound humility. The Gamecocks, who were not expected to have a winning season by most pundits, rattled off a five-game SEC
winning streak for the first time in their fourteen-year SEC history. Included among those victories were historic wins at Tennessee (16–15) — the program's first win in Knoxville
— and against then 12th-ranked Florida
(30–22), who South Carolina had not beaten since 1939. The Associated Press
named Spurrier the SEC Coach of the Year, and the Gamecocks finished the 2005 season with a 7–5 record and a trip to the Independence Bowl
.
Two days prior to South Carolina's 2006 season opener, Spurrier announced that he would kick off the athletics department's capital campaign with a $250,000 donation over five years. Spurrier's Gamecocks opened the 2006 season with a 15–0 win over Mississippi State
in Starkville
, where he was 0–2 while coaching the Florida Gators. With the victory, he reached 150 wins for his college coaching career. On September 30, Spurrier was inducted into the Gator Football Ring of Honor
in a pre-game ceremony in Gainesville
. Later in the season on November 11, Spurrier returned to "The Swamp" to face off against his former Gators team
, which was then ranked sixth in the BCS
rankings. Trailing 17–16, the Gamecocks had a chance to win with a 48-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the game. However, Ryan Succop's kick was blocked as time expired in a repeat of an earlier blocked extra-point attempt.
In the final game of the 2006 regular season, Spurrier led the Gamecocks to victory over in-state rival Clemson
at Death Valley
. Trailing 28–14 in the third quarter, South Carolina scored seventeen unanswered points to lead 31–28. With only seconds remaining, Clemson's field goal attempt missed wide left and USC celebrated its first victory over Clemson in five years.
On December 2, 2006, amid speculation he was a candidate for head coaching jobs at Miami
and Alabama
, Spurrier received a contract extension through 2012 and a raise from $1.25 million to $1.75 million annually. Spurrier and the Gamecocks went on to defeat the Houston Cougars
in the Liberty Bowl
on December 29, and finished the season 8–5. All five of the Gamecocks' 2006 losses were to ranked opponents. Spurrier became the first coach in Gamecock football history to take a South Carolina
team to a bowl game in both of his first two seasons as head coach.
The 2007 football season
, got off to a quick start winning at SEC rival Georgia early in the season as well as UL-Lafayette and South Carolina State, and climbed into the top 10 in the national rankings. South Carolina stumbled down the stretch dropping the final five games, including a home loss in the season finale to arch-rival Clemson. The 6-6 (3-5 SEC) season record marks the first non-winning season for Spurrier since his first season at Duke in 1987.
Spurrier won his 100th SEC game on October 11, 2008, coaching the Gamecocks to a 24–17 victory over Kentucky
. In his seven seasons as the Gamecocks' head coach, Spurrier has beaten each of South Carolina's SEC Eastern Division rivals at least three times. Against their annual SEC Eastern Division opponents, his seven teams have posted a 6–1 record against Kentucky, 5–2 against Vanderbilt, 4–3 against Tennessee, 3–4 against Georgia, and 3–4 against Florida. They have a 2–5 record against their annual SEC Western Division opponent, Arkansas. Against South Carolina's major in-state rival, Clemson, Spurrier's Gamecocks have gone 4–3. While Spurrier's teams at USC have shown flashes of his old "Fun 'n' Gun" offense, they have mostly relied on stout defense to win upsets. The Gamecocks have been bowl eligible every year Spurrier has been their head coach, a feat no other Carolina coach has accomplished. Also, the Gamecocks have been ranked in the AP Poll Top 25 at some point during the season in six out of Spurrier's seven years at USC.
