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Steve Spurrier

January 20, 2023

This article is about the former American football coach and player. For other people with similar names, see Steven Spurrier.

Stephen Orr Spurrier (born April 20, 1945) is an American former football quarterback and coach who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons before coaching for 38 years, primarily in college. He is often referred to by his nickname, "the Head Ball Coach".[1] Spurrier was a multi-sport all-state athlete at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee. He attended the University of Florida, where he won the 1966 Heisman Trophy as a college football quarterback with the Florida Gators. The San Francisco 49ers picked him in the first round of the 1967 NFL draft, and he spent a decade playing professionally in the National Football League (NFL), mainly as a backup quarterback and punter. Spurrier was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1986.

Steve Spurrier
Spurrier in 2010
No. 11
Position:Quarterback,
Punter
Personal information
Born: (1945-04-20) April 20, 1945 (age 77)
Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:204 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:Science Hill
(Johnson City, Tennessee)
College:Florida (1964–1966)
NFL Draft:1967 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As coach:

Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts:1151
Passing completions:597
Completion percentage:51.9%
TD–INT:40–60
Passing yards:6,878
Passer rating:60.1
Punting yards:8,818
Punting average:38.3
Head coaching record
Regular season:217–79–2 (college)
12–20 (NFL)
35–21 (USFL)
7–1 (AAF)
Postseason:11–10 (college bowls)
Career:228–89–2 (college)
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR
Coaching stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

After retiring as a player, Spurrier went into coaching and spent five years as a college assistant at Florida, Georgia Tech, and Duke, where he began to develop his innovative offensive system while serving as the Blue Devils' offensive coordinator in the early 1980s. He was hired to his first head coaching job by the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League (USFL) in 1983 and led the team to two playoff appearances in three seasons before the league folded. Spurrier returned to the college ranks in 1987, serving as the head football coach at Duke (3 seasons), Florida (12 seasons), and South Carolina (10.5 seasons), amassing 122 total wins and an 82% career winning percentage. Between his stints at Florida and South Carolina, he led the National Football League's Washington Redskins for two seasons with less success. Spurrier retired from coaching in 2015 and became an ambassador and consultant for the University of Florida's athletic department, though he briefly returned to the sidelines to coach the Orlando Apollos of the short-lived Alliance of American Football in 2019. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2017, making him one of four members to be inducted as both a player and a coach.[2]

Spurrier's teams were known for winning with aggressive and high-scoring offenses, and he became known for teasing and "needling" rivals both before and after beating them on the field.[3] Spurrier's 1989 Duke squad won the program's only Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship since 1962. He is the winningest coach in both Florida and South Carolina program history, making him the only coach to hold the record for most wins at two different Southeastern Conference (SEC) schools. Florida's streak of four consecutive SEC championships in the mid-1990s is the second-longest in conference history behind Bear Bryant's 1970s Alabama teams, and Spurrier is second to only Bryant in total wins with an SEC program. And when Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy during the Gators' 1996 national championship season, Spurrier became the only Heisman Trophy winner to coach another Heisman Trophy winner.

In recognition to his contributions to the university and its football program, the University of Florida officially renamed the Gators' home field "Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium" in 2016.[4]

Early life

Spurrier was born on April 20, 1945, in Miami Beach, Florida.[5] He is the second son of a Presbyterian minister, J. Graham Spurrier, and his wife Marjorie.[6] Graham Spurrier changed congregations repeatedly during Steve's early childhood, resulting in several moves for the family. The Spurriers left Miami Beach before Steve's first birthday, moving to Charlotte, North Carolina to live near his paternal grandparents. His father accepted pastorships in Athens, Tennessee and then Newport, Tennessee before settling in Johnson City, Tennessee in 1957, when Steve Spurrier was 12 years old.[7] The youngest Spurrier began to earn his reputation as a good athlete and a fierce competitor in Johnson City, impressing his peers and his older brother's friends with his tenacity in sandlot sports.[8]

Spurrier's skills as a young baseball player caused a local businessman to talk the Reverend Spurrier into coaching the Little League team sponsored by his business so that Spurrier's son would be on the squad.[7] The younger Spurrier has often repeated an anecdote about playing baseball on a team coached by his father. "How many of you believe that it's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game, that counts?" the elder Spurrier once asked his players. When some raised their hands, he told them, "Well, I don't believe in that saying. If they're keeping score, we're going to play to win."[9]

Playing career

Science Hill High School

Spurrier attended Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee,[10] where he was played football, basketball and baseball for the Science Hill Hilltoppers and was an all-state selection in all three sports.[6] Spurrier had an undefeated record in three years as a high school starting pitcher and led his team to two consecutive state baseball championships.[6][11] On the basketball court, Spurrier played point guard and was known for his ability to run his team's offense with flashy passes and dribbling and his knack for scoring in many different ways, attributes which helped his team win two conference championships. He averaged 22 points per game during his senior season and was named the conference player of the year.[8][11]

Many observers in Johnson City thought that Spurrier's best sport in high school was basketball, and his father thought that he was best at baseball.[12][13] While Spurrier agreed that basketball and baseball came more naturally, he preferred playing football, and he became the Hilltopper's starting quarterback during his junior year.[12][11] Coach Kermit Tipton installed a passing offense to take advantage of Spurrier's talents and, unusually for a high school team, occasionally allowed the young quarterback to call plays on the field.[8] Boosted by a post-season game at the end of his senior year in which he brought his team back from a 21–0 second-half deficit to win 28–21, Spurrier was a high school All-American and drew the attention of many college programs.[12]

Spurrier's achievements in multiple sports earned him induction into the National Federation of State High School Associations's National High School Hall of Fame.[11][14]

University of Florida

Recruitment

After winning multiple all-state honors in high school, Spurrier was recruited in one or more sports by many colleges, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Kentucky, Duke, South Carolina, and both Air Force and Army.[15] However, he was not aggressively pursued as a football player by the coaching staff at the University of Tennessee in nearby Knoxville because at the time, Tennessee ran a wing-T offense that featured a running quarterback while Spurrier was an excellent passer.[16] While Tennessee never officially offered him a football scholarship, Volunteers basketball coach Ray Mears offered Spurrier a scholarship, which he declined since he preferred to play football.[12]

University of Florida coach Ray Graves heard about Spurrier late in the recruiting process from his brother Edwin, who was the postmaster in Knoxville, and visited Johnson City in February 1963. Spurrier and his family got along well with Graves, and Steve visited the Florida campus in Gainesville the following week. He received a favorable first impression of Gainesville when he arrived to find warm sunshine after leaving freezing temperatures in Tennessee, and thought more highly of Graves when the coach stayed by his side in the school infirmary after Spurrier's cold worsened into the flu during his recruiting visit.[12] Graves did not promise Spurrier that he would be his starting quarterback, but he told the star recruit that he fit into his coaching staff's plan to open up the Gator offense and would be given a fair opportunity to earn the job.[12] Soon after returning home, Spurrier decided to attend the University of Florida because of "the passing, the SEC, the weather, and coach Ray Graves."[16]

 
Spurrier (11) in 1964

1963–64

NCAA rules in the 1960s forbade college freshmen from participating in varsity sports competition. Spurrier therefore spent his first year at Florida practicing with the varsity team and playing on the freshman team, which scheduled four scrimmages against other schools' freshman squads as a way for young players to gain experience. In 1963, Spurrier led the "Baby Gators" to a 45–12 victory over Georgia's freshman team at Florida Field, a game which he half-jokingly claims as a home win against the Gators' fiercest rivals.[4][12]

Spurrier was in competition for the starting quarterback position leading up to his sophomore year of 1964 until a serious knee injury suffered during spring drills allowed returning senior starter Tommy Shannon to keep the job.[17] Coach Ray Graves still felt the need to get the future star on the field, so he decided to alternate Shannon and Spurrier as the flow of the game dictated.[18] Spurrier entered the season-opening game against SMU in the second quarter. After two unsuccessful running plays called from the sidelines put the Gators in a third down and long situation, Coach Graves told Spurrier to call the next play himself. The young quarterback responded by completing a fifty-six yard screen pass on his first collegiate attempt and another pass for a touchdown on his second pass.[19] Spurrier would add another touchdown pass during the second half of his varsity debut.[20] The following week on the road at Mississippi State, Spurrier entered a tied game late in the fourth quarter and led the Gators down the field for a game-winning field goal.[17]

 
Spurrier in 1965

Spurrier continued to alternate with starter Tommy Shannon as the season progressed, gaining more playing time every week. After being named SEC Back of the Week for a two touchdown performance in a 30-14 upset over Ole Miss in October, Spurrier was given the starting nod for the undefeated Gators' next game against undefeated and #3 ranked and eventual national champion Alabama in Tuscaloosa.[21] Though Spurrier threw a touchdown pass and was the Gators' offensive star, his team fell short when another late fourth quarter comeback attempt ended in a missed field goal and a 17-14 Alabama win.[22] Spurrier remained the Gators' starter for the remainder of the season and was sometimes brilliant but inconsistent. He led the Gators to a 14–0 home win over rival Auburn and a 20-6 upset of #7 LSU in Baton Rouge, but he did not play well in losses to rivals Georgia and Florida State. Nevertheless, he was named the SEC's Sophomore of the Year for 1964.[23]

