Steve Spurrier, former national championship-winning head football coach at the University of Florida, served as the head coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks football team from November 23, 2004, until October 12, 2015.[1][2] It was Spurrier's fifth tenure as a head coach, his second longest tenure as a head coach, and his third and final tenure as a head coach in college football.[3][4] He served as South Carolina's 32nd head coach, as well as their second-longest-tenured head coach.[5][6]
With a mantra of "why not us?",[7][8] Spurrier transformed a historically unsuccessful team into a more competitive program.[9][10] The Gamecocks became, for the first time in program history, consistent bowl game contenders in the mid-to-late 2000s.[a] South Carolina reached new heights in the early 2010s, winning the program's first ever division title in 2010 and achieving the program's first ever eleven-win seasons in 2011, 2012, and 2013.[10] The Gamecocks regressed the next two years, leading Spurrier to resign in 2015.[12]
Finishing with a record of 86–49, Spurrier is the winningest coach in Gamecock football history.[13] South Carolina won nearly 64% of its games, the highest winning percentage of any coach who has led the Gamecocks for more than twenty games.[6] South Carolina was ranked in 84 different weeks,[14] including 69 straight from September 2010 to September 2014.[14] The Gamecocks went to nine bowl games and won five, both school records for a coach.[15] They were 6–4 against archrivalClemson, including a school-record five-straight wins.[16] The 2010–2013 seasons marked the most successful era in program history.[17][18] In that era, South Carolina had its only appearance in the SEC Championship Game, its only eleven-win seasons, its only top-10 finishes, and its only top-5 finish.[9][10] South Carolina became just the twelfth team in college football history to win eleven games in three straight seasons.[19]
After winning a Heisman Trophy as a quarterback at the University of Florida and a largely unremarkable NFL playing career,[33] Steve Spurrier entered coaching.[3] He served as an assistant at several schools in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including Florida, Georgia Tech, and Duke.[34]
Spurrier earned his first two head coaching jobs in the mid-to-late 1980s, first with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL and then with Duke.[34] With the Blue Devils, Spurrier was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1989.[34] On the last day of the decade, Spurrier was hired as the head coach at Florida, returning to his alma mater.[34]
Under head coach Spurrier, the Florida Gators football program of the 1990s and early 2000s was, at the time, considered "arguably the most successful SEC football program ever".[35] From 1990 to 2001, Florida won one national championship and seven conference championships.[35] The Gators finished in the top 10 nine times and finished in the top 5 six times.[35]
In January 2002, Spurrier abrupty resigned from his position at Florida, stating "I simply believe that twelve years as head coach at a major university in the SEC is long enough."[36] Less than two weeks later, he was named the head coach of the Washington Redskins of the NFL.[36] In two seasons, 2002 and 2003, Spurrier went 12–20, and he once again resigned.[36]
Spurrier subsequently took a year off in 2004, when he was considered the most attractive free agent on the coaching market.[36]
The program had seen its most success in the late 1970s and 1980s under head coaches Jim Carlen and Joe Morrison, with five eight-win seasons, a Heisman Trophy winner, and the program's only ten-win season.[10] However, a steroids scandal and the death of their head coach in late 1988 and early 1989 sent the Gamecocks on a decade-long downspiral.[37]
Lou Holtz, former assistant coach at South Carolina and former national championship-winning head coach at the University of Notre Dame, was hired to fix the situation, becoming the Gamecocks' head coach in December 1998.[38] Holtz and the Gamecocks saw success in 2000 and 2001, but regressed the next three years.[39] Holtz remained South Carolina's head football coach in 2004,[39] though he had told athletic director Mike McGee in the summer that it might be his last season.[40]
Overview
Hiring
Lou Holtz was instrumental in Spurrier coming to South Carolina
On October 25, 2004, Florida head coach Ron Zook was fired.[41] Spurrier was considered a top candidate to return as head coach of the Gators.[41] Publicly, he expressed a moderate amount of interest in the position,[41] and his return to Florida was considered a strong possibility.[42] There was reportedly a strong sentiment within Spurrier's family for him to return to Florida.[42] Anonymous Spurrier associates claimed there was an active back-and-forth dialogue between school officials and Spurrier through intermediaries, though Florida officials denied this.[42] Considering the failure of the last coaching search, Florida would've been under intense pressure to hire Spurrier if he wanted the job.[42] However, Spurrier and Florida both said that he was not offered the job outright, and, despite Florida claiming that he was comfortable with this process, it would later be speculated that Spurrier was bothered by having to interview for the job.[43][42] He was also reportedly bothered by a number of other things that Florida had done, and he would later say that he still felt that twelve years with one program is enough.[43][42][8] Spurrier was also reportedly intrigued by the long-shot possibility of returning to the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, and his name was being mentioned in several other college job possibilities, including North Carolina, Texas, South Carolina, and Washington.[42]
On October 30, 2004, after South Carolina's loss to Tennessee, South Carolina head football coach Lou Holtz told South Carolina athletic director Mike McGee that this would be his last season.[40][44][45] McGee asked Holtz to assist in finding his replacement, to which Holtz agreed.[45] Spurrier was then contacted about the Gamecocks' head coaching job.[44][40] McGee had a head start because of Holtz's early decision, as well as Spurrier being out of coaching and available to talk immediately.[40] Spurrier would later say he was very interested from the beginning, without much negotiation back and forth.[35] McGee, Holtz, and Augusta National Golf Club president Hootie Johnson were involved in the negotiations with Spurrier.[44] Holtz and Spurrier were especially close after Spurrier had helped Beth Holtz gain admission to a Florida hospital for cancer treatment five years prior.[44] Spurrier's associates said at the time that if Johnson, a former Gamecock football player, were to offer Spurrier a membership at Augusta, Spurrier could be enticed.[42]
Spurrier would later explain why he was interested in the Gamecocks: "South Carolina has basically everything that I was looking for. It's in the South, it's in the Southeastern Conference and it's a big state university with wonderful facilities. Their tradition is not that good, so we've got a chance to do some things that have never been done here before. And it was the first job that came open. ... First of all, the (Florida) job was never offered to me. I didn't feel like going back and doing what we'd already done. ... I think it worked out best for everybody involved."[8]
On November 4, Spurrier called Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley and informed him that he was withdrawing his name from consideration for the Gators' head coaching job.[46] By November 6, rumors of Holtz retiring and Spurrier possibly taking over were circling at South Carolina.[45] By November 13, Spurrier had agreed to come to South Carolina.[40] On November 17, after having said several times that he was worn out and tired from the season, Holtz promised his Gamecock players he would tell them first when he decided about next year.[47] The next day, November 18, before the team's final regular-season practice, Holtz told his players that he would retire as coach at South Carolina after the season.[47][48] The same day, a number of media outlets confirmed reports that Spurrier had agreed to come to South Carolina, though McGee did not confirm or deny the rumors and Spurrier's agent stayed silent.[47][48] Also that day, Johnson said that Spurrier was not guaranteed a membership at Augusta if he became the head football coach at South Carolina.[48] On November 20, Holtz and the Gamecocks lost to Clemson, in a game that ended with an infamous brawl.[49] Later that day, as a result of the brawl, South Carolina announced it would not accept a post-season bowl bid despite finishing the season bowl-eligible, making the Clemson game the last game of Holtz's career.[49] McGee contacted Spurrier about the decision, with Spurrier agreeing.[49] On November 22, Holtz announced his retirement at a press conference at Williams–Brice Stadium.[50] Holtz said he expected to be replaced by a well-known, proven winner with whom he played golf, which appeared to be a reference to Spurrier.[44]
On November 23, 2004, at a news conference at Williams–Brice Stadium, Spurrier was introduced as the new head football coach at South Carolina.[35] Spurrier was given a seven-year contract, with an annual guaranteed compensation of $1.25 million.[35]
I’d like to borrow a phrase from the Boston Red Sox. Why not us? Why not the University of South Carolina Gamecocks?