Spurrier's Gamecocks won the SEC Eastern Division championship for the first time in school history in 2010, clinching the title with a convincing 36–14 victory at "The Swamp" over the Florida Gators. It was a season of firsts for South Carolina, including their first win at Florida, first win over a No. 1 ranked team (Alabama), and first time sweeping the November "Orange Crush" portion of their schedule with wins over Tennessee, Florida and Clemson. Following a 9–3 regular season and an appearance in the SEC championship game, Spurrier was named SEC Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches in the conference.
era at USC, occurs on the last Saturday of July when the University of South Carolina
athletics department hosts the annual "Steve Spurrier Ladies Football Clinic." Only female fans are invited to attend the clinic where USC football coaches and players discuss the X's and O's with fans who want to understand the game better. All attendees get a tour of the USC football facilities, and finish the day running onto the football field at Williams-Brice Stadium
through the players' tunnel into the artificial smoke and theme music Also sprach Zarathustra
, the same way the team does during the season. The event is hosted by Spurrier and his wife Jerri.
. He is the son of a Presbyterian minister, J. Graham Spurrier, and his wife Marjorie. Spurrier's father moved the family repeatedly, and only stayed in Miami Beach for about a year after Steve was born, moving first to Charlotte, North Carolina
, then Athens
, Newport
and Johnson City, Tennessee
. The Spurrier family moved to Johnson City when Steve was twelve years old, and his father coached the Little League
baseball team for which Steve played.
While he was a University of Florida
student, Spurrier was a member of Alpha Tau Omega
Fraternity
(Alpha Omega chapter), and was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame, the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, and Florida Blue Key
leadership honorary.
Spurrier married his college sweetheart, the former Jerri Starr, on September 14, 1966, during his senior year at the University of Florida. They have been married for forty-five years, and have four children together—Amy, Lisa, Steve, Jr., and Scott, as well as seven grandchildren. Spurrier's younger son, Scott, played wide receiver for the Gamecocks through the 2009 season, and his older son, Steve, Jr., is currently the Gamecocks' receivers coach.
title, bowl game and Coaches' Poll
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
's Gamecocks football
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
team. He is also a former professional player and coach. Spurrier is a native of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, graduated from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and is an alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, where he played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Florida Gators
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
. He was a two-time All-American quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
as a player. Spurrier played professional football for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for ten seasons in the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for winning the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
in 1966, and for coaching the Florida Gators football team to six Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) championships and a consensus national championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
in 1996
1996 Florida Gators football team
The 1996 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. This was the team's seventh season under head coach Steve Spurrier...
.
Playing career
High school
Spurrier attended Science Hill High SchoolScience Hill High School
Science Hill High School is a high school in Johnson City, Tennessee with an enrollment of approximately 2600 students. The school is split over three campuses: 9-12 Campus, Technical Center Campus, & Alternative School Campus. The school also shares space with Freedom Hall Civic Center...
in Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
, where he was a three-sport letterman starring in high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for the Science Hill Hilltoppers. In three years as the starting pitcher for Science Hill, he never lost a game and led his team to two consecutive state baseball championships. He was an all-state selection in football, basketball and baseball, and a high school All-American quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
.
College
After graduating from Science Hill, Spurrier received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, FloridaGainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, and played quarterback for coach Ray Graves
Ray Graves
Samuel Ray Graves is a former American college and professional football player and former college football coach. He is a native of Tennessee and an alumnus of the University of Tennessee, where he played college football...
' Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1964 to 1966. In addition to being a stellar passer, he gained notoriety by waving off the starting place-kicker and booting a forty-yard field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
to defeat Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
30–27 in a key game during his senior season in 1966. Spurrier finished his three-year, thirty-one-game career as Florida's starting quarterback having completed 392 of 692 attempts, with 4,848 passing yards, thirty-seven touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s and 442 yards rushing. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
as a senior, he was selected as a Football Writers Association
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
first-team All-American as junior in 1965 and a unanimous first-team All-American in 1966. He was also the recipient of the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award, recognizing the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage."
National Football League
The San Francisco 49ers selected Spurrier in the first round (third pick overall) of the 1967 NFL Draft1967 NFL Draft
The 1967 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft in the first year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players on March 14–15.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
. Spurrier played for the 49ers for nine seasons, mostly as a punter and backup quarterback to John Brodie
John Brodie
John Riley Brodie is a former professional American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and had a second career as a Senior PGA Tour professional golfer.-Early years and education:...