1965–66

 
Spurrier and the Gators v. Georgia, 1966

Spurrier was the Gators' starting quarterback and team leader in 1965 and 1966. He finished his three-year, thirty-one-game college career having completed 392 of 692 attempts for 4,848 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, breaking every UF and many conference records for passing and total offense.[24] In addition to being a stellar passer, Spurrier gained notoriety by playing his best under pressure; eight times during his college career, he led the Gators to fourth-quarter comeback wins.[19] The most memorable example was a November 1966 game against Auburn, when, after leading the team down the field on a two minute drill, he waved off Florida's regular placekicker and booted a forty-yard field goal, giving the Gators a 30–27 win and likely securing himself the Heisman Trophy.[25] This penchant for dramatic comebacks prompted John Logue of the Atlanta Constitution to famously write "Blindfolded, with his back to the wall, with his hands tied behind him, Steve Spurrier would be a two-point favorite at his own execution."[26]

 
A statue of Steve Spurrier outside of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

As a junior, Spurrier was named a Football Writers Association of America first-team All-American and is still the only player from the losing team to be named the MVP of the Sugar Bowl after passing for a record 352 yards in leading a furious fourth-quarter rally that fell just short.[24][note 1] As a senior, Spurrier was awarded many national recognitions, including the 1966 Heisman Trophy and Walter Camp Memorial Trophy, and was a unanimous first-team All-American.[28][29][30] He was also the 1966 recipient of Florida's Fergie Ferguson Award, which recognizes the "senior football player who displays outstanding leadership, character and courage."[24]

Though the 9-2 1966 season was one of the best in program football history up to that point (along with the 1928 Florida Gators football team), the Gators fell short of their elusive first conference title due to a 27-10 upset loss to arch-rival Georgia, a loss that Spurrier would remember when he returned as Florida's coach and made beating Georgia a priority.[31][32]

In 2006, Spurrier was recognized by The Gainesville Sun as the No. 2 player of the first century of the Gators football program.[33]

Spurrier was among the test subjects who was given a prototype for what would become Gatorade during the 1965 season. Spurrier was unsure of whether or not the beverage had a substantial impact on the team's success.[34]

National Football League

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers selected Spurrier with the third overall pick of the 1967 NFL/AFL Draft, trading up to land the star quarterback.[35] Spurrier was told by team officials that he was being prepped to replace veteran 49ers quarterback and frequent All-Pro John Brodie in "four or five years", a situation which negatively affected his motivation. "I was not a very ambitious player", Spurrier admitted in his 2016 autobiography.[12]

Spurrier had few opportunities to play and fewer to start early in his pro career, and he did not play very well when he got on the field. He attempted less than five passes over the entire season in three out of his first five years in the NFL, and he did not throw a touchdown pass until his third pro season.[36] Instead, he settled into the role of backup quarterback and starting punter.[12]

Spurrier's first extended opportunity came in 1972, when an injured ankle left Brodie unable to play for over a month.[37] San Francisco was 2–3 when Spurrier became the starter, and he led the team to a 6–1–1 record, throwing sixteen touchdowns over eight games and putting them in a position to make the playoffs.[38] Spurrier continued to start even after Brodie had recovered. However, when he threw three interceptions in the first half of the regular-season finale, Brodie entered the game and led a second-half comeback that clinched a playoff spot. Head coach Dick Nolan chose to start Brodie in the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys, whom the 49ers had beaten 31–10 on Thanksgiving Day in Texas with Spurrier starting.[39] Spurrier did not make an appearance in the playoff rematch, and the Cowboys intercepted Brodie twice on their way to a 30–28 victory that ended the 49ers' season.[40]

Spurrier next had an opportunity to start in the fifth game of the 1973 season, when he replaced a slumping Brodie against the Minnesota Vikings. Teammates later claimed that Spurrier drew new plays in the huddle in the snow at old Metropolitan Stadium on his way to a team-record 31 completions and 320 passing yards, but he also tossed two interceptions, and the 49ers lost 17–14.[28][41] Spurrier's lingering knee injury flared up after the game, so 49ers Coach Nolan decided to start third-stringer Joe Reed the following week, and Spurrier played sparingly the remainder of the season.

Spurrier had successful knee surgery in the offseason and, with his NFL contract expired, listened to offers from teams in the new World Football League.[40] However, Brodie had retired, and as the heir apparent to the 49ers' starting quarterback position in 1974, Spurrier decided to re-sign with San Francisco. Spurrier played well in the preseason and had seemingly secured the starting job, but these plans were derailed when he suffered a badly dislocated shoulder in the final preseason game. The injury required surgery, and he missed virtually the entire season. A serious offseason traffic accident reaggravated the injury, and Spurrier was again the 49ers backup quarterback to start the 1975 season, this time to veteran Norm Snead.[40]

The 49ers began the 1975 season with a 2–5 record, prompting Spurrier to ask Nolan for a chance to start against the Los Angeles Rams, who had dominated the rivalry during his tenure in San Francisco. Nolan agreed, and Spurrier led his team to a 24–23 comeback win, throwing for 240 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in what he later called his "best, or at least favorite" game of his pro career.[12] The performance earned him the starting job, and the 49ers won the next two games behind Spurrier to get back to 5–5. However, they lost their next four games, Spurrier was sent back to the bench, and Coach Nolan was fired at the conclusion of the season. Incoming coach Monte Clark traded multiple high draft picks for New England Patriots' quarterback Jim Plunkett, making it clear that Spurrier would not be a part of the 49ers' rebuilding plans. Overall, he was 13–12–1 as a starter with San Francisco.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In April 1976, Spurrier was sent to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for two players and a second-round draft pick as part of the new franchise's first trade.[40] The Buccaneers' new acquisition generated local excitement, as Spurrier had been a college star at the nearby University of Florida. He won the job as team's first starting quarterback,[42] a title that he later regretted, as the undermanned Bucs went on to suffer the first winless season (0–14) in modern NFL history. Though he had looked forward to playing professional football in Florida, Spurrier was frustrated by the losses, the constant hits absorbed while playing behind a porous offensive line, and his philosophical differences with Bucs coach John McKay.[40] McKay insisted on employing a run-heavy attack similar to the offense he had used to win championships with the USC Trojans, while Spurrier felt that the team did not have the right personnel to run the ball effectively and should employ a more pass-oriented offense.[43][44] Another point of contention was Coach McKay's insistence that his son, John McKay, Jr., be the Bucs' primary wide receiver while Spurrier and other observers felt that he did not have the talent to fill that role.[12][40][43]

The Bucs cut Spurrier in April 1977, a move that left him "puzzled and disappointed" since he had been working out with the team up to that point and had not been told that his release was imminent.[45] He signed with the Denver Broncos in July and was released after playing in several preseason games, then briefly signed with the Miami Dolphins but was released in the last round of cuts before the beginning of the 1977 regular season, at which point he decided to end his playing career.[40]

Over 10 NFL seasons, Spurrier played in 106 games (starting 38), completing 597 passes in 1,151 attempts, for a total of 6,878 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions. He also punted 230 times for a 38.3-yard average.[46]

Coaching career

Assistant coach

Florida (1978)

Spurrier spent fall 1977 out of football, living in Gainesville with his young family and considering possible career choices. While not officially connected with the University of Florida at the time, he was often on campus, running at the university's track and attending football games as a fan.[40] He watched the Gators play to a 6–4–1 record in 1977, a season that prompted head coach Doug Dickey to scrap the wishbone-based run-heavy attack that his teams had used for several years with declining success in favor of a more open pro-style offense. To effect this change, Dickey revamped his offensive staff, and he hired Spurrier to his first coaching job as Florida's quarterbacks and receivers coach.[47]

The changes did not bring many positive results. While Florida's passing attack improved and former option quarterback Cris Collinsworth was named to the All-SEC team as a wide receiver under Spurrier's tutelage,[48] the 1978 Gators' overall scoring output was almost identical to that of 1977 at about 22 points per game. The team's record also slumped to 4–7, leading to Dickey's dismissal.[49][50] Spurrier expressed an interest in becoming Florida's next head coach but was not a serious candidate due to his lack of experience, and Clemson coach Charley Pell was hired soon after the conclusion of the season.[51] Pell chose not to retain any of Dickey's coaching staff, leaving Spurrier without a job.