Steve Spurrier, his introductory press conference on November 23, 2004[45]
Spurrier inherited a team with many off-the-field problems.[8] By April, eleven players had been arrested.[8] Other players were injured or dismissed from the team.[8] After more than a month of spring practices, he had still not decided who the starting quarterback would be,[8] though he eventually settled on Blake Mitchell.[51] Mitchell would subsequently play as quarterback for much of Spurrier's first three seasons (2005–07), though he would also have his own troubles with "lackluster" play, suspensions and being benched.[52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60] The new staff also felt that several players recruited by the old staff did not contribute much to the program, resulting in six players having their scholarship revoked, a move which many high school coaches in the state called "unethical".[61]
Fortunately for Spurrier, South Carolina finished up a "strong" 2005 recruiting class,[62] ranked No. 18 by 247Sports,[63] No. 20 by On3,[64] and No. 23 by Rivals.com.[65] Notable departures included Troy Williamson,[66] while notable incoming players included Kenny McKinley.[63] Additionally, Spurrier retained three coaches from Holtz's tenure (Rick Stockstill, Ron Cooper, and David Reaves) and filled out his new staff with many of his own coaches (including his son Steve Spurrier Jr. as receivers coach, and John Thompson and Tyrone Nix as defensive coordinators),[67][68][69][62] with the staff being complete by December 20.[62] Spurrier retained playcalling duties for himself.[68]
Spurrier, later called "one of the game's most renowned minds" and "the most famous man in South Carolina",[70][71] immediately helped provide excitement and exposure to a school that had "long been starving for attention and success in football".[8] The spring game was televised on ESPN2, while the opening game of the season would be televised on ESPN and would be the site of College Gameday, only the third time the Gamecocks had ever hosted the pre-game show.[8][72] At Spurrier's request, Williams–Brice Stadium was given a facelift, painting large areas garnet and black and hanging portraits of former players and coaches.[8] By July, the university had sold a record 62,618 season tickets,[61] and donations to the Gamecock Club booster organization had skyrocketed from more than $1 million the previous year to a record $13 million.[61] Expectations were high.[8] Tailback Cory Boyd commented: "We believe he's going to take us to the promised land".[8] A writer for ESPN would later comment that, compared to the Gamecocks' largely unsuccessful history, "it was supposed to be different under Steve Spurrier".[71]
South Carolina's athletic director, Mike McGee, also retired and was replaced by Eric Hyman.[73]
On September 1, 2005, Spurrier coached and won his first game at South Carolina, a home game at Williams–Brice Stadium against UCF.[74] South Carolina's next two games were losses to conference opponents, No. 9 Georgia and Alabama.[74] The Gamecocks broke the losing streak by defeating Troy at home.[74] However, the next game was another conference loss, against Auburn.[74] By this point, South Carolina was 2–3 for the season, and 0–3 in conference play.[74] The Gamecocks subsequently went on a five-game winning streak, all against conference opponents, defeating Kentucky, Vanderbilt, No. 23 Tennessee, Arkansas, and No. 12 Florida.[74] The five consecutive SEC wins were a school record,[75] and the win at Tennessee was the school's first ever.[75] The upset over Florida was the school's first win over the Gators since the 1930s,[75] and also marked the highest-ranked opponenent the Gamecocks had beaten in the 21st century until then.[76] South Carolina improved to 7–3 for the season, and 5–3 in conference play, and were ranked No. 19 in the country.[74] It was the second highest ranking by a first-year Gamecock head football coach ever, behind only Warren Geise in 1956.[76] Before the game against Arkansas, Spurrier had also assigned Nix the sole responsibility of making the defensive calls for the rest of the season, taking those duties away from Thompson.[77] For the regular season finale, South Carolina was upset at home by archrivalClemson.[74] Following the regular season, Spurrier was named the SEC Coach of the Year.[75] It was only the third time a Gamecock head football coach had ever won a conference coach of the year award, and it was the eighth of Spurrier's career.[75] The Gamecocks were selected to play Missouri in the Independence Bowl to end the season, their first bowl game since 2001.[74][76] Prior to the bowl game, recruiting coordinator Rick Stockstill left to become the head coach at Middle Tennessee,[78] special teams and outside linebackers coach Ron Cooper took on the additional role of acting recruiting coordinator,[77] running backs coach Madre Hill was fired,[79] and co-defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix was promoted to assistant head coach.[79] In the Independence Bowl, despite a 21–0 lead in the first quarter, South Carolina lost to the Tigers, ending the season with a record of 7–5.[74][80]
Weeks after the Independence Bowl, Spurrier confirmed that former co-defensive coordinator John Thompson, who was on paid leave of absence, would not return to South Carolina.[77] Assistant quarterbacks coach David Reaves became the recruiting coordinator.[81] Reaves, at age 27, was one of the youngest coordinators in a high-profile program in the country.[81]
The 2006 season started with Spurrier's first two shutouts at South Carolina.[85][76] In the season opener, the Gamecocks held Mississippi State to zero points in a road victory.[85] The next week, they were themselves held to zero points by No. 12 Georgia in a home loss.[85] South Carolina won the next two games against non-Power 5 teams, Wofford and Florida Atlantic.[85] The Gamecocks then returned to conference play, welcoming No. 2 Auburn at home,[85] with a chance for the biggest victory in program history.[86] This game was much closer than their first SEC game, but South Carolina still lost by a touchdown.[85] The Gamecocks won the next two conference games of the season, defeating Kentucky and Vanderbilt on the road.[85] Next, South Carolina had three consecutive close losses against top-12 SEC opponents: No. 8 Tennessee, No. 12 Arkansas, and eventual national champion No. 6 Florida.[85] The home game against Tennesse hosted College GameDay, marking the second consecutive season the Gamecocks had done so.[72] In the road game against Florida, South Carolina had the chance to win by kicking a 48-yard field goal attempt with eight seconds left to play, but the kick was blocked.[87] Next week, the Gamecocks beat Middle Tennessee, led by former South Carolina recruiting coordinator Rick Stockstill, in a home victory which ended their losing streak.[85] For the regular season finale, despite trailing by fourteen points in the third quarter, South Carolina upset No. 24 Clemson on the road, the program's first victory over their archrival since 2001.[85][88][89] Following the regular season, amid rumors of Miami and Alabama showing interest in hiring Spurrier, South Carolina gave Spurrier a $500,000 annual raise.[90] The Gamecocks were invited to the Liberty Bowl, where they defeated Houston, also their first bowl victory since 2001.[85][76] South Carolina finished the season with a record of 8–5, which was only the ninth eight-win season in program history.[76] Spurrier became the first head coach in Gamecock football history to take his team to a bowl game in each of his first two seasons.[76]
South Carolina hired Mississippi State assistant coach Shane Beamer as outside linebackers coach and special teams’ co-coordinator.[91] Recruiting coordinator David Reaves also became the team's full-time quarterbacks coach.[91] Spurrier remained the offensive coordinator, while Reaves would handle more position meetings.[91]