, before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers expansion team for his final NFL season in 1976
1976 NFL season
The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
. He played his best game as an NFL quarterback against the Minnesota Vikings
1973 Minnesota Vikings season
The 1973 Minnesota Vikings season was their 13th year of play in the National Football League. The Vikings regained the NFC Central title after a disappointing 7-7 record the previous season, as they finished with a record of 12 wins and two losses...
in 1973, when he completed thirty-one of forty-eight pass attempts for 320 yards. During his ten-year NFL career, Spurrier played in 106 games, completing 597 passes in 1,151 attempts, for a total of 6,878 yards and forty touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
Early career
After retiring from the NFL, Spurrier began his coaching career as the quarterbacks coach at the University of FloridaFlorida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
under head coach Doug Dickey
Doug Dickey
Douglas Adair "Doug" Dickey is a former American college football player and coach and college athletics administrator. Dickey is a South Dakota native who was raised in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida, where he played college football...
in 1978, but he was not retained by the new Gators head coach, Charley Pell
Charley Pell
Charles Byron "Charley" Pell was an American college football player and coach. Pell was an Alabama native and an alumnus of the University of Alabama, where he played college football. He is most notably remembered as the head coach of the Clemson University and the University of Florida...
, when Pell took control of the program the following season. In 1979
1979 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Alabama Crimson Tide bring home a national title with a perfect 12-0 season. The title was Alabama's 11th claimed, though the number is disputed. It was their 6th Associated Press awarded title....
, he coached the quarterbacks at Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
under Pepper Rodgers
Pepper Rodgers
Franklin C. "Pepper" Rodgers is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He served as the head coach at the University of Kansas , University of California, Los Angeles , and the Georgia Institute of Technology , compiling a career college football record of...
, and worked as an assistant coach and the offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at Duke University
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
from 1980 to 1982.
In 1983, Spurrier became the youngest head coach in professional football (37) when he was hired to lead the Tampa Bay Bandits
Tampa Bay Bandits
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season....
of the new United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
(USFL). His Bandits teams were regularly among the league leaders in offense and compiled an overall record of 35–21 over three seasons before the USFL dissolved.
In 1987
1987 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second national championship during the 80s in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare #1 vs...
, Spurrier accepted the head coaching position for the Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC). Before he arrived in Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, Duke had become the perennial cellar-dweller of the ACC. Spurrier proceeded to lead his Blue Devils to levels of success the team had not known in over twenty-five years, including Duke's first bowl game appearance since the 1960 Cotton Bowl, and a tie for the 1989 ACC championship, Duke's first since 1962. After back-to-back winning seasons, Spurrier was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1989.
Florida Gators
On December 31, 1989, the University of Florida announced that Spurrier had accepted the offer to be the head football coach of the Florida GatorsFlorida Gators
The Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
. He inherited a team under NCAA investigation for the second time in five years, and a football program that had never won an officially recognized Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) football championship in fifty-seven seasons of SEC play. Spurrier successfully steered the program away from the previous scandals and captured the Gators' first officially recognized SEC title in 1991. Under Spurrier, the Gators won the SEC title in four of the next five years, and represented the SEC East in the first five SEC Championship Game
SEC Championship Game
The SEC Championship Game refers to the game determining the Southeastern Conference's football season champion. The championship game pits the SEC Western Division representative against the Eastern Division representative in a game held after the regular season has been completed. Thus far, nine...
s. The 1996 team
1996 Florida Gators football team
The 1996 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. This was the team's seventh season under head coach Steve Spurrier...
captured the Gators' first-ever National Championship with a 52–20 win over Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in the Sugar Bowl
1997 Sugar Bowl
The 1997 Sugar Bowl was the 63rd edition to the annual game. It featured the top ranked , and their heated rivals, the third ranked Florida Gators. It was the designated National Championship Game for the 1996-97 season by the Bowl Alliance. The match up was supposed to feature the top two teams...