In later years, Spurrier has repeatedly thanked Doug Dickey for giving him a chance to get into coaching with no prior experience.[52]

Georgia Tech (1979)

Spurrier was unsure if he wanted to continue pursuing a coaching career after his unpleasant experience at Florida, stating that he would only accept a position "if the opportunity was really right."[51] In 1979, he accepted an offer to become the quarterbacks coach at Georgia Tech under head coach Pepper Rodgers, who had been an offensive assistant at Florida when Spurrier was the quarterback.[53]

Like Dickey at Florida, Rodgers sought to shift Georgia Tech's offense from a wishbone attack to a more passing-oriented offense. And also like Dickey, Rodgers's efforts did not produce immediate results. The Yellow Jackets began the season 1-5-1 and did not score more than 14 points against a Division I-A opponent over its first seven games. Spurrier, who had not been tasked with constructing a game plan and had seldom been allowed to call plays up to that point, asked Coach Rodgers for a larger role on the staff and was allowed to take control of the offense for the eighth game of the season, against Duke.[12] Georgia Tech surprised Duke with a more aggressive offense than they'd run all year, and the Yellow Jackets won, 24–14. With Spurrier continuing to call plays, Georgia Tech won the next two games as well, scoring over 20 points in both contests and setting a Georgia Tech record for passing yardage in a season. But the campaign ended with a 16–3 loss to archrival Georgia, dropping Georgia Tech to 4-6-1 overall and leading to Rodgers' dismissal.[54]

Spurrier asked incoming head coach Bill Curry if he would be retained as Georgia Tech's quarterback coach and was told that he was one of "two or three" candidates for the job, prompting him to seek employment elsewhere.[12] Spurrier would not forget being dismissed by Curry in 1980. In later years, Spurrier repeatedly mentioned his perfect record (6-0) against Curry's teams when they met as head coaches, often by very lopsided margins.[55][56]

Duke (1980–1982)

In 1980, Spurrier was hired to be the offensive coordinator at Duke University by head coach Red Wilson, who had been impressed by Spurrier's coaching abilities the previous season when Georgia Tech had upset Wilson's Duke squad. Wilson gave the young coach free rein to design the offense, coach the quarterbacks, and call the plays, and Spurrier met the challenge by developing a record-breaking offense that Duke fans nicknamed "Air Ball". Under Spurrier, Blue Devils quarterback Ben Bennett set an NCAA record for career passing yardage, receiver Chris Castor was named ACC player of the year, and Duke's 1982 team became the first in Atlantic Coast Conference history to average more than 300 passing yards per game.[57][58] Duke earned two straight winning seasons in 1981 and 1982, a feat that the program had not achieved since 1970 and 1971 and would not achieve again until Spurrier returned as the school's head football coach later in the decade. They also upset Tennessee in Knoxville 25–24 in 1982 on an 88-yard touchdown pass during Spurrier's first return to the state as an opponent.[59]

In later years, Spurrier has stated that his seasons working to get maximum production out of outmanned Duke squads were critical to his development as a coach and an offensive strategist.[12][59] Success at a school not known for its football program also built Spurrier's reputation as an innovative young offensive coach who could improvise and succeed without seeming to work very hard.[40] Duke quarterback Ben Bennett recalls Spurrier diagraming a trick halfback option play with his cereal on the morning before a game, and the play going for a 60-yard touchdown pass that afternoon. During another game, Spurrier devised a new pass play on the sideline which Duke ran for a touchdown on their next offensive possession. Coach Wilson had not seen the play before, and when he asked Spurrier what play he'd called, the young assistant replied "Touchdown, coach."[60]

Head coach

Tampa Bay Bandits (1983–1985)

In 1983, Spurrier returned to Tampa to accept his first head coaching position with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the new United States Football League (USFL). At 37 years old, Spurrier was the youngest head coach in professional football at the time.[61]

"BanditBall" was marketed as a fun alternative to the woeful Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were in the midst of a record-setting streak of losing seasons. Spurrier's wide-open offense was prominently featured, as was starting quarterback John Reaves, who had broken many of Spurrier's passing records at the University of Florida and had grown up in Tampa.[40] The Bandits' attendance was the highest in the USFL over its three-year run, and Spurrier's offenses were consistently among the league's best.[62] The team narrowly missed the playoffs in their first season and made the postseason the next two years. Overall, Spurrier led the Bandits to 35–21 record before the USFL dissolved after the 1985 season.[53]

Duke (1987–1989)

Spurrier spent 1986 out of football as the USFL's planned move to a fall schedule never took place. When it became clear that the Bandits would not retake the field, Spurrier began to seek new coaching opportunities. He interviewed to be the head coach at Mississippi State, but was passed over in favor of Rockey Felker. He also sought to be the head coach at LSU, but was passed over in favor of Mike Archer.[40][63]

Finally, Spurrier returned to Duke University as the Blue Devils' new head coach and offensive coordinator in 1987.[53] Spurrier proceeded to raise the Blue Devils to levels of success that the program had not realized in over twenty-five years. His offenses broke numerous school and conference records for scoring, passing yards, and total yards, many of which had been set during his tenure as Duke's offensive coordinator. His 1989 Duke squad was the most successful, winning Duke's first Atlantic Coast Conference championship since 1962 (and most recent to date), and appearing in their first bowl game since 1960.[64]

In what would become a recurring trend at most of his coaching stops, Spurrier's teams regularly beat their biggest rivals while he brashly "needled" them with jokes and "zingers" that were amusing to his fans but infuriating to opponents.[65] Spurrier's Duke squads went 3–0 against archrival North Carolina, including a 41–0 victory in Chapel Hill that clinched a share of the 1989 ACC title. At Spurrier's suggestion, that win was followed by a joyful team picture taken in front of the Kenan Memorial Stadium scoreboard, a photo that still rankles some Tar Heel supporters.[64]

For his success, Spurrier was named the ACC Coach of the Year in both 1988 and 1989.[66]

Florida (1990–2001)

In December 1989, Spurrier accepted an offer to return to the University of Florida as the Gators' "head ball coach."[67][68][69] He had privately expressed interest in the job in early October, when Florida coach Galen Hall was fired mid-season for his alleged involvement in an NCAA rules violation and prominent Gator boosters reached out to Spurrier.[12] However, he delayed any further discussion at that time to concentrate on coaching Duke.[12] After the Blue Devils clinched the ACC championship in their last regular season game, Spurrier met with University of Florida president Robert Bryan and athletic director Bill Arnsparger, and he agreed in principle to return to Florida on December 12.[67]

Spurrier asked to delay an official announcement until both Florida and Duke had played in their respective bowl games. As rumors swirled, however, Spurrier broke the news to his Duke team on December 27, the night before they played in the 1989 All-American Bowl.[70] They played poorly and lost, and Spurrier later decided that he should have waited to tell his team until after the game, and that when it came to coaching jobs, "it's best to make your decision and move on quickly".[12] Spurrier was officially announced as Florida's new football coach on December 31, 1989.[71][72]

During his introductory press conference on New Year's Eve 1989, Spurrier said that he wanted to immediately change several things, including bringing back blue jerseys (Florida had switched from traditional blue to orange in 1979 under Charley Pell), bringing back natural grass to Florida Field (artificial turf had been installed in the early 1970s), and putting Miami back on the schedule (the schools' annual series had ended after the 1987 game).[12][73][note 2] He stressed the need to beat traditional rivals Auburn, Georgia, and Florida State, against whom Florida had gone 0-9 over the previous three seasons. Finally, he worked to convince Gator players and fans alike that it was possible to win championships at Florida, which had still never won an officially recognized conference title in 83 years of football.[74] To that effect, he put together a booklet called "The Gator Mentality", in which is collected coaching tips and theories that he used himself along with inspirational quotes he shared with his players.[41][12][75]

Spurrier inherited a team under NCAA investigation for the second time in five years.[76] He successfully steered the program away from the previous scandals and led the Gators to the best record in the SEC in his first year, though they were declared ineligible for the league title due to NCAA probation handed down during the season. Building on the success of Spurrier's first year, Florida finally captured their first officially recognized SEC title in 1991.[6] Under Spurrier, the Gators represented the SEC East in the first five SEC Championship Games, winning four of them.[6] The 1996 team captured the Gators' first-ever National Championship with a 52–20 win over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl,[77] avenging the Gators' sole regular-season loss in which Florida State upset Florida 24–21 in Tallahassee.[6]

 
Steve Spurrier on Fan Day, 1999

Spurrier's finest moment as a coach may have been the Gators' 1997 game against the previously undefeated and national title game-bound Florida State Seminoles.[78] Spurrier used a two-quarterback offense, rotating quarterbacks Doug Johnson and Noah Brindise in and out of the game, confusing the Florida State defense and its veteran coordinator, Mickey Andrews, and giving Spurrier more time to counsel his quarterbacks on the sidelines without having to use time-outs.[78] Florida upset the heavily favored Seminoles 32–29.[78]

Significantly, Spurrier is credited with changing the way the SEC played football. Spurrier employed a pass-oriented offense (known in the sports media as the "Fun 'n' Gun")[79] in contrast to the ball-control, rush-oriented offenses that were traditionally played in the SEC. His innovative offensive schemes forced many coaches in the SEC to change their offensive and defensive play-calling.

While his offensive style used a more wide-open passing game than the SEC was accustomed to, Spurrier was also able to utilize a constant group of talented running backs. Many of them would later go on to have success at the NFL level, including Errict Rhett, Fred Taylor, Terry Jackson, and Earnest Graham.

Spurrier and his Gators accomplished a number of memorable feats during his twelve seasons in Gainesville (1990–2001), including:

  • Won one national championship (1996), and played for another (1995).[6]
  • Won six SEC championships (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000).[6]
  • Named SEC Coach of the Year five times (1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996).[6]
  • First Heisman Trophy-winner to coach a Heisman Trophy-winner (Danny Wuerffel).[6]
  • Won at least nine games in each of his twelve seasons, one of only three coaches in major college history to do so.[6]
  • Averaged more than ten wins per season.[6]
  • Ranked in the final top fifteen in each of his twelve seasons, including nine top-ten finishes, five final top-five rankings, and an average end-of-season ranking of 6.8.[6]
  • Appeared among the top twenty-five teams in the weekly polls 202 of a possible 203 weeks, including each of his last 202 consecutive weeks. The Gators were ranked number one in the polls twenty-nine times, appeared among the top five team for 117 weeks, and among the nation's top ten teams for 179 weeks.[6]
  • Appeared in a bowl game in each of his last eleven seasons—every season in which the Gators were eligible—one of only five schools to do so during the same time period.[6]
  • Only coach in major college history to win as many as 120 games in his first twelve seasons at one school (an overall record of 122–27–1, with a winning percentage of .8167).[6]
  • One of only two coaches in major college history to win ten or more games in six consecutive seasons (1993–1998).[6]
  • Only college football team to score at least 500 points, including bowl games, for four consecutive years (1993–1996) since the NCAA began keeping statistics in 1937.[6]

Spurrier is also credited with creating the nickname "The Swamp" for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the Gators' home field. In the early 1990s, he said, ". . . a swamp is where Gators live. We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous. Only Gators get out alive."[80] Soon after becoming head coach, he insisted that the artificial turf then in use at the stadium be replaced with natural grass, and the "Swamp" remains a natural surface field today.[71] During Spurrier's tenure, the Gators built up one of the most formidable home-field advantages in the nation; they would not lose a home SEC game until 1994, and would only suffer two more home losses to conference opponents during his 12-year run. Largely due to the formidable home-field advantage Spurrier built, he is by far the winningest coach in Florida history as his 122 wins are 52 more than runner-up Graves.