South Carolina's 2007 recruiting class was the highest-ranked recruiting class in school history.[92][93] It was a consensus top-10 class,[92] ranked No. 6 by 247Sports,[94] No. 7 by On3,[95] and No. 6 by Rivals.com.[96]The State would also later report it as being ranked No. 4.[93] Fifteen of the 31 players rated as four-star recruits or higher, equating to roughly a 50% blue-chip ratio.[92] Notable players from the class included Stephen Garcia, Cliff Matthews, and Melvin Ingram.[94] By 2010, the 2007 class will have produced thirteen starters, the most of any of Spurrier's classes at South Carolina until that point.[92] By 2019, the 2007 recruiting class would remain the highest-rated in South Carolina history.[93]
On the other hand, notable players departing to the NFL included Sidney Rice, who had tied the program's touchdown record over the last two seasons, and Fred Bennett.[66][60] In August, Spurrier predicted that South Carolina was ready to compete for the SEC championship.[71]
In 2007, South Carolina had its best start to a season yet under Spurrier.[76] Within their first seven games,[97] and in the midst of an upset-heavy college football season,[98][99] the Gamecocks had upset victories over two top-11 teams (No. 11 Georgia and No. 8 Kentucky), four victories over unranked teams (Louisiana–Lafayette, SC State, Mississippi State, and North Carolina), and a loss to eventual national champion No. 2 LSU.[97] The victory over Kentucky was only the Gamecocks' sixth win over a top-10 team in program history, and their first since 2000.[100] By mid-October, South Carolina was 6–1, ranked No. 6 in the country (their highest ranking since 1984), and in the thick of the SEC Eastern Division race.[97][101] They had also won nine of their last ten games, dating back to last season.[76] With the sixth win of the season, Spurrier became the first coach in South Carolina history to reach bowl eligibility in each of his first three seasons.[97] However, the Gamecocks' rushing defense was reportedly "never the same" after Jasper Brinkley, one of the best middle linebackers in the league, suffered a season-ending injury in the loss to LSU; Spurrier also decided to make a quarterback change despite the 6–1 start.[71] The Gamecocks lost the remaining five games on their schedule, including three upset losses of their own (Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Arkansas) and two losses against ranked teams (No. 17 Florida and No. 21 Clemson).[97] The five-game losing streak was South Carolina's longest since 2002, and the longest of Spurrier's career.[76][102] In their last two losses, the Gamecocks had three of their punts blocked, one of which was returned for a touchdown.[71] The Gamecocks finished last in the SEC in rushing defense.[71] Spurrier questioned his players' effort and then backed off that, questioning their attitude instead.[71] Despite the losing streak, South Carolina still finished the regular season bowl-eligible, with a record of 6–6.[97] However, the Gamecocks were not selected for a bowl game, with the Independence Bowl selecting Alabama and the Music City Bowl selecting Kentucky, instead.[103][104] As a result, the Gamecocks finished the season with a record of 6–6.[76] It was South Carolina's first non-winning season since 2003, and the first of Spurrier's tenure so far.[76] It was Spurrier's first season not going to a bowl game since 1990, and his first non-winning season in college football since 1987.[102]
Spurrier admitted that he and the team learned some humility after last season's second half "collapse", which was compared to much of the program's unsuccessful history.[71] After three seasons, Spurrier was 21–16 at South Carolina.[71] At the time, this record was compared to Lou Holtz's best three-year stretch at South Carolina: 22–14 from 2000–2002.[71] Although Holtz had a better win-loss record and one more bowl win in this stretch, Spurrier had already been able to beat Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.[71] Holtz never beat the latter two teams.[71]
Soon after the Gamecocks learned of their exclusion from the postseason, defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix left to take the same position at Ole Miss.[71] He was replaced briefly by Atlanta Falcons assistant coach Brian VanGorder, and then by Ellis Johnson, who had most recently been the defensive coordinator for Mississippi State.[71][105] South Carolina hired Ray Rychleski from Maryland to be the new special teams coordinator.[71]Shane Beamer's coaching responsibilities shifted from outside linebackers and special teams to cornerbacks.[106]
South Carolina had a 2008 recruiting class that was ranked No. 22 by 247Sports,[107] No. 34 by On3,[108] and No. 22 by Rivals.com.[109] Notable departures included longtime starting quarterback Blake Mitchell, while notable incoming players included Devin Taylor and Antonio Allen.[107] Ten of the defense's eleven starters from last season returned.[110] To replace Mitchell, Spurrier hoped that redshirt freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia would be the answer.[111] South Carolina faced a more difficult schedule than last year, and one writer for ESPN speculated that an aging Spurrier could soon leave if he saw winning a championship at South Carolina as an impossibility.[112]
In the season-opener of 2008, South Carolina snapped their losing streak by defeating NC State at home, and re-entered the rankings at No. 24.[113] However, the Gamecocks then lost to Vanderbilt for the second consecutive season.[113][114] South Carolina welcomed No. 2 Georgia at home,[113] with another chance for the biggest victory in program history.[86] Like the opportunity against Auburn two seasons prior, the game was close, but the Gamecocks still lost by a touchdown.[113] South Carolina bounced back, winning the next four games against Wofford, UAB, Ole Miss, and Kentucky.[113] By the time of the win over UAB, South Carolina had the top defense in the country, allowing 105 yards passing and 221 total yards per game.[115] This winning streak ended with a close loss to defending national champion No. 13 LSU at home.[113] South Carolina won their next two conference games against Tennessee and Arkansas, but then lost the final one against eventual national champion No. 3 Florida.[113] For the regular season finale, the Gamecocks lost to Clemson for the second consecutive season.[113][116] South Carolina returned to the postseason with an invitation to the Outback Bowl, with Spurrier tying the school record for bowl game appearances by a coach.[76] In the bowl game, the Gamecocks suffered a blowout loss to Iowa, finishing the season with a record of 7–6.[113]
Recruiting coordinator and quarterbacks coach David Reaves and strength and conditioning coach Mark Smith both went to Tennessee.[117] South Carolina hired Arkansas assistant coach Lorenzo Ward as co-defensive coordinator.[117] Special teams coordinator Ray Rychleski left to take the same position with the Indianapolis Colts.[117]Shane Beamer's coaching responsibilities shifted from cornerbacks to Spurs, strong safeties and, once again, special teams; he also became the Gamecocks' recruiting coordinator.[106][117] Running backs coach Robert Gillespie left to take the same position at Oklahoma State; he was replaced by Jay Graham.[117] Safeties coach Ron Cooper went to LSU.[117] Offensive line coach John Hunt was fired.[117]