, avenging the Gators' sole regular season loss in which Florida State upset Florida 24–21 in Tallahassee.
The 1996 National Championship
1996 Florida Gators football team
The 1996 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. This was the team's seventh season under head coach Steve Spurrier...
notwithstanding, Spurrier's finest moment as a coach may have been the Gators' 1997 game against the previously undefeated and national title game-bound Florida State Seminoles
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. Spurrier used a two-quarterback offense, rotating quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
s Doug Johnson and Noah Brindise in and out of the game, confusing the Florida State defense and its veteran coordinator, Mickey Andrews
Mickey Andrews
-External links:* *...
, and giving Spurrier more time to counsel his quarterbacks on the sidelines without having to use time-outs. Florida upset the heavily-favored Seminoles 32–29.
Significantly, Spurrier is credited with changing the way the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
played football. Spurrier employed a pass-oriented offense (known in the sports media as the "Fun 'n' Gun") in contrast to the ball-control, rush-oriented offenses that were traditionally played in the SEC. His innovative offensive schemes forced many coaches in the SEC to change their offensive and defensive play-calling.
Spurrier and his Gators accomplished a number of memorable feats during his twelve seasons as head coach for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
(1990–2001), including:
- Won one national championship (19961997 Sugar BowlThe 1997 Sugar Bowl was the 63rd edition to the annual game. It featured the top ranked , and their heated rivals, the third ranked Florida Gators. It was the designated National Championship Game for the 1996-97 season by the Bowl Alliance. The match up was supposed to feature the top two teams...
), and played for another (19951995 Fiesta BowlThe 1995 IBM OS/2 Fiesta Bowl, played on January 2, 1995, was the 24th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game featured the Colorado Buffaloes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.-1st half:...
). - Won six SEC championships (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000).
- Named SEC Coach of the Year five times (1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996).
- First Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
-winner to coach a Heisman Trophy-winner (Danny WuerffelDanny WuerffelDaniel Carl "Danny" Wuerffel is a former American college and professional football player who won the 1996 Heisman Trophy and the 1996 national football championship while playing college football for the University of Florida. After graduating from Florida, he played for four National Football...
). - Won at least nine games in each of his twelve seasons, one of only three coaches in major college history to do so.
- Averaged more than ten wins per season.
- Ranked in the final top fifteen in each of his twelve seasons, including nine top-ten finishes, five final top-five rankings, and an average end-of-season ranking of 6.8.
- Appeared among the top twenty-five teams in the weekly polls 202 of a possible 203 weeks, including each of his last 202 consecutive weeks. The Gators were ranked number one in the polls twenty-nine times, appeared among the top five team for 117 weeks, and among the nation's top ten teams for 179 weeks.
- Appeared in a bowl game in each of his last eleven seasons, one of only five schools to do so during the same time period.
- Only coach in major college history to win as many as 120 games in his first twelve seasons at one school (an overall record of 122–27–1, with a winning percentage of .8167).
- One of only two coaches in major college history to win ten or more games in six consecutive seasons (1993–1998).
- Only college football team to score at least 500 points, including bowl games, for four consecutive years (1993–1996) since the NCAA began keeping statistics in 1937.
Spurrier is also credited with creating the nickname "The Swamp" for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field is the football stadium for the University of Florida and the home field of the university's Florida Gators football team. It is located on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The stadium was originally built in 1930, and has been regularly...
, the Gators' home field. When he accepted the head coach job at the University of Florida, he insisted that the artificial turf in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium be replaced with grass, and the "Swamp" remains a natural surface field today.
