Shawn Elliott, who played at Appalachian State, was named the interim head coach. The two spoke Tuesday morning and Swinney wished him well. The 2-4 Gamecocks will play Vanderbilt this weekend in another SEC match-up.
Advertisement
“My answer has always been the same”, he told reporters on Tuesday. I think the team needs to hear a new voice from a new coach. “It’s my fault. I’m the head coach”. Notes from South Carolina President Harris Pastides:- “The end of the Steve Spurrier era is upon us…”
Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart is obviously a name on the tip of everyone’s tongues, but the school could opt for a young offensive-minded coach like Kliff Kingsbury of Texas Tech.
“I’ll just be the former Head Ball Coach”, Spurrier said.
Spurrier steps down after 10 and a half seasons at the helm of the Gamecock program, during which he compiled an 86-49 record at South Carolina, holding the distinction as the winningest football coach at the school. He didn’t want to be a lame duck coach and resign at the end of the year and hoped the change in leadership would spark his team.
Bleacher Report’s Barrett Sallee writes where South Carolina’s coaching opening ranks among the other coaching vacancies. (When Jadeveon Clowney got a speeding ticket) “I didn’t know Jadeveon’s vehicle could go that fast”.
And who could have guessed his last game as USC coach would come against Washington, the team he left?
He’s resigning because he said it’s time for someone else to try and reverse the Gamecocks’ fortunes.
With the team struggling at 2-4, Spurrier believes he was holding the team back and felt it was the right time to leave.
“When something’s inevitable, you do it right now, not wait a week or two”, he said.
He had never had a losing season in 25 previous seasons coach at Duke (1987-89), Florida (1990-2001) or South Carolina, where he has coached since 2005. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1966 as a quarterback at Florida and was a two-time All-Americans. During his tenure at Florida he led the Gators to six SEC titles and a national championship before leaving his alma mater to see what he could do in the NFL. Spurrier changed the culture and taught us how to win. “His accomplishments as a player and coach speak for themselves”. But the coach was pleased with how the players made the most of the first workout under Elliott.
Advertisement
“It’s hard to recruit when your coach has done it a long time and a certain age”, added Spurrier. “I planned on being shoulders of the team coming out of the Georgia Dome with an SEC Championship….” But that didn’t work out.