In 2009, South Carolina began with a victory over NC State for the second consecutive season.[121] However, the Gamecocks lost their first game in conference play, dropping a close game on the road against No. 21 Georgia.[121] South Carolina bounced back with a home win over Florida Atlantic.[121] Staying at home, the Gamecocks welcomed No. 4 Ole Miss, with a chance for one of the largest upsets in school history.[121] South Carolina won the matchup with a final score of 16–10.[121] It was only the second win over a top-5 team in school history, the first at home in school history, and the first since 1981.[121] The Gamecocks followed with this up with two more wins at home, against SC State and Kentucky.[121] By this point, South Carolina was on a four-game winning streak, had a 5–1 record and was ranked No. 22 in the country.[121] However, going back out on the road, the Gamecocks lost to eventual national champion No. 2 Alabama, snapping their winning streak.[121] Next, South Carolina defeated Vanderbilt for the first time since 2006.[121][114] The Gamecocks closed out conference play with three straight losses, against Tennessee, Arkansas, and No. 1 Florida.[121] For the final game of the regular season, South Carolina defeated No. 15 Clemson at home, their first win against the Tigers since 2006.[121][88] The Gamecocks were invited to the PapaJohns.com Bowl, with Spurrier breaking the school record for bowl game appearances by a coach.[121][76] In the bowl game, South Carolina lost to Connecticut, finishing the season with a record of 7–6.[121] Spurrier fell to 1–3 in bowl games at South Carolina.[76]
The mood and outlook of the Gamecocks program was mixed after Spurrier's first five seasons.[122][123] South Carolina had a 35–28 record, with each of the last two seasons ending in "ugly" bowl game losses.[123][76] So far, the defense had been excellent, but the offense, Spurrier's area of expertise, had languished.[122] For many, expectations had been high, and the first five years were a disappointment as a result.[122] Spurrier admitted that he thought the program would be further ahead by now.[123] He blamed the lack of success on their mistakes in recruiting, as well as his own mistakes with quarterbacks.[123] However, there was also hope, building momentum, and reasons for optimism.[122][123] Although on-field results hadn't met everyone's expectations, athletic director Eric Hyman believed that it was "really clear cut" that the program was progressing, as it was filling up with talent.[122]Connor Shaw, Marcus Lattimore, freshman offensive linemen, Kelcy Quarles, and a young star-studded defense were specifically cited reasons for excitement about the future.[123] The staff was full of excellent recruiters and evaluators,[124] and had begun to control the state in recruiting.[122] An aging Spurrier had previously said he would coach until roughly 2010, but changed his mind and began saying he would coach for four or five more years.[123] Upsets over Ole Miss and Clemson the previous year had "helped start a little something" and provided evidence that the Gamecocks were closer to their goals.[122] The players internally felt a building positive mood and sense of excitement around the program.[122] Tight end Weslye Saunders would later comment: "We could definitely feel what was about to take place".[122]
South Carolina began their 2010 campaign with a home win over Southern Miss.[129] Following the win, the Gamecocks were ranked for the first time since Halloween 2009.[14] This would mark the start of a streak of 69 consecutive weeks of South Carolina being ranked in the top 25, with the Gamecocks not leaving the national rankings again until Sepember 28, 2014.[14] The Gamecocks followed this up with a win over No. 22 Georgia at home, their first victory over the Bulldogs since 2007, as well as a home win over Furman.[129][130] The three-game winning streak came to an end in their first road game, with a close loss to eventual national champion No. 17 Auburn.[129] South Carolina had a bye week to prepare for their next contest, a home game against defending national champion No. 1 Alabama.[129] With South Carolina having a chance to secure the biggest win in program history,[131]College GameDay announced they would come to Columbia for the game, their first time doing do since 2006.[129][72] On October 9, 2010, South Carolina upset the Crimson Tide, the first win over a top-ranked team in school history.[132] By this point, South Carolina was 4–1 and ranked No. 10 in the country, their highest ranking since 2007.[76] However, going back out on the road, the Gamecocks lost to unranked Kentucky.[129] South Carolina bounced back with two more conference wins, against Vanderbilt and Tennessee.[129] At home, they welcomed their sixth consecutive conference opponent and third ranked opponent of the season, No. 17 Arkansas.[129] The Gamecocks lost by three touchdowns, their worst loss since 2008.[129][76]
Despite the bad loss and 3–3 start in SEC play,[129] South Carolina's place in the conference standings ensured that if they were to win their next game, a road game at Florida, they would clinch the SEC Eastern Division and a spot in the SEC Championship Game.[133] On November 13, 2010, the Gamecocks defeated the Gators, winning the SEC East for the first time in program history.[133] It was only South Carolina's second win against Florida in their last twenty matchups, and it was also their first ever road win at Florida, having previously had a record of 0–12 in Gainesville.[133] Spurrier, the first coach to win the SEC East with two different teams, received a "Gatorade Bath" from his players and was carried off the field.[134] Next, South Carolina defeated Troy at home.[129] For the regular season finale, the Gamecocks traveled to archrivalClemson.[129] South Carolina defeated the Tigers, the first time they had defeated their archrival in consecutive seasons since 1970.[135] They finished the regular season with nine wins for only the second time in program history.[76] A week later, the Gamecocks traveled to Atlanta for their first ever SEC Championship Game to take on now-No. 1 Auburn, in a rematch of the regular season.[129] It was their second top-ranked opponent of the season.[136] The Gamecocks had an opportunity to win their first ever SEC championship, win their first conference championship since 1969, and tie the program record for wins in a season.[76] South Carolina lost by more than five touchdowns, surpassing the Arkansas blowout as their worst loss since 2008.[76] Regardless, after the SEC Championship Game, Spurrier was named the SEC Coach of the Year for the first time since 2005.[137] South Carolina was invited to the Chick-fil-A Bowl to end the season, facing No. 23 Florida State, with another chance to tie the program record for wins in a season.[129][76] The Gamecocks lost to the Seminoles, with Spurrier falling to 1–4 in bowl games at South Carolina.[129][76] The Gamecocks ended the season with a 9–5 record and ranked No. 22 in the country.[129] It was the first time South Carolina had finished ranked since 2001, and the nine-win season was only the third in program history.[76]
Defensive assistant coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator Shane Beamer left to join his father at Virginia Tech.[138] Receivers coach and passing game coordinator Steve Spurrier Jr. took on the additional role of recruiting coordinator.[139] Spurrier Jr. had expressed a strong desire for the position once it became available, though he admitted: "One of the things I've never particularly liked doing was answering my phone all the time. I don't like talking to everybody. I've never loved all that stuff, but as a recruiting coordinator you better like talking to everybody that knows anybody that wants to talk about high school football."[139] Spurrier Jr.'s appointment to the position would prove to be divisive.[140]