Spurrier was known for his gamesmanship
Gamesmanship
Gamesmanship is the use of dubious methods to win a game. It has been described as "Pushing the rules to the limit without getting caught, using whatever dubious methods possible to achieve the desired end"...
while coaching Florida, doing such things as giving much-derided Georgia coach Ray Goff
Ray Goff
-Quotes:-External links:...
the nickname of "Ray Goof." His rivalry with the Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
and their coach Phillip Fulmer
Phillip Fulmer
Phillip Fulmer is a TV college football analyst and the former head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, who compiled a 152–52 record from 1992–2008 as head coach, but was fired during a 5–7 season in 2008...
became highly publicized, as Spurrier would gig the Volunteers after the Gators' wins over Tennessee, saying that "you can't spell 'Citrus
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
' without 'UT
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
,'" a reference to the Citrus Bowl, which has the contractual right to select the second-place SEC football team. He also said of Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
, Tennessee's quarterback, "I know why Peyton came back for his senior year: he wanted to be a three-time Citrus Bowl MVP!"
Other memorable one-liners from Steve Spurrier included nicknaming rival Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, "Free Shoes University," for the Seminoles' NCAA troubles with recruiting violations.
On January 4, 2002, Spurrier abruptly resigned his University of Florida coaching position stating, "I simply believe that twelve years as head coach at a major university in the SEC is long enough."
Before Spurrier returned to coach his Gamecocks against the Gators in 2006 and 2008, his most recent visits to Gainesville were on September 2, 2006, to take part in the Gators' celebration of the 10-year anniversary of their 1996 championship season, and on September 30, 2006, when he was one of the first four inductees into the Gator Football Ring of Honor
Gator Football Ring of Honor
The Gator Football Ring of Honor is the University of Florida's alternative to retiring a player's number and pays homage to the greatest former players and coaches. Physically, it is a ring displayed on the North Endzone façade of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, displaying the names of the players and...
, alongside Danny Wuerffel
Danny Wuerffel
Daniel Carl "Danny" Wuerffel is a former American college and professional football player who won the 1996 Heisman Trophy and the 1996 national football championship while playing college football for the University of Florida. After graduating from Florida, he played for four National Football...
, Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
, and Jack Youngblood
Jack Youngblood
Herbert Jackson "Jack" Youngblood, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League for fourteen seasons during the 1970s and 1980s. He was a five-time consensus All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl...
. At both appearances, Spurrier received standing ovations from the crowd.
Spurrier is known to hold a deep loyalty for his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, and sometimes still accidentally says "we" when referring to the University of Florida. When he was inducted into the Gators' "Ring of Honor," Spurrier humbly announced to the sell-out crowd at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field is the football stadium for the University of Florida and the home field of the university's Florida Gators football team. It is located on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. The stadium was originally built in 1930, and has been regularly...
: "I'd just like to thank coach Ray Graves
Ray Graves
Samuel Ray Graves is a former American college and professional football player and former college football coach. He is a native of Tennessee and an alumnus of the University of Tennessee, where he played college football...
for bringing the skinny kid from Tennessee to the University of Florida."
Spurrier has not let his affection for the University of Florida get in the way of a budding Florida-South Carolina rivalry, however. In 2005, his Gamecocks upset the Gators 30–22 in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, costing the Gators a shot at the SEC championship
2005 SEC Championship Game
The 2005 Dr. Pepper SEC Championship Game was played on December 3, 2005 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The game determined the 2005 football champion of the Southeastern Conference. The Georgia Bulldogs, winners of the Eastern division of the SEC, defeated the LSU Tigers, who won the...
. And in November 2010, he coached South Carolina to a 36–14 victory in Gainesville (their first ever on Florida Field) in a game that decided the SEC Eastern Division title.
Washington Redskins
Ten days after Spurrier resigned his position at the University of Florida, he became head coach of the NFL's Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. Spurrier's five-year, $25 million contract with the Redskins was the most lucrative coaching contract in the history of the NFL at the time.
In his first NFL coaching season (2002
2002 NFL season
The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each...
), Spurrier's Redskins
2002 Washington Redskins season
The 2002 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 8–8 record from 2001.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:...
finished with a 7–9 record. The defense created a modest amount of pressure and number of interceptions, but gave up 4.4 yards a carry.