Spurrier was known for his gamesmanship while coaching Florida, doing such things as giving much-derided Georgia coach Ray Goff the nickname of "Ray Goof."[81][82] His rivalry with the Tennessee Volunteers and their coach Phillip Fulmer became highly publicized, as Spurrier would gig the Volunteers after the Gators' wins over Tennessee, saying that "you can't spell 'Citrus' without 'UT,'" a reference to the Citrus Bowl, which has the contractual right to select the second-place SEC football team. He also said of Peyton Manning, Tennessee's quarterback, "I know why Peyton came back for his senior year: he wanted to be a three-time Citrus Bowl MVP!"[81]

Other memorable one-liners from Steve Spurrier included nicknaming rival Florida State University, "Free Shoes University", for the Seminoles' NCAA troubles with recruiting violations.[81]

On January 4, 2002, Spurrier abruptly resigned as head coach, stating, "I simply believe that twelve years as head coach at a major university in the SEC is long enough."[83]

Before Spurrier returned to coach his Gamecocks against the Gators in 2006 and 2008, his most recent visits to Gainesville were on September 2, 2006, to take part in the Gators' celebration of the 10-year anniversary of their 1996 championship season,[84] and on September 30, 2006, when he was one of the first four inductees into the Gator Football Ring of Honor, alongside Danny Wuerffel, Emmitt Smith, and Jack Youngblood.[85] At both appearances, Spurrier received standing ovations from the crowd.[85]

Spurrier retains a deep affection and loyalty for his alma mater, and sometimes still accidentally says "we" when referring to the University of Florida. The feeling is mutual; he remains very much in the good graces of Gator fans for building their program into a perennial national power.[86] When he was inducted into the Gators' "Ring of Honor", Spurrier humbly announced to the sell-out crowd at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: "I'd just like to thank coach Ray Graves for bringing the skinny kid from Tennessee to the University of Florida."[87] Additionally, in 2016, the university added his name to the playing surface at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium; it is now Steve Spurrier-Florida Field.

Spurrier has not let his affection for the University of Florida get in the way of a budding Florida-South Carolina rivalry, however. In 2005, his Gamecocks upset the Gators 30–22 in Columbia, costing the Gators a shot at the SEC championship.[88] And in November 2010, he coached South Carolina to a 36–14 victory in Gainesville (their first ever on Florida Field) in a game that decided the SEC Eastern Division title.[89]

Washington Redskins (2002–2003)

Ten days after Spurrier resigned his position at the University of Florida, he became head coach of the NFL's Washington Redskins.[90] Spurrier's five-year, $25 million contract with the Redskins was the most lucrative coaching contract in the history of the NFL at the time.[90]

A fast start to the 2002 season raised hopes for Spurrier's potential success. The Redskins led off the preseason in Japan, where they beat the San Francisco 49ers 38–7 in the American Bowl. The team threw for over 400 yards and was accused of running up the score, a charge frequently leveled against Spurrier at Florida.[91] The Redskins went 4–1 in the preseason (including a 40–10 win in Tampa against Spurrier's last professional team, the Buccaneers[92]) and won the first game of the regular season 31–23, with Shane Matthews throwing for 327 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals.[93] However, subsequent opponents were able to slow Spurrier's offense, mainly by using disguised blitzes to disrupt the passing game. By the end of the season, the Redskins were ranked 25th (out of 32 teams) in scoring offense and finished with a 7–9 record. It was only Spurrier's second losing campaign in 18 years as a head coach, the first being his first year at Duke.

In 2003, the Redskins started 2–0 but finished 5–11, with several close losses coming down to the 4th quarter. The offense was a bit improved, but the departure of defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis to become the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals saw the defense fade from 5th in scoring defense during the previous season to 24th in 2003. The team as a whole faded late in the season, and were outscored 85–31 over their last three games. Spurrier resigned on December 30, 2003, choosing to walk away from $15 million still owed to him over the remaining three years of his contract. In a statement released by the team, Spurrier said "I apologize to Redskins fans that we did not reach a level of success that we had all hoped... It's a long grind and I feel (that) after 20 years as a head coach there are other things I need to do. I simply believe this is the right time for me to move on because this team needs new leadership."[94]

Spurrier's disappointing tenure as an NFL head coach has been heavily scrutinized and analysed. During his first season in Washington, Spurrier brought in several of his former stars from Florida, including quarterbacks Danny Wuerffel and Shane Matthews, leading to criticism that he played favorites. Also criticized was his decision to bring along most of his coaching staff from Florida even though they had little or no experience coaching professional football (the exception being Marvin Lewis, who was a veteran NFL coach).[95] As the 2002 season progressed, an increasing number of philosophical, strategic, and player personnel differences began to cause a rift between Spurrier and the Washington front office, including team owner Daniel Snyder.[96][97] Snyder pushed for the drafting of Tulane quarterback Patrick Ramsey in the 2002 NFL Draft, and though Spurrier said that he would not play Ramsey very much during his rookie season, the coach was pressured to use him by team officials, and Ramsey was starting by game 4.[98] The quarterback position continued to be a source of friction, particularly when, over Spurrier's objections, the front office decided to release Wuerffel before the start of Spurrier's second season.[99][100] Spurrier later said that he "knew it was over" when he "wasn't allowed to pick the backup quarterback".[98]

Spurrier spoke about his NFL coaching experience during SEC Media Days in 2014. "When I left Florida after 12 years, I thought I was going to coach in the NFL five or six years and retire to the beach, and play golf a bunch, and travel around, this, that and the other. But that was a bad plan. It was. Later you found out that was not a real good idea. But that's the way I was thinking back then.".[101] After retiring from coaching, Spurrier further reflected on his NFL stint in several interviews. In a 2016 appearance on the Paul Finebaum Show, Spurrier reflected that the Redskins might not have been the best choice for his jump to the NFL. "I went to the team that offered the most money instead of the best situation", he said.[102] And in 2015, he told David Feherty that, "The owner and the personnel guys, they picked the team. I couldn’t even pick the quarterback the second year. So I knew it wasn’t going to work, but that's ok. I probably didn’t do a very good job, and the situation wasn’t what I was looking for, so it was time to move on."[103] In an interview with The Washington Post in 2019, Spurrier said of his time in Washington that "I did a lousy job. The GM did a lousy job. He happened to be the owner, so who needed to go?"[104]

South Carolina (2005–2015)

Throughout the 2004 football season, various sources openly speculated about Spurrier returning to coach in the college ranks once again, preferably for a program located in the southeastern United States and even more preferably, somewhere in his beloved Southeastern Conference.[105] The University of Florida was in the process of taking applications for a new coach after Spurrier's successor at Florida, Ron Zook, was fired following the 2004 season.[106] The timing seemed perfect for Spurrier's return to the Gators and Spurrier initially said that he wanted to be considered for his old job, but later removed his name from consideration stating that "12 years at Florida was probably long enough."[107] Soon afterwards, rumors began circulating that South Carolina Gamecocks' Athletic Director, Mike McGee, was actively pursuing Spurrier and that Spurrier was considering the Gamecocks' offer. Again, the timing was perfect and on November 22, South Carolina coach Lou Holtz announced his retirement and, during his final press conference, hinted that Spurrier might replace him.[108] The next day, months of rumors were put to rest as Spurrier was introduced as South Carolina's new head coach. Spurrier had signed a seven-year deal that paid him $1.25 million per year and the Steve Spurrier era began for the Gamecocks.[109]

In 2005, his first season as the Gamecocks' new head coach, Spurrier led his South Carolina Gamecocks with newfound humility.[110] The Gamecocks, who were not expected to have a winning season by most pundits, rattled off a five-game SEC winning streak for the first time in their fourteen-year SEC history.[111] Included among those victories were historic wins at Tennessee (16–15)[112] – the program's first win in Knoxville[112] – and against then 12th-ranked Florida (30–22),[113] who South Carolina had not beaten since 1939.[113] The Associated Press named Spurrier the SEC Coach of the Year,[53] and the Gamecocks finished the 2005 season with a 7–5 record and a trip to the Independence Bowl.[111]

Two days prior to South Carolina's 2006 season opener, Spurrier announced that he would kick off the athletics department's capital campaign with a $250,000 donation over five years.[114] Spurrier's Gamecocks opened the 2006 season with a 15–0 win over Mississippi State in Starkville,[115] where he was 0–2 while coaching the Florida Gators.[116] With the victory, he reached 150 wins for his college coaching career.[117] On September 30, Spurrier was inducted into the Gator Football Ring of Honor in a pre-game ceremony in Gainesville.[118] Later in the season on November 11, Spurrier returned to "The Swamp" to face off against his former Gators team, which was then ranked sixth in the BCS rankings.[119] Trailing 17–16, the Gamecocks had a chance to win with a 48-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the game.[119] However, Ryan Succop's kick was blocked as time expired in a repeat of an earlier blocked extra-point attempt.[119]