South Carolina was considered a potential dark horse contender entering the 2011 season,[144][145] with the return of quarterback Stephen Garcia, Heisman candidate Marcus Lattimore, two starting receivers, and a solid offensive line, as well as Alabama not being on the schedule.[144] The Gamecocks started with the fourteenth best preseason odds to win the national championship.[146] Subsequently, South Carolina started the 2011 season ranked much higher than they had finished in 2010, up ten spots to No. 12, the highest preseason ranking in program history until then.[76] The Gamecocks won their first four games of the season, against East Carolina, Georgia, Navy, and Vanderbilt.[147] Two of these wins were only by three points,[147] and the win over East Carolina only happened after a 17-point comeback.[148] Next, at home, South Carolina lost by three points to defending national champion Auburn, their third loss to the Tigers in two seasons.[147][149] The Gamecocks fell to 4–1 and No. 18 in the country.[147] Longtime starting quarterback Stephen Garcia was replaced by sophomore Connor Shaw,[150][151] with Garcia soon being dismissed from the team for failing to comply with guidelines.[152] Shaw would be the starting quarterback for much of South Carolina's next 2.5 seasons.[151] South Carolina bounced back with a blowout win over Kentucky at home, which would be the start of an eighteen-game home winning streak.[76][153] Going back out on the road, the Gamecocks picked up two more wins against conference opponents, Mississippi State and Tennessee, after which they climbed back up to No. 10 in the country.[147] Star running back Marcus Lattimore suffered a season-ending injury in the win over the Bulldogs.[154] In their last true road game, South Carolina traveled to No. 8 Arkansas, their first ranked opponent of the season.[147] Against the Razorbacks, the Gamecocks picked up their second loss of the season, losing by sixteen points.[147] Back at home, South Carolina won the last three games in the regular season, against Florida, The Citadel, and archrival No. 18 Clemson.[147] The Gamecocks finished the regular season with ten wins, tied for the most in program history.[76] South Carolina was invited to the Capital One Bowl to face No. 21 Nebraska.[147] The Gamecocks had an opportunity to break the school record for wins in a season, though they were on a three-bowl-game losing streak.[76] In the bowl game, South Carolina defeated the Cornhuskers, their first bowl victory since 2006.[76] The Gamecocks finished the season with eleven wins, the most in program history, and ranked inside the top ten for the first time ever.[76] It was the most successful season in program history.[76]
South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney in 2012
Offensive line coach Shawn Elliott and receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. were both promoted to co-offensive coordinator.[155] It was predicted that the Gamecocks would be more of a passing team than last year, with quarterback Connor Shaw entering his junior year and there still being a talented group of receivers.[156] Athletic director Eric Hyman left to take the same position at Texas A&M;[157] he was replaced by Ray Tanner.[158]
Over the summer, a new $6.5 million, high-definition 36-by-124-foot video board was installed at Williams–Brice Stadium.[162][163] The video board, the third-largest in the SEC and the eleventh-largest in college football, was nine times larger than the previous board.[162][163]
South Carolina started ranked No. 9 in the country, and won the first five games of the season, against Vanderbilt, East Carolina, UAB, Missouri, and Kentucky.[164] The season-opener on the road against the Commodores was close, but the next four were won comfortably, by an average of thirty points.[164] The Gamecocks had now won their last nine consecutive games dating back to last season, tying a school record, and were ranked No. 6 in the country, their highest ranking since 2007.[76][165] The next game was a home contest against No. 6 Georgia, their first ranked opponent of the season and the site of College GameDay.[164][72] Against the Bulldogs, South Carolina started 21–0 in the first quarter, later called "the greatest quarter ever played".[166] The Gamecocks were just as dominant for the rest of the game, and won by four touchdowns.[167] By this point, South Carolina was on a school-record ten-game winning streak, had won all of their games by an average of 25 points, and were ranked No. 3 in the country, their highest ranking since 1984 and the second highest ranking in program history.[168][164][76] The Gamecocks began receiving comparisons to the 1984 team,[165] which had started 9–0, with similarities in enthusiasm, running backs, quarterbacks, points-per-game, and opportunistic defense.[169]
However, not everything was perfect for South Carolina: with no respite, their next two games were set to be against two more highly ranked teams, both on the road.[164] At No. 9 LSU, the Gamecocks lost by two points, snapping their winning streak.[164] At No. 3 Florida, South Carolina suffered a blowout loss; the 33-point loss was the worst since 2010.[164][76] The Gamecocks subsequently dropped to No. 17 in the country.[164] South Carolina bounced back, winning the last four games in the regular season, against Tennessee, Arkansas, Wofford, and archrival No. 12 Clemson.[164] The win over Arkansas was the first since 2008, and only the second in the past seven matchups.[170] The win over Clemson tied a school record for consecutive wins in the rivalry, and made Steve Spurrier the winningest coach in program history.[171] Also against the Tigers, star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney set the school's single-season record with thirteen sacks.[171] The Gamecocks were invited to the Outback Bowl to end the season, facing No. 19 Michigan.[164] In the bowl game, famous for a tackle made by Clowney which propelled him to instant fame,[172] South Carolina defeated the Wolverines.[164] The Gamecocks finished the season with eleven wins for only the second time in school history, and ranked No. 7 and No. 8 in the polls, the highest final rankings in school history.[76]
South Carolina started ranked No. 6 in the country, the highest preseason ranking in program history,[14] and comfortably won the 2013 season-opener against North Carolina at home.[173] Next, the Gamecocks went on the road and lost a close game against No. 11 Georgia,[173] the first loss to the Bulldogs and earliest loss in a season since 2009.[130][76] South Carolina rebounded, winning the next four games, against Vanderbilt, UCF, Kentucky, and Arkansas.[173] The victory over the Razorbacks on the road was by more than six touchdowns, while the other three games were relatively close.[173] The Gamecocks then traveled to Tennessee, where they lost by two points.[173] It was the first loss to an unranked team since 2011, and the 5–2 start and new No. 20 ranking were both the worst since 2010.[76] Next week, on the road at No. 5 Missouri,[173] South Carolina's fortunes appeared to continued declining, as they started the game down seventeen points, and had less than a 3% chance to win.[174][175]Connor Shaw then replaced Dylan Thompson at quarterback, and the Gamecocks made a comeback in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.[176][177] South Carolina subsequently won in double overtime.[178][179] The "Miracle at Mizzou" was the largest comeback since 2011, the first road win against a top-five team since 1981, and the first overtime victory in school history.[180][181][175] The Gamecocks won the last four games of the regular season, against Mississippi State, Florida, Coastal Carolina, and archrival No. 6 Clemson.[173] The fifth consecutive victory over the Tigers was a school record.[135] South Carolina was invited to the Capital One Bowl, the second in three seasons, to face No. 19 Wisconsin.[173][76] The Gamecocks defeated the Badgers, a school-record third consecutive bowl victory.[76] South Carolina finished the season with eleven wins, for a third consecutive season, and ranked No. 4 in the country, the highest final ranking in school history.[76]