Spurrier's offensive line troubles resulted in starting quarterback Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Ramsey
Patrick Allen Ramsey is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins 32nd overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
being one of the most sacked and hurried quarterbacks in the league. Spurrier would often bench him mid-game during a bad performance in favor of Danny Wuerffel
Danny Wuerffel
Daniel Carl "Danny" Wuerffel is a former American college and professional football player who won the 1996 Heisman Trophy and the 1996 national football championship while playing college football for the University of Florida. After graduating from Florida, he played for four National Football...
or Shane Matthews
Shane Matthews
Michael Shane Matthews is a former American college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League for all or part of fourteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played...
, who both played for Spurrier at the University of Florida.
In Spurrier's last three games as the Redskins head coach, opponents outscored them 85–31. He resigned on December 30, 2003.
South Carolina Gamecocks
2004 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss...
, various sources openly speculated about Spurrier coaching for a college team somewhere in the Southeast. The University of Florida had announced that they would be looking for a new coach when Spurrier's successor at Florida, Ron Zook
Ron Zook
Ron Zook is a former American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2002 to 2004 and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2005 to 2011. Zook is a native of Ohio and an alumnus of Miami University, where he...
, was fired after three seasons. Spurrier initially said that he wanted to be considered for his old job, but later removed his name from consideration stating that "12 years at Florida was probably long enough." Rumors began circulating that Spurrier was considering the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. On November 22, South Carolina coach Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
announced his retirement, and hinted that Spurrier might replace him. The next day, months of rumors were put to rest as Spurrier was introduced as South Carolina's new head coach, signing a seven-year deal that paid him $1.25 million per year.
In 2005
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
, his first season as the Gamecocks' new head coach, Spurrier led his South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
with newfound humility. The Gamecocks, who were not expected to have a winning season by most pundits, rattled off a five-game SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
winning streak for the first time in their fourteen-year SEC history. Included among those victories were historic wins at Tennessee (16–15) — the program's first win in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
— and against then 12th-ranked Florida
2005 Florida Gators football team
The 2005 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2005 college football season...
(30–22), who South Carolina had not beaten since 1939. The Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
named Spurrier the SEC Coach of the Year, and the Gamecocks finished the 2005 season with a 7–5 record and a trip to the Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl
The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976....
.
Two days prior to South Carolina's 2006 season opener, Spurrier announced that he would kick off the athletics department's capital campaign with a $250,000 donation over five years. Spurrier's Gamecocks opened the 2006 season with a 15–0 win over Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs football
The Mississippi State Bulldogs football program represents Mississippi State University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State has produced 38 All-Americans, 171 All-SEC selections, and 124...
in Starkville
Starkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
, where he was 0–2 while coaching the Florida Gators. With the victory, he reached 150 wins for his college coaching career. On September 30, Spurrier was inducted into the Gator Football Ring of Honor
Gator Football Ring of Honor
The Gator Football Ring of Honor is the University of Florida's alternative to retiring a player's number and pays homage to the greatest former players and coaches. Physically, it is a ring displayed on the North Endzone façade of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, displaying the names of the players and...
in a pre-game ceremony in Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
. Later in the season on November 11, Spurrier returned to "The Swamp" to face off against his former Gators team
2006 Florida Gators football team
The 2006 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2006 college football season...
, which was then ranked sixth in the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
rankings. Trailing 17–16, the Gamecocks had a chance to win with a 48-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the game. However, Ryan Succop's kick was blocked as time expired in a repeat of an earlier blocked extra-point attempt.
In the final game of the 2006 regular season, Spurrier led the Gamecocks to victory over in-state rival Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
at Death Valley
Memorial Stadium, Clemson
Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium, popularly known as Death Valley, is home to the Clemson University Tigers, a NCAA Division I-A football team, located in Clemson, South Carolina...
. Trailing 28–14 in the third quarter, South Carolina scored seventeen unanswered points to lead 31–28. With only seconds remaining, Clemson's field goal attempt missed wide left and USC celebrated its first victory over Clemson in five years.