In the final game of the 2006 regular season, Spurrier led the Gamecocks to victory over in-state rival Clemson at Death Valley.[120] Trailing 28–14 in the third quarter, South Carolina scored seventeen unanswered points to lead 31–28.[121] With only seconds remaining, Clemson's field goal attempt missed wide left and the Gamecocks celebrated their first victory over Clemson in five years.[120][122]

On December 2, 2006, amid speculation he was a candidate for head coaching jobs at Miami and Alabama, Spurrier received a contract extension through 2012 and a raise from $1.25 million to $1.75 million annually.[123] Spurrier and the Gamecocks went on to defeat the Houston Cougars in the Liberty Bowl on December 29, and finished the season 8–5.[115] All five of the Gamecocks' 2006 losses were to ranked opponents.[124] Spurrier became the first head coach in Gamecock football history to take a team to a bowl game in each of his first two seasons.[125]

The 2007 football season, got off to a quick start winning at SEC rival Georgia early in the season as well as Louisiana-Lafayette and South Carolina State, and climbed into the top 10 in the national rankings. South Carolina stumbled down the stretch dropping the final five games, including a home loss in the season finale to arch-rival Clemson. The 6-6 (3-5 SEC) season record marked the first non-winning college season for Spurrier since his first season at Duke in 1987.[126][127]

 
Spurrier stands on the sidelines during the Gamecocks' November 15, 2008 game against Florida.

Spurrier won his 100th SEC game on October 11, 2008, coaching the Gamecocks to a 24–17 victory over Kentucky.[128] In his ten seasons as the Gamecocks' head coach, Spurrier has beaten each of South Carolina's traditional SEC Eastern Division rivals at least five times.[125] Against their annual SEC Eastern Division opponents, his ten teams have posted an 8–2 record against Kentucky, 8–2 against Vanderbilt, 5–5 against Tennessee, 5–5 against Georgia, 5–5 against Florida, and 2–1 against Missouri who began competing in the SEC in 2012.[125] Against South Carolina's major in-state rival, Clemson, Spurrier's Gamecocks have gone 6–4.[125] While Spurrier's teams at South Carolina have shown flashes of his old "Fun 'n' Gun" offense, they have mostly relied on stout defense to win upsets. The Gamecocks have been bowl eligible every year Spurrier has been their head coach, a feat no other Carolina coach has accomplished. Also, the Gamecocks have been ranked in the AP Poll Top 25 at some point during the season in nine out of Spurrier's ten years at South Carolina .

In 2009, Steve Spurrier’s Gamecocks upset #4 Ole Miss 16-10 in Columbia, their first victory over a Top 5 team.

Spurrier's Gamecocks won the SEC Eastern Division championship for the first time in school history in 2010, clinching the title with a convincing 36–14 victory at "The Swamp" over the Florida Gators. It was a season of firsts for South Carolina, including their first win at Florida, first win over a No. 1 ranked team (Alabama), and first time sweeping the November "Orange Crush" portion of their schedule with wins over Tennessee, Florida and Clemson. Following a 9–3 regular season and an appearance in the SEC championship game, Spurrier was named SEC Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches in the conference.[129]

The Gamecocks had another strong season in 2011, beating every opponent in the division. However, losses to Arkansas and Auburn cost them a return appearance in the SEC title game. With a 34–13 rout of Clemson, the Gamecocks won 10 games for only the second time in their 119-year football history. In the 2012 Capital One Bowl, the Gamecocks dispatched Nebraska 30-13 to win their school-record 11th game. They also finished eighth in the AP Poll and ninth in the Coaches' Poll—their first top-ten finishes in a major media poll in school history.

In 2012 Spurrier led the Gamecocks to their second-consecutive regular season with double-digit wins—something no Gamecock team had ever achieved. The 2012 regular season culminated with the annual season-ending game against Clemson at Clemson's Memorial Stadium. Spurrier and his Gamecocks emerged with a fourth consecutive double-digit victory over the Tigers. That win was also Spurrier's 65th win with the Gamecocks, vaulting him past Rex Enright to become the winningest coach in South Carolina's history. Spurrier led the Gamecocks to a thrilling 33–28 victory in the 2013 Outback Bowl against the winningest program in college football, the Michigan Wolverines. The victory elevated the Gamecocks to an 11–2 record for the 2nd consecutive season. Additionally, by finishing 8th in the Associated Press poll and 7th in the Coaches poll, South Carolina finished in Top 10 of both polls for the second year in a row.

During the 2013 season, Spurrier led his Gamecocks to a third consecutive 11–2 record. Only two other programs (Alabama and Oregon) have won 11 or more games each of the last three seasons (2011–13). During the season, the Gamecocks defeated three teams that finished ranked in the Top 10 in the final AP Poll (Missouri, University of Central Florida, and Clemson). The Gamecocks were the only team to accomplish this feat. They also became the first and only team to defeat two teams that won BCS bowl games. Following their 34–24 win over Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl, the Gamecocks were ranked 4th in the final AP Poll,[130] setting a record for the program. This also marked the third straight year that the Gamecocks finished with a Top 10 ranking in the final AP Poll. While defeating Clemson, again, the Gamecocks ran their winning streak over their archrival to five games, which is the longest winning streak in the rivalry, for either team, since 1940. The 31–17 score marked the 5th straight double-digit margin of victory over their ACC foe. Also, for the 5th straight year, the Gamecocks defense held the Tigers to 17 points or less. They would go on to defeat Wisconsin in the Capital One bowl 34-24 and would finish the year ranked #4, their highest finish ever in a season.

The 2014 Gamecocks endured a disappointing season, going 7-6 overall and 3-5 against SEC opponents, and finishing in fifth place in their division. With 4 losses and only 2 wins by the middle of the 2015 season, Spurrier announced to his team and staff on October 12, 2015, that he had resigned as head coach. He publicly confirmed his intentions at a press conference the following day. Spurrier reiterated that he was not officially retiring, but added he would probably never coach again.[131]

The Ladies Clinic

A popular tradition, started during the Sparky Woods era at USC, occurs on the last Saturday of July when the University of South Carolina athletics department hosts the annual "Steve Spurrier Ladies Football Clinic." Only female fans are invited to attend the clinic where football coaches and players discuss the X's and O's with fans who want to understand the game better. All attendees get a tour of the football facilities, and finish the day running onto the football field through the players' tunnel accompanied by artificial smoke and theme music in the same way the team does during the season. The event was hosted by Spurrier and his wife Jerri.[132][133][134]

Orlando Apollos (2019)

In April 2018, Spurrier was named the head coach of the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), a new spring football league that was slated to begin play in February 2019. Spurrier was the first coach or player to sign with the AAF, as he thought the four to five month per year commitment made the new league a "perfect job" for him to get back into coaching, giving him an opportunity to finish his career on another winning note – "It's a mulligan in life," he explained.[135][136][104]

The AAF did not finish the season due to league-wide financial difficulties. The Apollos led the standings with a 7–1 record when the league shut down, leading Spurrier to claim that they should be named the first and only AAF "regular season champions".[137][138]

After coaching

 
Spurrier receiving the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Nikki Haley

In July 2016, Spurrier returned to the University of Florida to serve as an ambassador and consultant for the athletic program.[139] On September 3, 2016 the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was renamed to "Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium" in honor of Spurrier's achievements at the university.[140] On June 7, 2016, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley inducted Spurrier into the Order of the Palmetto, the highest honor of the South Carolina government.[141]On July 22, 2021, Steve Spurrier was inducted into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame.[142]

Since retiring from coaching, Spurrier has been a frequent contributor to sports talk shows on TV, radio, and podcasts, including his own show on SiriusXM Satellite Radio, co-hosting shows on WRUF radio in Gainesville, and appearing on many other shows.[143]

In 2021, Spurrier opened Spurrier's Gridiron Grill in the Celebration Point entertainment complex in Gainesville. The establishment is a sports bar / restaurant that features large displays of memorabilia from throughout Spurrier's playing and coaching career, including his Heisman Trophy.[144]

Personal life

Spurrier married his college sweetheart, the former Jerri Starr, on September 14, 1966, during his senior year at the University of Florida.[6] They have four children —Lisa, Amy, Steve Jr., and Scott, as well as 14 grandchildren.[28] Spurrier's oldest son, Steve Spurrier Jr., has been an assistant football coach for several years, including stints as a receivers coach on his father's staffs in Washington and South Carolina. After his father retired in 2015, Steve Jr. joined Bob Stoops's staff at Oklahoma.[145] Spurrier's youngest son, Scott, played wide receiver for the Gamecocks through the 2009 season.[146][147] Scott eventually joined his father as tight ends coach of the Orlando Apollos.[148]

While he was a University of Florida student, Spurrier was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity (Alpha Omega chapter), and was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame, the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame,[149] and Florida Blue Key leadership honorary. As a coach, he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa at the University of Florida in 1991.