In 2014, South Carolina began ranked No. 9 in the country and tied for the eleventh best odds to win the national championship.[186][187] However, for the season opener, the Gamecocks were upset at home by No. 21 Texas A&M in blowout fashion, snapping their eighteen-game home winning streak and dropping to No. 21.[186][153] South Carolina defeated their next three opponents: East Carolina, No. 6 Georgia, and Vanderbilt, climbing back up to No. 13.[186] Next, hosting Missouri and College GameDay at home, the Gamecocks lost by one point,[186] after which they dropped completely out of the top 25 for the first time since 2010.[76] South Carolina then lost to Kentucky on the road,[186] their first loss to the Wildcats since 2010.[14][188] The 3–3 start was the worst since 2005.[76] The Gamecocks then defeated Furman before losing to No. 5 Auburn and Tennessee, the latter in overtime.[186] They finished conference play by defeating Florida in overtime, the second overtime victory in school history.[186] Following the win over the Gators, Florida head coach Will Muschamp was fired.[189] The Gamecocks defeated South Alabama before going on the road to face archrival No. 21 Clemson for the regular season finale.[186] South Carolina lost to the Tigers, their first loss in the rivalry since 2008.[135] Regardless, the Gamecocks finished the regular season bowl-eligible at 6–6, and were invited to the Independence Bowl to face Miami.[186] Prior to the bowl game, Spurrier announced he would returning as the Gamecocks' coach, but planned to keep that title for at least two-to-three years.[190] Many proclaimed that statement as the undoing of Spurrier's tenure, and several recruits showed concern at the possibility of Spurrier not being around when they graduate.[190] At least four players in the 2015 signing class de-commited.[190] In the bowl game, South Carolina defeated the Hurricanes by three points, a fourth consecutive bowl victory.[76] The Gamecocks finished with seven wins, four less than the previous three seasons and the fewest since 2009.[76] Three of their losses had come after blowing two-touchdown fourth quarter leads.[191]
Spurrier was ready to retire after the 2014 season.[192] Several factors and people convinced him to return in 2015: athletic director Ray Tanner, his wife Jerri, his sons being on the coaching staff, all of the coaches having at least another year left on their deals, the opportunity to win 100 games at two different schools, and thinking that he had a decent team coming back.[192] Spurrier would later say that "we thought we could scrap out eight wins or something like that."[192]
South Carolina had a 2015 recruiting class that was ranked No. 17 by 247Sports,[193] No. 20 by On3,[194] and No. 19 by Rivals.com.[195] The Gamecocks took a slower, more measured approach to recruiting than in years prior.[196]
In the 2015 season opener, South Carolina defeated North Carolina at a neutral site.[197] The next two games were conference losses, a close game against Kentucky at home followed by a blowout on the road against No. 7 Georgia.[197] Back at home, the Gamecocks hoped to snap the losing streak against UCF.[197] However, the game was a "struggle" for the Gamecocks, who were down 8–14 at halftime, though they did eventually win.[198][197] Following the game against UCF and the 2–2 start, Spurrier called South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner and informed him that he would try to finish the season but that he sensed his time at South Carolina was coming to an end.[199] Next, the Gamecocks went on the road and lost to Missouri for the second consecutive season.[200][197] The following game, against No. 7 LSU, was scheduled to take place at home, but instead was moved to Tiger Stadium due to severe flooding in the Palmetto State.[197][201] On October 10, 2015, South Carolina played LSU, keeping it close in the first half but getting blown out in the second half to lose the game.[202][197] By this point, South Carolina was 2–4 in the season, and 0–4 in conference play.[197] It was Spurrier's first 0–4 SEC start in his career.[201] The LSU game would prove to be the last of Spurrier's tenure.[203]
Resignation
On October 11, 2015, one day after the loss to LSU, Spurrier called South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner and told him that he was contemplating resignation.[199][203] Tanner and school president Harris Pastides tried to persuade Spurrier to coach through the end of the regular season, but were unsuccessful in doing so.[203]
On the night of October 12, 2015, after practice, Spurrier told his players that there was a "good chance" he would be stepping down.[199] He would later speculate that this "surprised some, and maybe not others".[199] Later that evening, Tanner and South Carolina deputy athletic director Charles Waddell met with several coaches and team captains Skai Moore, Mike Matulis, Isaiah Johnson, and Pharoh Cooper in an effort to decide an interim head coach.[199] Soon after, Tanner called offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Shawn Elliott to ask him to be the interim head coach, which he accepted.[199]
The next morning, October 13, Elliott conferred with the other coaches and some players, who showed their support for him.[199] One of the players asked Tanner to tell Spurrier to visit practice, which Spurrier did.[199] Later that day, the University of South Carolina held a press conference, concerning Spurrier's resignation and the appointment of Elliott as interim head coach.[199][203]
Okay, first of all, I'm resigning. I'm not retiring. [I want to] get that part straight. I doubt if I'll ever be a head coach again, but, you know, maybe coaching a high school team or something. So don't say I've retired completely from coaching. Who knows what will come in the future. But, the last several years, as I travel around the country, seeing guys and so forth, I always get asked: 'How much longer are you going to coach?' And my answer is always the same. As long as we keep winning, keep winning these bowl games, everybody's happy, we're ranked, life's pretty good, I guess I can go several more years. But, if it starts going south, starts going bad, then I need to get out. You can't keep a head coach that's done it as long as I have, when it's heading in the wrong direction. And, really today, when I move out of the way, and Shawn Elliott's going to take over as the interim head coach, it sort of starts our rebuilding, or building back, what we had just two years ago. ... somehow or another, we've slid. And it's my fault, I'm responsible, I'm the head coach. ... [The school president] said 'Why can't you just go through the end of the year and announce this is your last year?' I find that that doesn't work a lot, because if the players know you're not going to be their coach after such and such of time, you just don't have the accountability, I think. And also, it gives us a chance to hire an interim head coach ... and gives him a chance to make his mark, for these next six games. ... Yesterday, I was sort of a recruiting liability. It's hard to recruit when your coach has done it a long time, and, at a certain age, the recruits want to know that guy's going to be there five to ten years from now. And with a new coach here, I think it really is going to pick up recruiting. ... Back in '04, I think I was probably the best coach for this job, eleven years ago, but I'm not today. I'm not today. And that's the cycle of coaching. ... I'm still going to be around town. ... I'll just be the former Head Ball Coach now. ... And I just think it's the best thing. This is the best thing for South Carolina football, for our university, to start another building process.
