Spurrier Is Here For The Long Haul
posted by Scott Hood on Monday, August 27, 2007
If you are one of those negative nellies promoting such idle talk, you’re underestimating Spurrier greatly from both a personal and professional perspective.
Spurrier will not allow off-the-field issues to detract from the business at hand – winning football games. As far as he’s concerned, there’s no connection between the two. He’ll take what he has and go knock heads with Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday night.
Spurrier said it best on a couple of occasions last week when the Blake Mitchell story was brewing – if he won the appeal, he’ll start. If not, he wouldn’t. Spurrier had options no matter the outcome.
He also told Mitchell he’ll abide by whatever decision athletic director Eric Hyman made. That decision ended up going against Mitchell.
So Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher will now play against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Both quarterbacks in Spurrier’s view are ready to play. That pronouncement will be put to the test in five days. Spurrier fully expects the pair to play well.
Spurrier doesn’t lessen his demands or expectations of a quarterbacks just because he’s inexperienced. When you’re out there, you’re out there. No excuses.
All of this circles back to one major point: Spurrier is completely unfazed by all the off-the-field junk that’s happened the last few weeks.
If anything, it’s made him more determined and dedicated to succeed here at USC.
Erase from your mind any thought that Spurrier is at loggerheads with AD Eric Hyman or President Andrew Sorensen. Like all of us, Spurrier has a boss. He answers to Hyman and Sorensen.
He also knows it’s best for an employee to get along with his boss, even when you’re earning three to five times more in salary.
Of course, he can disagree with his boss occasionally, like he did three weeks when he called for the admissions procedure to be changed in the wake of the Arkee Smith and Michael Bowman denials.
But, he didn’t interject himself into the process to determine if either player should be accepted by the university. In the end, Spurrier got what he wanted – the application review process for athletes has been modified to provide the coaching staff with quicker decisions.
If you ever find yourself falling into the trap of thinking Spurrier will leave USC prematurely, just remember this one key fact:
Steve Spurrier chose South Carolina. South Carolina didn’t choose Steve Spurrier.
In other words, Spurrier wants to be here.
As the HBC has said many times, the Gamecocks have everything he needs to be successful – a big stadium, loyal fans willing to spend money and a great university.
I have spent a great deal of time around Spurrier over the last 2-1/2 years at all times on the football calendar - spring practice, Gamecock Club tour, fall camp, the actual season or some other time.
I can assure you he remains steadfast in his commitment to build USC into a winning football program. In fact, I would say he relishes the challenge.
After enduring Florida boosters who weren’t happy with 10-win seasons, and then putting up with egomaniacal Redskins owner Daniel Snyder for two years, Spurrier feels right at home in Columbia.
He knows he has the opportunity to create his own legacy here with the Gamecocks by accomplishing things that have ever been done before.
This season, USC can play in a bowl game for a third consecutive campaign, something that’s never been done before, and Spurrier can become the first USC coach to post winning seasons in each of his first three campaigns.
It’s doing things for the first time that excites Spurrier.
Remember, when Spurrier took the Florida job in 1990 the Gators had never won the SEC championship. He was advised by some people not to accept the Florida job because “he couldn’t win there.”
You never, ever tell Spurrier that he can’t do something. He’ll take that as a personal challenge.
And as a personal affront.
That’s why I laughed at the rumors several months ago that had Spurrier heading to either Alabama or Miami. At the time, I conducted three or four interviews with radio stations in Alabama and was told each time that: a) the contract was a done deal and 2) Spurrier thinks he has a better chance to win the national title at Alabama.
They were wrong on both counts.
As far as Spurrier is concerned, everything is falling into place for USC to win the conference title. It might not happen this year but soon.
Renovations to the athletic training facility will start after the 2007 season. Plans to expand Williams-Brice Stadium by 8,000 seats are in the preliminary stages. The much-needed academic enrichment center is in the design phase and should be ready by 2009.
Spurrier has a long-term contract through the 2012 season. I have no doubt he’ll coach USC until then, possibly longer depending on how he feels at the time.
You have decision to make. You can believe Spurrier is sincere when he states he hopes to coach here for many more seasons, or you can believe with every developing “crisis” that he’ll jump ship.
Based on everything I’ve observed, Spurrier will finish what he has started.
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I find all this unwarranted speculation about Steve Spurrier leaving South Carolina in a huff over admissions, suspensions, facilities, etc. to be one part amusing and one part troubling at the same time.