Career statistics

College

Season Passing
Comp Att Yards Pct TD Int Rtg
1964 65 114 943 57.0 6 10 126.3
1965 148 287 1,893 51.6 14 13 114.0
1966 179 291 2,012 61.5 16 8 132.2
Total 392 692 4,848 56.6 36 31 123.7

Note: Bold indicates SEC leader[150]

NFL

Year Team Games Passing Punting
GP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD Int Rtg Punts Yards Y/P
1967 SF 14 2 0−2 23 50 46.0 211 4.2 0 7 18.4 73 2,745 37.6
1968 SF 14 0 0−0 — — — — — — — — 68 2,651 39.0
1969 SF 6 4 2−2 81 146 55.5 926 6.3 5 11 54.8 12 468 39.0
1970 SF 14 0 0−0 3 4 75.0 49 12.3 1 0 155.2 75 2,877 38.4
1971 SF 6 0 0−0 1 4 25.0 46 11.5 0 0 75.0 2 77 38.5
1972 SF 13 9 6−2–1 147 269 54.6 1,983 7.4 18 16 75.9 — — —
1973 SF 11 5 2−3 83 157 52.9 882 5.6 4 7 59.5 — — —
1974 SF 3 0 0−0 1 3 33.3 2 0.7 0 0 42.4 — — —
1975 SF 11 6 3−3 102 207 49.3 1,151 5.6 5 7 60.3 — — —
1976 TB 14 12 0−12 156 311 50.2 1,628 5.2 7 12 57.1 — — —
Total 106 38 13−24–1 597 1,151 51.9 6,878 6.0 40 60 60.1 230 8,818 38.3

Head coaching record

USFL

Team Year Regular Season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win %
TB 1983 11 7 0 .611 3rd in Central Div. Did not qualify
TB 1984 14 4 0 .778 2nd in Southern Div. 0 1 .000
TB 1985 10 8 0 .556 5th in Eastern Con. 0 1 .000
Total 35 19 0 .648 0 2 .000

College

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Duke Blue Devils (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1987–1989)
1987 Duke 5–6 2–5 7th
1988 Duke 7–3–1 3–3–1 6th
1989 Duke 8–4 6–1 T–1st L All-American
Duke: 20–13–1 11–9–1
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference) (1990–2001)
1990 Florida 9–2 6–1 1st [note 3] [note 3] [note 3] 13
1991 Florida 10–2 7–0 1st L Sugar 8 7
1992 Florida 9–4 6–2 T–1st (Eastern) W Gator† 11 10
1993 Florida 11–2 7–1 1st (Eastern) W Sugar† 4 5
1994 Florida 10–2–1 7–1 1st (Eastern) L Sugar† 7 7
1995 Florida 12–1 8–0 1st (Eastern) L Fiesta† 3 2
1996 Florida 12–1 8–0 1st (Eastern) W Sugar† 1 1
1997 Florida 10–2 6–2 T–2nd (Eastern) W Florida Citrus 6 4
1998 Florida 10–2 7–1 2nd (Eastern) W Orange† 6 5
1999 Florida 9–4 7–1 1st (Eastern) L Florida Citrus 14 12
2000 Florida 10–3 7–1 1st (Eastern) L Sugar† 11 10
2001 Florida 10–2 6–2 2nd (Eastern) W Orange† 3 3
Florida: 122–27–1 82–12
South Carolina Gamecocks (Southeastern Conference) (2005–2015)
2005 South Carolina 7–5 5–3 T–2nd (Eastern) L Independence
2006 South Carolina 8–5 3–5 5th (Eastern) W Liberty
2007 South Carolina 6–6 3–5 T–4th (Eastern)
2008 South Carolina 7–6 4–4 T–3rd (Eastern) L Outback
2009 South Carolina 7–6 3–5 T–4th (Eastern) L PapaJohns.com
2010 South Carolina 9–5 5–3 1st (Eastern) L Chick-fil-A 22 22
2011 South Carolina 11–2 6–2 2nd (Eastern) W Capital One 8 9
2012 South Carolina 11–2 6–2 3rd (Eastern) W Outback 7 8
2013 South Carolina 11–2 6–2 2nd (Eastern) W Capital One 4 4
2014 South Carolina 7–6 3–5 T–4th (Eastern) W Independence
2015 South Carolina 2–4 0–4 [note 4]
South Carolina: 86–49 44–40
Total: 228–89–2
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

NFL

Team Year Regular Season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
WAS 2002 7 9 0 .438 3rd in NFC East - - - -
WAS 2003 5 11 0 .313 3rd in NFC East - - - -
WAS Total 12 20 0 .375 0 0 .000
Total 12 20 0 .375 0 0 .000

AAF

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
ORL 2019 7 1 0 .857 1st [note 5] — — —

Coaching tree

Assistant coaches under Spurrier who became head coaches:

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Spurrier set the Sugar Bowl passing record with 352 yards in 1966 Sugar Bowl. This record would not be broken until the 1992 Sugar Bowl, when Florida quarterback Shane Matthews passed for 370 yards, and was broken again in the 1995 Sugar Bowl, when Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel passed for 394 yards, both under head coach Steve Spurrier. Coincidentally, both of Spurrier's proteges also lost their record-breaking Sugar Bowl contests. The current Sugar Bowl passing record is currently held by another Florida quarterback, Tim Tebow, who threw for 482 yards in the 2010 Sugar Bowl, which Florida won. However, Tebow played for the Gators after Spurrier had left.[27]
  2. ^ Florida's athletic administration brought back blue uniforms, installed natural grass, and signed a contract to renew the Miami rivalry before Spurrier's first Florida team took the field in 1990. However, the contract to play Miami was cancelled several months later when the SEC decided to move to an eight-game league schedule and establish the SEC Championship Game beginning in 1992.
  3. ^ a b c Florida was ineligible for the SEC title, a bowl game, and the Coaches' poll in 1990 due to NCAA violations under the previous coach.
  4. ^ Spurrier resigned on October 12, 2015.[151] Shawn Elliott was named interim head coach and led the Gamecocks to a final record of 3-9.
  5. ^ The Alliance of American Football folded after playing eight games of a planned ten-game schedule, at which point the Apollos held a two game lead in the standings.

References

  1. ^ Maloy, Brendan (August 31, 2016). "Fox News called Steve Spurrier "Head Game Coach"". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  2. ^ Pantages, Will (January 9, 2017). "Steve Spurrier Re-enters College Football HOF". floridagators.com. University of Florida.
  3. ^ D'Angelo, Tom (October 13, 2015). "Bobby Bowden calls Spurrier 'national champion at needling people'". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Low, Chris (September 4, 2016). "Swamp Sweet Swamp: Steve Spurrier is back home at Florida". ESPN. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  5. ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com, Players, Steve Spurrier. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s GatorZone.com, Football History, 2001 Roster, Steve Spurrier Biography March 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 25, 2009.
  7. ^ a b S.L. Price, "Steve Superior", Sports Illustrated (October 23, 1995). Retrieved September 15, 2009.
  8. ^ a b c Williams, Trey (October 22, 2015). "Before he was Head Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier was just a kid from Johnson City". The Johnson City News & Neighbor. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  9. ^ Longman, Jere (September 1, 2002). "With Innovation, Winning Is the Only Thing for Spurrier". The New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  10. ^ databaseFootball.com, Players, Steve Spurrier February 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 9, 2010.
  11. ^ a b c d Porter, Cody. "Spurrier's Fame Began as Three-sport Star in Tennessee". www.nfhs.org. National Federation of State High School Associations. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Spurrier, Steve with Buddy Martin (2016). Head Ball Coach: My Life in Football. New York: Blue Rider Press. ISBN 978-0399574665.
  13. ^ Haney, Travis (October 27, 2007). "Spurrier's Hometown Conflicted". The Post and Courier. Charleston, South Carolina. Retrieved September 10, 2016.
  14. ^ "Steve Spurrier to be Inducted Into NFHS Hall of Fame". TSSAA. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  15. ^ Jenkins, Henry (November 19, 1962). "Sideline Review: Spurrier Widely Sought by Colleges". Kingsport Times-News. Kingsport, Tennessee. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  16. ^ a b Gordon Weidler, "Steve's Story: New Book Unlocks Spurrier Mystery", The Gainesville Sun (September 28, 2002). Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  17. ^ a b Henry, Ran (2014). Spurrier : how the ball coach taught the South to play football. Guilford, Connecticut: Lyons Press. ISBN 9780762791842.
  18. ^ Siler, Tom (September 11, 1964). "College Football Roundup". El Paso Herald-Post. Knoxville News-Sentinel. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  19. ^ a b McEwen, Tom (1974). The Gators : a story of Florida football. Huntsville, Ala: Strode Publishers. ISBN 978-0873970259.
  20. ^ "Harper's Running Sets Florida's Pace". The Progress-Index. AP. September 20, 1964. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  21. ^ Moffitt, David (October 11, 1964). "Floridians Chew Up Ole Miss". News-Journal. UPI. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  22. ^ Land, Charles (October 25, 1964). "Alabama fights off Gators, 17–14". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 11. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  23. ^ "Spurrier Top SEC Soph". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. UPI. December 15, 1964. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  24. ^ a b c 2012 Florida Football Media Guide May 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 70, 72, 74, 75, 80, 87, 89, 92, 93, 94, 96, 98, 102, 106, 112–113, 116, 122, 124, 129, 136, 141, 142, 144–146, 149–150, 153–154, 155, 157, 165, 171, 182 (2012). Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  25. ^ S.L. Price, "Spurrier: Call Me Mastermind", Sports Illustrated (October 3, 2007). Retrieved April 8, 2010.
  26. ^ Mabe, Logan (November 14, 1996). "Heisman was Spurrier's 2nd Best Catch". The Gainesville Sun. pp. 1C, 6C. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
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Bibliography

  • Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). ISBN 0-7948-2298-3.
  • Chastain, Bill (2002). The Steve Spurrier Story: From Heisman to Head Ballcoach. Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 978-0878333165.
  • Golenbock, Peter, Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory, Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). ISBN 0-9650782-1-3.
  • Hairston, Jack, Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told, Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). ISBN 1-58261-514-4.
  • Henry, Ran (2014). Spurrier: How the Ball Coach Taught the South to Play Football. Guilford, Connecticut: Lyons Press. ISBN 978-0762791842.
  • McCarthy, Kevin M., Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football, Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). ISBN 978-0-7385-0559-6.
  • McEwen, Tom, The Gators: A Story of Florida Football, The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). ISBN 0-87397-025-X.
  • Nash, Noel, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). ISBN 1-57167-196-X.
  • Proctor, Samuel, & Wright Langley, Gator History: A Pictorial History of the University of Florida, South Star Publishing Company, Gainesville, Florida (1986). ISBN 0-938637-00-2.
  • Spurrer, Steve with Buddy Martin (2016). Head Ball Coach: My Life in Football. New Rider Press. ISBN 978-0399574665.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Steve Spurrier.