Steve Spurrier, his opening statement at his resignation press conference on October 13, 2015[199]
In a letter to Gamecock fans, Spurrier would later further justify his resignation by saying that he saved the university three million dollars by forfeiting his buyout clause, that the team played better under Elliott, that he didn't want a "Spurrier Farewell Tour", and that he essentially fired himself because he knew the university would not fire him.[204]
Analysis
Reasons for success
In 2010, South Carolina's staff was considered to be full of assistant coaches who were excellent recruiters and evaluators.[191] In 2013, recruiting analyst Bud Elliott commented that South Carolina "scouts very well and finds players to fit its system".[205]
Reasons for shortcomings
South Carolina never reached a high-enough blue-chip ratio to be able to win a national championship.[205]
Recruiting mistakes were cited as the reason for disappointing results in both the first five seasons and last two seasons of Spurrier's tenure.[191][206] Spurrier said he also made mistakes on quarterbacks in his first five seasons.[123] Recruiting coordinator Spurrier Jr. received much blame for the results near the end of his father's tenure, though Spurrier instead spread the recruiting blame among the entire staff.[140] After the 2013 season, the talent on the roster began to dry up.[191] The 2014 offense was still talented, but by 2015, the talent was considered lacking on both offense and defense.[191] Spurrier's "two or three more years" comment in December 2014 greatly hurt recruiting.[190][207] Recruiting had changed since his tenure at Florida, and Spurrier took no interest in recruiting younger players.[208]
Spurrier has admitted that he didn't "surround himself with the right personnel" near the end of his tenure.[191] After 2010, South Carolina's skilled assistant coaches gradually left the program for other opportunities.[191] In particular, the departures of Shane Beamer, Jay Graham, Ellis Johnson, Craig Fitzgerald, and Brad Lawing have been noted.[191] All of the replacements for these coaches were downgrades, who were not as strong in recruiting, developing, and/or coaching.[191] Spurrier became less involved with the defense.[140] The staff became complacent, which Spurrier would later blame on contract extensions after the 2013 season.[192] The new coaching staff was a "disaster waiting to happen", one which Spurrier likely didn't realize, due to the fact that he didn't make many great assistant hires during his successful tenure at Florida.[191]
Spurrier has also often pointed to attitude and culture problems on the team near the end of his tenure.[192][140][209] In practice, some players ran into other players' legs and "acted like they didn’t care",[140] and one quarterback called Spurrier "bro".[192] There was a severe decline in attendance for the team's weekly chapel services.[192] The players didn't like each other,[209] and neither did the coaches,[209] a few of which were "disgruntled".[140]
In February 2016, Spurrier assumed a new role at the University of South Carolina: special assistant to the president and athletic director.[211] He had a contract clause that allowed him to assume such a role, if he wanted.[211]
In July 2016, Spurrier returned to the University of Florida, as ambassador and consultant for the Gators' athletic department.[212] He said: "My wife, Jerri, and I are extremely thrilled to be returning home to our alma mater, and to Gainesville where we met on campus over fifty years ago. I'm very appreciative to athletic director Jeremy Foley, head coach Jim McElwain and Phil Pharr of Gator Boosters for their role in making this happen. I also want to say thanks to the University of South Carolina for allowing me to be their coach from 2005 to 2015. Also a special thanks to all of the Gamecock players, coaches and fans that allowed our teams to set so many school records. I will now pull for South Carolina to win every game but one, just as I did when I pulled for Florida to win every game but one as the Gamecock coach."[212]
In April 2018, Spurrier made a return to coaching, being named the first head coach of the Orlando Apollos, part of the new Alliance of American Football.[213] Spurrier would later express interest in ending his coaching career on a winning note.[214] In February 2019, the Apollos began their first and only season. By April, the league was suspended, and the Apollos' 7–1 record was the best of all eight teams.[215] Spurrier said: "We're all disappointed, but, on the other side, we've got to be the champs, right? We're 7–1 and the next teams are 5–3. ... But it's sad to end this way."[215] Spurrier ended his coaching career on a winning note, and not has coached again since.
Spurrier remains on the University of Florida's athletic staff.[216]
South Carolina
Action during the 2022 win against Clemson, the program's first win in the rivalry since Spurrier's resignation
Interim head coach Shawn Elliott, carrying Spurrier's visor onto the field,[217][218] won his debut game, beating Vanderbilt.[218] However, he then lost the last five games of the season.[219] It was the longest losing streak since the end of Spurrier's 2007 season,[10] and included a loss to The Citadel,[219] the program's first loss to an FCS program since 1990.[220] The 2015 team finished with a 3–9 record, with two wins and four losses coming under Spurrier, and one win and five losses coming under Elliott.[219] It was South Carolina's first losing season since 2003 and worst record since 1999.[10]
Elliott was not kept as head coach, and South Carolina instead hired Will Muschamp as its new head coach in December 2015.[217] Muschamp went 28–30 over 4.7 seasons before being fired during the 2020 season.[221]Mike Bobo subsequently took over as interim head coach,[221] and lost the last three games of the season.[222]
Bobo was not kept as head coach, and South Carolina instead hired Shane Beamer as its new head coach in December 2020.[223] South Carolina has seen success under Beamer, and he remains their current head coach.[106] Beamer broke Spurrier's record for most wins in the first four seasons by a Gamecock head coach.[224] He has the second most top-10 wins in program history, behind only Spurrier.[225] He has also won SEC Coach of the Year.[226]
South Carolina's first post-Spurrier season in which it finished ranked was the 2022 season.[10] In that season, Beamer's second year, the Gamecocks did something that even Spurrier's best teams could not do: they defeated three top-15 teams and back-to-back top-ten opponents for the first time in program history.[227] South Carolina finished that season with an 8–5 record and ranked No. 23 in the country, the program's first final ranking since Spurrier's 2013 team.[10]
Legacy
Assessment
Two players from Spurrier's tenure have had their jerseys retired by the school, with more likely to follow
For his accomplishments both on and off the field, Spurrier is widely considered the greatest Gamecock head football coach of all time.[228][9][229][230][231][232] Additionally, in a fan poll conducted by The State in August 2021, Spurrier ranked as the third greatest coach of any sport at the University of South Carolina, behind only Dawn Staley and Ray Tanner.[232] His success with the Gamecocks contributed to him being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2017,[233] and it contributes to him being considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all time.[234][235]
Several players from the Spurrier era have also been regarded highly in retrospect.[22] In an article published by The State listing the fifty greatest Gamecock football players of all time, twelve were players that played under Spurrier, including three of the top four.[22] However, in an article published by Bleacher Report listing the ten best players of Spurrier's entire college football career, only two were Gamecocks.[236] Seven players from the era have been inducted into the University of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame.[237] Two of the program's six retired jerseys played under Spurrier.[238]Connor Shaw is widely considered the greatest Gamecock quarterback of all time.[239][240][241][242][243][244][245] An article by The State ranked him as the second greatest Gamecock football player ever,[22] and a Saturday Down South article listed him as arguably the most underrated SEC football player of the 21st century.[245]Marcus Lattimore has been ranked as the second greatest Gamecock running back of all time.[22][246]Kenny McKinley, Sidney Rice, and Alshon Jeffery have often been ranked as three of the greatest Gamecock wide receivers of all time.[22][60][247]Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Eric Norwood, Stephon Gilmore, Emanuel Cook, Jasper Brinkley, and Cliff Matthews have been considered some of the best defensive players in program history.[248][249]