If you are one of those negative nellies promoting such idle talk, you’re underestimating Spurrier greatly from both a personal and professional perspective.
Spurrier will not allow off-the-field issues to detract from the business at hand – winning football games. As far as he’s concerned, there’s no connection between the two. He’ll take what he has and go knock heads with Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday night.
Spurrier said it best on a couple of occasions last week when the Blake Mitchell story was brewing – if he won the appeal, he’ll start. If not, he wouldn’t. Spurrier had options no matter the outcome.
He also told Mitchell he’ll abide by whatever decision athletic director Eric Hyman made. That decision ended up going against Mitchell.
So Chris Smelley and Tommy Beecher will now play against the Ragin’ Cajuns. Both quarterbacks in Spurrier’s view are ready to play. That pronouncement will be put to the test in five days. Spurrier fully expects the pair to play well.
Spurrier doesn’t lessen his demands or expectations of a quarterbacks just because he’s inexperienced. When you’re out there, you’re out there. No excuses.
All of this circles back to one major point: Spurrier is completely unfazed by all the off-the-field junk that’s happened the last few weeks.
If anything, it’s made him more determined and dedicated to succeed here at USC.
Erase from your mind any thought that Spurrier is at loggerheads with AD Eric Hyman or President Andrew Sorensen. Like all of us, Spurrier has a boss. He answers to Hyman and Sorensen.
He also knows it’s best for an employee to get along with his boss, even when you’re earning three to five times more in salary.
Of course, he can disagree with his boss occasionally, like he did three weeks when he called for the admissions procedure to be changed in the wake of the Arkee Smith and Michael Bowman denials.
But, he didn’t interject himself into the process to determine if either player should be accepted by the university. In the end, Spurrier got what he wanted – the application review process for athletes has been modified to provide the coaching staff with quicker decisions.
If you ever find yourself falling into the trap of thinking Spurrier will leave USC prematurely, just remember this one key fact:
Steve Spurrier chose South Carolina. South Carolina didn’t choose Steve Spurrier.
In other words, Spurrier wants to be here.
As the HBC has said many times, the Gamecocks have everything he needs to be successful – a big stadium, loyal fans willing to spend money and a great university.
I have spent a great deal of time around Spurrier over the last 2-1/2 years at all times on the football calendar - spring practice, Gamecock Club tour, fall camp, the actual season or some other time.
I can assure you he remains steadfast in his commitment to build USC into a winning football program. In fact, I would say he relishes the challenge.
After enduring Florida boosters who weren’t happy with 10-win seasons, and then putting up with egomaniacal Redskins owner Daniel Snyder for two years, Spurrier feels right at home in Columbia.
He knows he has the opportunity to create his own legacy here with the Gamecocks by accomplishing things that have ever been done before.
This season, USC can play in a bowl game for a third consecutive campaign, something that’s never been done before, and Spurrier can become the first USC coach to post winning seasons in each of his first three campaigns.
It’s doing things for the first time that excites Spurrier.
Remember, when Spurrier took the Florida job in 1990 the Gators had never won the SEC championship. He was advised by some people not to accept the Florida job because “he couldn’t win there.”
You never, ever tell Spurrier that he can’t do something. He’ll take that as a personal challenge.
And as a personal affront.
That’s why I laughed at the rumors several months ago that had Spurrier heading to either Alabama or Miami. At the time, I conducted three or four interviews with radio stations in Alabama and was told each time that: a) the contract was a done deal and 2) Spurrier thinks he has a better chance to win the national title at Alabama.
They were wrong on both counts.
As far as Spurrier is concerned, everything is falling into place for USC to win the conference title. It might not happen this year but soon.
Renovations to the athletic training facility will start after the 2007 season. Plans to expand Williams-Brice Stadium by 8,000 seats are in the preliminary stages. The much-needed academic enrichment center is in the design phase and should be ready by 2009.
Spurrier has a long-term contract through the 2012 season. I have no doubt he’ll coach USC until then, possibly longer depending on how he feels at the time.
You have decision to make. You can believe Spurrier is sincere when he states he hopes to coach here for many more seasons, or you can believe with every developing “crisis” that he’ll jump ship.
Based on everything I’ve observed, Spurrier will finish what he has started.
- Permalink, Discuss, Blog Home
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Scott Hood. Since February of 2005, Scott has covered the South Carolina football, men's basketball and baseball programs for GamecockCentral. He may be reached by email at scottblog(at)gamecockcentral.com. Replace (at) with @.