January 20, 2023
steve, spurrier, this, article, about, former, american, football, coach, player, other, people, with, similar, names, steven, spurrier, stephen, spurrier, born, april, 1945, american, former, football, quarterback, coach, played, national, football, league, s. This article is about the former American football coach and player For other people with similar names see Steven Spurrier Stephen Orr Spurrier born April 20 1945 is an American former football quarterback and coach who played in the National Football League NFL for 10 seasons before coaching for 38 years primarily in college He is often referred to by his nickname the Head Ball Coach 1 Spurrier was a multi sport all state athlete at Science Hill High School in Johnson City Tennessee He attended the University of Florida where he won the 1966 Heisman Trophy as a college football quarterback with the Florida Gators The San Francisco 49ers picked him in the first round of the 1967 NFL draft and he spent a decade playing professionally in the National Football League NFL mainly as a backup quarterback and punter Spurrier was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1986 Steve SpurrierSpurrier in 2010No 11Position Quarterback PunterPersonal informationBorn 1945 04 20 April 20 1945 age 77 Miami Beach Florida U S Height 6 ft 2 in 1 88 m Weight 204 lb 93 kg Career informationHigh school Science Hill Johnson City Tennessee College Florida 1964 1966 NFL Draft 1967 Round 1 Pick 3Career historyAs a player San Francisco 49ers 1967 1975 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1976 As a coach Florida 1978 Quarterbacks wide receivers Georgia Tech 1979 Quarterbacks Duke 1980 1982 Offensive coordinator quarterbacks Tampa Bay Bandits 1983 1985 Head coach offensive coordinator Duke 1987 1989 Head coach offensive coordinator Florida 1990 2001 Head coach offensive coordinator Washington Redskins 2002 2003 Head coach South Carolina 2005 2015 Head coach Orlando Apollos 2019 Head coachCareer highlights and awardsAs player Heisman Trophy 1966 UPI Player of the Year 1966 Walter Camp Memorial Trophy 1966 SEC Player of the Year 1966 2 First team All American 1965 1966 Florida Football Ring of Honor 2006 National High School Hall of FameAs coach Consensus national champion 1996 2 ACC Coach of the Year 1988 1989 ACC champion 1989 7 SEC Coach of the Year 1990 1991 1994 1995 1996 2005 2010 6 SEC champion 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 2000 8 SEC Eastern Division champion 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1999 2000 2010 AAF champion 2019 Career NFL statisticsPassing attempts 1151Passing completions 597Completion percentage 51 9 TD INT 40 60Passing yards 6 878Passer rating 60 1Punting yards 8 818Punting average 38 3Head coaching recordRegular season 217 79 2 college 12 20 NFL 35 21 USFL 7 1 AAF Postseason 11 10 college bowls Career 228 89 2 college Player stats at NFL com PFRCoaching stats at PFRCollege Football Hall of FameAfter retiring as a player Spurrier went into coaching and spent five years as a college assistant at Florida Georgia Tech and Duke where he began to develop his innovative offensive system while serving as the Blue Devils offensive coordinator in the early 1980s He was hired to his first head coaching job by the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League USFL in 1983 and led the team to two playoff appearances in three seasons before the league folded Spurrier returned to the college ranks in 1987 serving as the head football coach at Duke 3 seasons Florida 12 seasons and South Carolina 10 5 seasons amassing 122 total wins and an 82 career winning percentage Between his stints at Florida and South Carolina he led the National Football League s Washington Redskins for two seasons with less success Spurrier retired from coaching in 2015 and became an ambassador and consultant for the University of Florida s athletic department though he briefly returned to the sidelines to coach the Orlando Apollos of the short lived Alliance of American Football in 2019 He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2017 making him one of four members to be inducted as both a player and a coach 2 Spurrier s teams were known for winning with aggressive and high scoring offenses and he became known for teasing and needling rivals both before and after beating them on the field 3 Spurrier s 1989 Duke squad won the program s only Atlantic Coast Conference ACC championship since 1962 He is the winningest coach in both Florida and South Carolina program history making him the only coach to hold the record for most wins at two different Southeastern Conference SEC schools Florida s streak of four consecutive SEC championships in the mid 1990s is the second longest in conference history behind Bear Bryant s 1970s Alabama teams and Spurrier is second to only Bryant in total wins with an SEC program And when Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy during the Gators 1996 national championship season Spurrier became the only Heisman Trophy winner to coach another Heisman Trophy winner In recognition to his contributions to the university and its football program the University of Florida officially renamed the Gators home field Steve Spurrier Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in 2016 4 Contents 1 Early life 2 Playing career 2 1 Science Hill High School 2 2 University of Florida 2 2 1 Recruitment 2 2 2 1963 64 2 2 3 1965 66 2 3 National Football League 2 3 1 San Francisco 49ers 2 3 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3 Coaching career 3 1 Assistant coach 3 1 1 Florida 1978 3 1 2 Georgia Tech 1979 3 1 3 Duke 1980 1982 3 2 Head coach 3 2 1 Tampa Bay Bandits 1983 1985 3 2 2 Duke 1987 1989 3 2 3 Florida 1990 2001 3 2 4 Washington Redskins 2002 2003 3 2 5 South Carolina 2005 2015 3 2 5 1 The Ladies Clinic 3 2 6 Orlando Apollos 2019 4 After coaching 5 Personal life 6 Career statistics 6 1 College 6 2 NFL 7 Head coaching record 7 1 USFL 7 2 College 7 3 NFL 7 4 AAF 8 Coaching tree 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 Bibliography 13 External linksEarly life EditSpurrier was born on April 20 1945 in Miami Beach Florida 5 He is the second son of a Presbyterian minister J Graham Spurrier and his wife Marjorie 6 Graham Spurrier changed congregations repeatedly during Steve s early childhood resulting in several moves for the family The Spurriers left Miami Beach before Steve s first birthday moving to Charlotte North Carolina to live near his paternal grandparents His father accepted pastorships in Athens Tennessee and then Newport Tennessee before settling in Johnson City Tennessee in 1957 when Steve Spurrier was 12 years old 7 The youngest Spurrier began to earn his reputation as a good athlete and a fierce competitor in Johnson City impressing his peers and his older brother s friends with his tenacity in sandlot sports 8 Spurrier s skills as a young baseball player caused a local businessman to talk the Reverend Spurrier into coaching the Little League team sponsored by his business so that Spurrier s son would be on the squad 7 The younger Spurrier has often repeated an anecdote about playing baseball on a team coached by his father How many of you believe that it s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game that counts the elder Spurrier once asked his players When some raised their hands he told them Well I don t believe in that saying If they re keeping score we re going to play to win 9 Playing career EditScience Hill High School Edit Spurrier attended Science Hill High School in Johnson City Tennessee 10 where he was played football basketball and baseball for the Science Hill Hilltoppers and was an all state selection in all three sports 6 Spurrier had an undefeated record in three years as a high school starting pitcher and led his team to two consecutive state baseball championships 6 11 On the basketball court Spurrier played point guard and was known for his ability to run his team s offense with flashy passes and dribbling and his knack for scoring in many different ways attributes which helped his team win two conference championships He averaged 22 points per game during his senior season and was named the conference player of the year 8 11 Many observers in Johnson City thought that Spurrier s best sport in high school was basketball and his father thought that he was best at baseball 12 13 While Spurrier agreed that basketball and baseball came more naturally he preferred playing football and he became the Hilltopper s starting quarterback during his junior year 12 11 Coach Kermit Tipton installed a passing offense to take advantage of Spurrier s talents and unusually for a high school team occasionally allowed the young quarterback to call plays on the field 8 Boosted by a post season game at the end of his senior year in which he brought his team back from a 21 0 second half deficit to win 28 21 Spurrier was a high school All American and drew the attention of many college programs 12 Spurrier s achievements in multiple sports earned him induction into the National Federation of State High School Associations s National High School Hall of Fame 11 14 University of Florida Edit Recruitment Edit After winning multiple all state honors in high school Spurrier was recruited in one or more sports by many colleges including Alabama Georgia Mississippi North Carolina Kentucky Duke South Carolina and both Air Force and Army 15 However he was not aggressively pursued as a football player by the coaching staff at the University of Tennessee in nearby Knoxville because at the time Tennessee ran a wing T offense that featured a running quarterback while Spurrier was an excellent passer 16 While Tennessee never officially offered him a football scholarship Volunteers basketball coach Ray Mears offered Spurrier a scholarship which he declined since he preferred to play football 12 University of Florida coach Ray Graves heard about Spurrier late in the recruiting process from his brother Edwin who was the postmaster in Knoxville and visited Johnson City in February 1963 Spurrier and his family got along well with Graves and Steve visited the Florida campus in Gainesville the following week He received a favorable first impression of Gainesville when he arrived to find warm sunshine after leaving freezing temperatures in Tennessee and thought more highly of Graves when the coach stayed by his side in the school infirmary after Spurrier s cold worsened into the flu during his recruiting visit 12 Graves did not promise Spurrier that he would be his starting quarterback but he told the star