The four-year stretch between 2010 and 2013 is considered the most successful era in program history by many journalists, and has even been officially honored by the university.[17][18][250][251][245][252] The 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons/teams have each individually appeared on lists of the greatest in program history.[253][254][255][256] Referencing the four-year stretch, Marky Billson of Saturday Down South has written: "The 1984 Gamecocks showed the program’s potential. But by becoming only the twelfth team in college football history to win eleven games in three straight seasons, the 2013 Gamecocks lived up to it."[257] Similarly, Zach Barnett of FootballScoop has written: "It's unquestionably the best four-year run in South Carolina's football history, and means more in Columbia than one (national) title would in Tuscaloosa."[258]
Several individual games, plays, and moments from Spurrier's tenure have been considered notable.[259] The upset over Ole Miss in 2009 has become increasingly significant over time, largely due to starting the "Sandstorm" tradition.[260][251] The upset over Alabama in 2010 has been described as "one of the biggest wins perhaps in the history of the school".[261]Athlon Sports has ranked the 2010 victory over Florida, which clinched the SEC East, as the greatest moment in Gamecock football history,[262] and the photograph of Spurrier being carried off the field after the win has been regarded as one of the most iconic in school history.[263] "The Hit" by Jadeveon Clowney in the 2012 season has been considered the greatest play in program history,[264] as well as one of the greatest plays in college football history.[265][266] The "Miracle at Mizzou" in 2013 has been regarded as one of the best comebacks in program history.[267][268]
Spurrier has received much criticism for his resignation.[204][269][270] One day later, Jeff Owens of The Sporting News wrote: "Now he’s gambling again — with his reputation and his legacy. ... This seems like the way of a quitter ... Though he may have the best interest of South Carolina at heart, it’s hard not to conclude that he is stepping down simply because he can’t stand losing and doesn’t want to end his career with a losing season. ... At 2–4, he was almost certainly facing his first losing season since 1987. ... So, instead of seeing it through and trying to turn things around, or enduring the hard times with his team, Spurrier quit. ... He’s one of the top five college football coaches of all time. And he did it with a style and colorful personality that was both entertaining and good for the game. He deserves to be recognized for all that. Just not now. ... No matter how bad things get, you don’t quit on your teammates and your coaches."[269]
Honors
Spurrier receiving the Order of the Palmetto award
University of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame: Kenny McKinley,[281] Sidney Rice,[282] Marcus Lattimore,[283] Connor Shaw,[284] Mike McGee,[284] Pharoh Cooper,[285] Melvin Ingram[285]
University of South Carolina's indoor football practice building named the "Jerri and Steve Spurrier Indoor Practice Facility"[287]
2010–2013 teams honored during halftime of a South Carolina home football game in 2023[288]
Lasting impact
Shane Beamer, assistant under Spurrier from 2007 to 2011, is South Carolina's current head coach
Spurrier's tenure has been credited with changing the culture of the South Carolina program and its fans, especially regarding expectations.[26][27][28][29][30][31] In the mid-2000s, many around the program expressed only an interest in beating Clemson,[229] or applauded the team after losing a close game against superior competition.[27][289] Spurrier pushed back against these ideas.[229][27][289] Sanders Early of FanSided has written: "Spurrier doesn’t expect fans to be satisfied with losing. This type of mentality has spread throughout Gamecock fans' minds, especially after three straight 11–2 seasons. After tasting success, Gamecock fans are not ready to fade back into mediocrity in the SEC ... By being Steve Spurrier, he effectively changed Gamecock culture. ... he showed that becoming an elite power in the SEC and in the country is entirely possible at South Carolina."[27] By 2019, several media outlets reported that athletic director Ray Tanner and head football coach Will Muschamp both had poor job security, attributing this to the football program failing to meet the new expectations.[28][29][30]
South Carolina's football facilities currently rank among the best in the nation.[290] This started as a result of improvements made during Spurrier's tenure, with credit being given to Spurrier for pushing for better facilities and "rounding up boosters",[21][26] as well as athletic directors Eric Hyman and Ray Tanner.[23][24][291] In 2013, South Carolina's football facilities were considered to be near the bottom of the SEC and not among the best in the nation.[292][293] However, after the opening of a new $14.3 million indoor practice building that was constructed during Spurrier's tenure, the largest of its kind in college football,[291][294] South Carolina's football facilities were ranked as the twentieth best in college football.[294] This commitment to amenities has continued, and by 2024, South Carolina was considered to have the tenth best facilities in college football.[290]
However, in the short term, not every aspect of the program was considered to be sufficient following Spurrier's resignation.[295] He received much blame for shortcomings during coach Muschamp's tenure.[295] In 2019, athletic director Ray Tanner was quoted as saying: "We all love coach Spurrier, but he didn’t leave the program in great shape from a recruiting standpoint."[296]
Players and staff from the Spurrier era have continued to impact the Gamecocks program for years to come. Ellis Johnson served as a defensive analyst from December 2015 until April 2018.[297][298]Eric Wolford returned as offensive line coach from January 2017 until December 2020.[299][300]Marcus Lattimore served as director of player development from January 2018 until January 2020.[301]Connor Shaw was director of player development from January 2020 until November 2020, interim quarterbacks coach from November 2020 until December 2020, and what was later called the director of football relations from December 2020 until February 2022.[302][301][303][304][305] Several staff members from the Spurrier era are currently coaching at South Carolina, including head coach Shane Beamer,[306] and tight ends coach/run game coordinator Shawn Elliott.[307]
Several South Carolina traditions that began in the Spurrier era persist today, including Sir Big Spur,[c]"Sandstorm",[309] white rally towels,[310] and the "Under a Carolina Sky" pregame video.[311]
^In just the first five seasons of his tenure (2005–2009), Spurrier broke the school record for bowl game appearances by a head coach, with four. By the end of the decade, Spurrier was responsible for more than 25% of all the school's bowl game appearances. The four bowl games between 2005 and 2009 broke the school record for most bowl games in a five-year stretch, as well as the school record for most bowl games in a four-year stretch. However, South Carolina's record in these four bowl games was 1–3. It was also the first five-year stretch in program history to not feature a losing season since the 1930s.[10][11]
^Given to an athletic director who has made significant and meaningful contributions to intercollegiate athletics
^Sir Big Spur, the University of South Carolina's official live gamecock mascot, debuted in 1999 but didn't debut in football until 2006.[308]
^Spurrier resigned on October 12, 2015.[210]Shawn Elliott was named interim head coach and led the Gamecocks to a final record of 3-9.
^ abCommunications, The University Of South Carolina Office Of Athletic (December 31, 1969). "2021 Athletics Hall of Fame class announced". Lexington County Chronicle. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
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