On December 2, 2006, amid speculation he was a candidate for head coaching jobs at Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
and Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
, Spurrier received a contract extension through 2012 and a raise from $1.25 million to $1.75 million annually. Spurrier and the Gamecocks went on to defeat the Houston Cougars
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
in the Liberty Bowl
2006 Liberty Bowl
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls06/bowls?game=liberty...
on December 29, and finished the season 8–5. All five of the Gamecocks' 2006 losses were to ranked opponents. Spurrier became the first coach in Gamecock football history to take a South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
team to a bowl game in both of his first two seasons as head coach.
The 2007 football season
2007 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2007 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference during the college football season of 2007-2008. The Gamecocks were led by Steve Spurrier in his third season as USC head coach and played their home games in Williams-Brice...
, got off to a quick start winning at SEC rival Georgia early in the season as well as UL-Lafayette and South Carolina State, and climbed into the top 10 in the national rankings. South Carolina stumbled down the stretch dropping the final five games, including a home loss in the season finale to arch-rival Clemson. The 6-6 (3-5 SEC) season record marks the first non-winning season for Spurrier since his first season at Duke in 1987.
Spurrier won his 100th SEC game on October 11, 2008, coaching the Gamecocks to a 24–17 victory over Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
. In his seven seasons as the Gamecocks' head coach, Spurrier has beaten each of South Carolina's SEC Eastern Division rivals at least three times. Against their annual SEC Eastern Division opponents, his seven teams have posted a 6–1 record against Kentucky, 5–2 against Vanderbilt, 4–3 against Tennessee, 3–4 against Georgia, and 3–4 against Florida. They have a 2–5 record against their annual SEC Western Division opponent, Arkansas. Against South Carolina's major in-state rival, Clemson, Spurrier's Gamecocks have gone 4–3. While Spurrier's teams at USC have shown flashes of his old "Fun 'n' Gun" offense, they have mostly relied on stout defense to win upsets. The Gamecocks have been bowl eligible every year Spurrier has been their head coach, a feat no other Carolina coach has accomplished. Also, the Gamecocks have been ranked in the AP Poll Top 25 at some point during the season in six out of Spurrier's seven years at USC.
Spurrier's Gamecocks won the SEC Eastern Division championship for the first time in school history in 2010, clinching the title with a convincing 36–14 victory at "The Swamp" over the Florida Gators. It was a season of firsts for South Carolina, including their first win at Florida, first win over a No. 1 ranked team (Alabama), and first time sweeping the November "Orange Crush" portion of their schedule with wins over Tennessee, Florida and Clemson. Following a 9–3 regular season and an appearance in the SEC championship game, Spurrier was named SEC Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches in the conference.
The Ladies Clinic
A popular tradition, started during the Sparky WoodsSparky Woods
-External links:*...
era at USC, occurs on the last Saturday of July when the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
athletics department hosts the annual "Steve Spurrier Ladies Football Clinic." Only female fans are invited to attend the clinic where USC football coaches and players discuss the X's and O's with fans who want to understand the game better. All attendees get a tour of the USC football facilities, and finish the day running onto the football field at Williams-Brice Stadium
Williams-Brice Stadium
Williams-Brice Stadium is the home football stadium for the South Carolina Gamecocks, the college football team representing the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina...
through the players' tunnel into the artificial smoke and theme music Also sprach Zarathustra
Also sprach Zarathustra (Richard Strauss)
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 is a tone poem by Richard Strauss, composed in 1896 and inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical treatise of the same name. The composer conducted its first performance on 27 November 1896 in Frankfurt...
, the same way the team does during the season. The event is hosted by Spurrier and his wife Jerri.
Personal
Spurrier was born on April 20, 1945, in Miami Beach, FloridaMiami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
. He is the son of a Presbyterian minister, J. Graham Spurrier, and his wife Marjorie. Spurrier's father moved the family repeatedly, and only stayed in Miami Beach for about a year after Steve was born, moving first to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, then Athens
Athens, Tennessee
Athens is a city in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of McMinn County and the principal city of the Athens Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Chattanooga-Cleveland-Athens Combined Statistical Area. The population was 13,220 at the 2000...
