Rebel
11-13-2004, 12:44 AM
South Carolina job nice fit for Spurrier
By Edgar Thompson
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 12, 2004
GAINESVILLE — If University of Florida legend Steve Spurrier is coaching against his alma mater at this time next season, his older brother won't be at all surprised.
Graham Spurrier said the former Gators coach will be back in the college game next season, and replacing Lou Holtz at South Carolina makes a lot of sense. Spurrier cited the close friendship between his brother and Holtz, the location of the school and Steve Spurrier's desire to coach again after spending a season out of football.
"If he gets a nice deal somewhere in the South or Southeast, I see him getting back into it for a few years," Graham Spurrier said. "I've thought all along college is where he should be. Right now, he's looking that way."
Holtz, 67, must first decide if he's going to retire after 33 seasons — including the past six in Columbia — and 249 wins as a head coach. He'll be going for No. 250 when the Gamecocks (6-3) visit Florida (5-4) Saturday night in The Swamp.
"Steve wouldn't do anything to harm that relationship," his brother said. "He's not going to talk to South Carolina until Lou is ready to step down."
The Columbia, S.C., newspaper The State reported Wednesday, using an unnamed source, that a school representative has contacted Spurrier.
This week, Holtz hinted a coaching change could be imminent, and said Steve Spurrier would be the best choice to coach a team expected to return 12 starters and many backups with playing experience on a bowl team.
"Regardless of who coaches it, this thing is going to go up — whether it be me, whether it be Steve Spurrier, whether it be someone else," Holtz said Wednesday on his weekly radio show. "It will be easier for Steve Spurrier because the fans will be behind him."
If Spurrier ends up replacing Holtz, it would create quite a stir among Florida fans. Many felt Spurrier, who won a national championship and six Southeastern Conference titles in 12 seasons, should have been give right of first refusal to succeed Ron Zook, who was fired on Oct. 25.
Athletic Director Jeremy Foley and President Bernie Machen plan to interview a national pool of candidates and make a decision next month.
Spurrier released a statement on Nov. 4, saying he'd had his "day in the sun" at Florida, where he also won the 1966 Heisman Trophy. But the next day he sounded less content with the decision when he told Florida Today, "Nobody ever said, 'We want to rehire you.' That was obviously never said."
Now, Spurrier, 59, could end up at South Carolina — another SEC school in the same division as Florida. The schools are scheduled to play Nov. 12, 2005, in Columbia.
Holtz has two more regular-season games and a bowl game to coach before anything happens. A longtime observer of the program said he wouldn't have believed it a week ago, but he half expects Holtz to announce retirement plans before next week's Clemson game.
"He's brought up Spurrier's name; that's very unusual for a coach to talk like that when he's coming back," said Phil Kornblut, in his 20th year as sports director for South Carolina News Network. "That's led us to believe this may be it."
Holtz has a contract worth about $900,000 a season that does not including a buyout clause, giving him or the school the option to break the deal with a five-day notice.
If Holtz opts out, Spurrier, if interested, surely would become the front-runner to replace Holtz, especially if another high-profile job, like LSU (coached by former NFL assistant Nick Saban), doesn't open up.
School President Andrew Sorensen was the vice president of academic affairs at UF from 1990-96 — Spurrier's first six years as Gators head coach.
Graham Spurrier, who lives in Johnson City, Tenn., likes the idea of South Carolina, which is only three hours away from him. He said he definitely won't miss the Florida game.
"I'd be right there next to him during the game," he said. "He's got a deep love for Florida and always will. But when it comes down to business, you have to coach your heart our no matter who you play."
By Edgar Thompson
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 12, 2004
GAINESVILLE — If University of Florida legend Steve Spurrier is coaching against his alma mater at this time next season, his older brother won't be at all surprised.
Graham Spurrier said the former Gators coach will be back in the college game next season, and replacing Lou Holtz at South Carolina makes a lot of sense. Spurrier cited the close friendship between his brother and Holtz, the location of the school and Steve Spurrier's desire to coach again after spending a season out of football.
"If he gets a nice deal somewhere in the South or Southeast, I see him getting back into it for a few years," Graham Spurrier said. "I've thought all along college is where he should be. Right now, he's looking that way."
Holtz, 67, must first decide if he's going to retire after 33 seasons — including the past six in Columbia — and 249 wins as a head coach. He'll be going for No. 250 when the Gamecocks (6-3) visit Florida (5-4) Saturday night in The Swamp.
"Steve wouldn't do anything to harm that relationship," his brother said. "He's not going to talk to South Carolina until Lou is ready to step down."
The Columbia, S.C., newspaper The State reported Wednesday, using an unnamed source, that a school representative has contacted Spurrier.
This week, Holtz hinted a coaching change could be imminent, and said Steve Spurrier would be the best choice to coach a team expected to return 12 starters and many backups with playing experience on a bowl team.
"Regardless of who coaches it, this thing is going to go up — whether it be me, whether it be Steve Spurrier, whether it be someone else," Holtz said Wednesday on his weekly radio show. "It will be easier for Steve Spurrier because the fans will be behind him."
If Spurrier ends up replacing Holtz, it would create quite a stir among Florida fans. Many felt Spurrier, who won a national championship and six Southeastern Conference titles in 12 seasons, should have been give right of first refusal to succeed Ron Zook, who was fired on Oct. 25.
Athletic Director Jeremy Foley and President Bernie Machen plan to interview a national pool of candidates and make a decision next month.
Spurrier released a statement on Nov. 4, saying he'd had his "day in the sun" at Florida, where he also won the 1966 Heisman Trophy. But the next day he sounded less content with the decision when he told Florida Today, "Nobody ever said, 'We want to rehire you.' That was obviously never said."
Now, Spurrier, 59, could end up at South Carolina — another SEC school in the same division as Florida. The schools are scheduled to play Nov. 12, 2005, in Columbia.
Holtz has two more regular-season games and a bowl game to coach before anything happens. A longtime observer of the program said he wouldn't have believed it a week ago, but he half expects Holtz to announce retirement plans before next week's Clemson game.
"He's brought up Spurrier's name; that's very unusual for a coach to talk like that when he's coming back," said Phil Kornblut, in his 20th year as sports director for South Carolina News Network. "That's led us to believe this may be it."
Holtz has a contract worth about $900,000 a season that does not including a buyout clause, giving him or the school the option to break the deal with a five-day notice.
If Holtz opts out, Spurrier, if interested, surely would become the front-runner to replace Holtz, especially if another high-profile job, like LSU (coached by former NFL assistant Nick Saban), doesn't open up.
School President Andrew Sorensen was the vice president of academic affairs at UF from 1990-96 — Spurrier's first six years as Gators head coach.
Graham Spurrier, who lives in Johnson City, Tenn., likes the idea of South Carolina, which is only three hours away from him. He said he definitely won't miss the Florida game.
"I'd be right there next to him during the game," he said. "He's got a deep love for Florida and always will. But when it comes down to business, you have to coach your heart our no matter who you play."