Steve Spurrier has told South Carolina players he is retiring, leaving fans of the Gamecocks and college football wondering why now. “It’s time for me to move on”.
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Elliott was the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Perhaps not coincidentally, players say Elliott has seemed the same in practice, although the change in job title now has him overseeing much more than the offensive line.
“OK, let’s get moving”.
When Spurrier brought the South Carolina Gamecocks into Auburn for the first time, the conservative, Bible-belt campus was flooded with t-shirts that read, “I always knew Spurrier was a Cock”.
Recently, the University of Southern California was forced to fire their head coach Steve Sarkisian less than two years into his tenure.
Jonathan Strand, Jacob Corley and Xenn Frietze thought they would beat the crowds Tuesday on what they correctly thought would be an inevitable run on Steve Spurrier sun visors. He did not rule out coaching again, and made it clear his decision should be viewed as a resignation, not a retirement. “I think they are going to sell out, so we’re here early today”.
“We’ve slipped. It’s my fault”. Following that 1989 quip, I understood the buzz among journalists as they awaited the emergence of Spurrier. “Shawn will bring a few enthusiasm, energy, passion our guys will accept”.
Spurrier, in the middle of his 11th season at South Carolina, did not return messages seeking comment.
“Usually, when a coach resigns or gets fired or leaves, he usually goes into hiding, but I’m not going into hiding”, Spurrier said. Hopefully it will work out.
Elliott has been a part of the Gamecocks staff for the past six years. The Gators are rolling and, even without starting QB Will Grier, I’m thinking Florida pulls off the upset.
The seven-time SEC coach of the year leads active coaches with 104 players drafted to the NFL.
Miles reminisced about Spurrier, who retired from college coaching two days after his South Carolina team lost to Miles’ LSU Tigers 45-24 at Tiger Stadium. After my junior year in high school, Coach Ray Mears, the young and brash new UT basketball coach, offered me a full scholarship, the first offer I ever got.
The uncertainty in the program could be a negative in recruiting.
However, the final day of USC’s greatest football era was all about Spurrier, one of the most important figures in college football history. He said the couple would split their time between there and Crescent Beach, Fla.
One of my regrets during the 10 years I hosted Talk Radio on Sport Talk was never interviewing Spurrier live on air.
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“We were behind the curtain fixing to go do something, and he said, ‘Hey, look, I didn’t mean any personal feelings about that”.