, Newport
Newport, Tennessee
Newport is a city in Cocke County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 7,242 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cocke County.-Geography:...
and Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
. The Spurrier family moved to Johnson City when Steve was twelve years old, and his father coached the Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
baseball team for which Steve played.
While he was a University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
student, Spurrier was a member of Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
Fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
(Alpha Omega chapter), and was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame, the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, and Florida Blue Key
Florida Blue Key
Florida Blue Key is a student honor and service society at the University of Florida. It is often written and referred to by the initialism "FBK."This organization was started at the University of Florida in 1923 under the presidency of Albert Murphree...
leadership honorary.
Spurrier married his college sweetheart, the former Jerri Starr, on September 14, 1966, during his senior year at the University of Florida. They have been married for forty-five years, and have four children together—Amy, Lisa, Steve, Jr., and Scott, as well as seven grandchildren. Spurrier's younger son, Scott, played wide receiver for the Gamecocks through the 2009 season, and his older son, Steve, Jr., is currently the Gamecocks' receivers coach.
USFL
| Team | |Regular Season | Tampa Bay Bandits Tampa Bay Bandits The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season.... |
1983 1983 USFL season -Regular season:W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against = Division Champion, = Wild CardThe 1983 USFL season was the inaugural season of the United States Football League.-Regular season:... |
11 | 7 | 0 | .611 | 3rd in Central Div. | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Bandits Tampa Bay Bandits The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season.... |
1984 1984 USFL season -Regular season:W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against = Division Champion, = Wild Card-Playoffs:Home team in CAPITALSConference Semifinals* PHILADELPHIA 28, New Jersey 7... |
14 | 4 | 0 | .778 | 2nd in Southern Div. | 0 | 1 | .000 | ||
| Tampa Bay Bandits Tampa Bay Bandits The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They were members of the United States Football League . They were a charter member of the USFL and folded along with the league after the 1985 season.... |
1985 1985 USFL season The 1985 USFL season was the third and final season of the United States Football League.-Regular season:W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against = Division Champion, = Wild Card-Playoffs:... |
10 | 8 | 0 | .556 | 5th in Eastern Con. | 0 | 1 | .000 | ||
| Total | 35 | 19 | 0 | .648 | |||||||
College
‡ Ineligible for SECSoutheastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
title, bowl game and Coaches' Poll
National Football League
| Team | |Regular Season | WAS Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
2002 2002 NFL season The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each... |
7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3rd in NFC East | - | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAS Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
2003 2003 NFL season -Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *... |
5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 3rd in NFC East | - | - | - | - | ||
| WAS Total | 12 | 20 | 0 | .375 | - | - | - | |||||
| Total | 12 | 20 | 0 | .375 | ||||||||
See also
- 1965 College Football All-America Team1965 College Football All-America TeamThe 1965 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
- 1966 College Football All-America Team1966 College Football All-America TeamThe 1966 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1960–1969
- Florida Gators football, 1990–1999
- History of the University of FloridaHistory of the University of FloridaThe history of the University of Florida is firmly tied to the history of public education in the state of Florida. The University of Florida, colloquially known as "Florida" or "UF," originated as several distinct institutions that were merged to create a single state-supported university by the...
- List of Alpha Tau Omega brothers
- List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, A–K)
- List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players, L–Z)
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of Florida Gators head football coaches
- List of Heisman Trophy winners
- List of San Francisco 49ers first-round draft picks
- List of SEC Coaches of the Year
- List of SEC Most Valuable Players
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of Washington Redskins head coaches
- South Carolina GamecocksSouth Carolina GamecocksThe University of South Carolina's 19 varsity sports teams are known as the "Gamecocks". The unique moniker is held in honor of Thomas Sumter, a South Carolina war hero who was given the name "The Carolina Gamecock" during the American Revolution for his fierce fighting tactics, regardless of his...