recruit that he fit into his coaching staff s plan to open up the Gator offense and would be given a fair opportunity to earn the job 12 Soon after returning home Spurrier decided to attend the University of Florida because of the passing the SEC the weather and coach Ray Graves 16 Spurrier 11 in 1964 1963 64 Edit NCAA rules in the 1960s forbade college freshmen from participating in varsity sports competition Spurrier therefore spent his first year at Florida practicing with the varsity team and playing on the freshman team which scheduled four scrimmages against other schools freshman squads as a way for young players to gain experience In 1963 Spurrier led the Baby Gators to a 45 12 victory over Georgia s freshman team at Florida Field a game which he half jokingly claims as a home win against the Gators fiercest rivals 4 12 Spurrier was in competition for the starting quarterback position leading up to his sophomore year of 1964 until a serious knee injury suffered during spring drills allowed returning senior starter Tommy Shannon to keep the job 17 Coach Ray Graves still felt the need to get the future star on the field so he decided to alternate Shannon and Spurrier as the flow of the game dictated 18 Spurrier entered the season opening game against SMU in the second quarter After two unsuccessful running plays called from the sidelines put the Gators in a third down and long situation Coach Graves told Spurrier to call the next play himself The young quarterback responded by completing a fifty six yard screen pass on his first collegiate attempt and another pass for a touchdown on his second pass 19 Spurrier would add another touchdown pass during the second half of his varsity debut 20 The following week on the road at Mississippi State Spurrier entered a tied game late in the fourth quarter and led the Gators down the field for a game winning field goal 17 Spurrier in 1965 Spurrier continued to alternate with starter Tommy Shannon as the season progressed gaining more playing time every week After being named SEC Back of the Week for a two touchdown performance in a 30 14 upset over Ole Miss in October Spurrier was given the starting nod for the undefeated Gators next game against undefeated and 3 ranked and eventual national champion Alabama in Tuscaloosa 21 Though Spurrier threw a touchdown pass and was the Gators offensive star his team fell short when another late fourth quarter comeback attempt ended in a missed field goal and a 17 14 Alabama win 22 Spurrier remained the Gators starter for the remainder of the season and was sometimes brilliant but inconsistent He led the Gators to a 14 0 home win over rival Auburn and a 20 6 upset of 7 LSU in Baton Rouge but he did not play well in losses to rivals Georgia and Florida State Nevertheless he was named the SEC s Sophomore of the Year for 1964 23 1965 66 Edit Spurrier and the Gators v Georgia 1966 Spurrier was the Gators starting quarterback and team leader in 1965 and 1966 He finished his three year thirty one game college career having completed 392 of 692 attempts for 4 848 passing yards and 37 touchdowns breaking every UF and many conference records for passing and total offense 24 In addition to being a stellar passer Spurrier gained notoriety by playing his best under pressure eight times during his college career he led the Gators to fourth quarter comeback wins 19 The most memorable example was a November 1966 game against Auburn when after leading the team down the field on a two minute drill he waved off Florida s regular placekicker and booted a forty yard field goal giving the Gators a 30 27 win and likely securing himself the Heisman Trophy 25 This penchant for dramatic comebacks prompted John Logue of the Atlanta Constitution to famously write Blindfolded with his back to the wall with his hands tied behind him Steve Spurrier would be a two point favorite at his own execution 26 A statue of Steve Spurrier outside of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium As a junior Spurrier was named a Football Writers Association of America first team All American and is still the only player from the losing team to be named the MVP of the Sugar Bowl after passing for a record 352 yards in leading a furious fourth quarter rally that fell just short 24 note 1 As a senior Spurrier was awarded many national recognitions including the 1966 Heisman Trophy and Walter Camp Memorial Trophy and was a unanimous first team All American 28 29 30 He was also the 1966 recipient of Florida s Fergie Ferguson Award which recognizes the senior football player who displays outstanding leadership character and courage 24 Though the 9 2 1966 season was one of the best in program football history up to that point along with the 1928 Florida Gators football team the Gators fell short of their elusive first conference title due to a 27 10 upset loss to arch rival Georgia a loss that Spurrier would remember when he returned as Florida s coach and made beating Georgia a priority 31 32 In 2006 Spurrier was recognized by The Gainesville Sun as the No 2 player of the first century of the Gators football program 33 Spurrier was among the test subjects who was given a prototype for what would become Gatorade during the 1965 season Spurrier was unsure of whether or not the beverage had a substantial impact on the team s success 34 National Football League Edit San Francisco 49ers Edit The San Francisco 49ers selected Spurrier with the third overall pick of the 1967 NFL AFL Draft trading up to land the star quarterback 35 Spurrier was told by team officials that he was being prepped to replace veteran 49ers quarterback and frequent All Pro John Brodie in four or five years a situation which negatively affected his motivation I was not a very ambitious player Spurrier admitted in his 2016 autobiography 12 Spurrier had few opportunities to play and fewer to start early in his pro career and he did not play very well when he got on the field He attempted less than five passes over the entire season in three out of his first five years in the NFL and he did not throw a touchdown pass until his third pro season 36 Instead he settled into the role of backup quarterback and starting punter 12 Spurrier s first extended opportunity came in 1972 when an injured ankle left Brodie unable to play for over a month 37 San Francisco was 2 3 when Spurrier became the starter and he led the team to a 6 1 1 record throwing sixteen touchdowns over eight games and putting them in a position to make the playoffs 38 Spurrier continued to start even after Brodie had recovered However when he threw three interceptions in the first half of the regular season finale Brodie entered the game and led a second half comeback that clinched a playoff spot Head coach Dick Nolan chose to start Brodie in the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys whom the 49ers had beaten 31 10 on Thanksgiving Day in Texas with Spurrier starting 39 Spurrier did not make an appearance in the playoff rematch and the Cowboys intercepted Brodie twice on their way to a 30 28 victory that ended the 49ers season 40 Spurrier next had an opportunity to start in the fifth game of the 1973 season when he replaced a slumping Brodie against the Minnesota Vikings Teammates later claimed that Spurrier drew new plays in the huddle in the snow at old Metropolitan Stadium on his way to a team record 31 completions and 320 passing yards but he also tossed two interceptions and the 49ers lost 17 14 28 41 Spurrier s lingering knee injury flared up after the game so 49ers Coach Nolan decided to start third stringer Joe Reed the following week and Spurrier played sparingly the remainder of the season Spurrier had successful knee surgery in the offseason and with his NFL contract expired listened to offers from teams in the new World Football League 40 However Brodie had retired and as the heir apparent to the 49ers starting quarterback position in 1974 Spurrier decided to re sign with San Francisco Spurrier played well in the preseason and had seemingly secured the starting job but these plans were derailed when he suffered a badly dislocated shoulder in the final preseason game The injury required surgery and he missed virtually the entire season A serious offseason traffic accident reaggravated the injury and Spurrier was again the 49ers backup quarterback to start the 1975 season this time to veteran Norm Snead 40 The 49ers began the 1975 season with a 2 5 record prompting Spurrier to ask Nolan for a chance to start against the Los Angeles Rams who had dominated the rivalry during his tenure in San Francisco Nolan agreed and Spurrier led his team to a 24 23 comeback win throwing for 240 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in what he later called his best or at least favorite game of his pro career 12 The performance earned him the starting job and the 49ers won the next two games behind Spurrier to get back to 5 5 However they lost their next four games Spurrier was sent back to the bench and Coach Nolan was fired at the conclusion of the season Incoming coach Monte Clark traded multiple high draft picks for New England Patriots quarterback Jim Plunkett making it clear that Spurrier would not be a part of the 49ers rebuilding plans Overall he was 13 12 1 as a starter with San Francisco Tampa Bay Buccaneers Edit In April 1976 Spurrier was sent to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for two players and a second round draft pick as part of the new franchise s first trade 40 The Buccaneers new acquisition generated local excitement as Spurrier had been a college star at the nearby University of Florida He won the job as team s first starting quarterback 42 a title that he later regretted as the undermanned Bucs went on to suffer the first winless season 0 14 in modern NFL history Though he had looked forward to playing professional football in Florida Spurrier was frustrated by the losses the constant hits absorbed while playing behind a porous offensive line and his philosophical differences with Bucs coach John McKay 40 McKay insisted on employing a run heavy attack similar to the offense he had used to win championships with the USC Trojans while Spurrier felt that the team did not have the right personnel to run the ball effectively and should employ a more pass oriented offense 43 44 Another point of contention was Coach McKay s insistence that his son John McKay Jr be the Bucs primary wide receiver while Spurrier and other observers felt that he did not have the talent to fill that role 12 40 43 The Bucs cut Spurrier in April 1977 a move that left him puzzled and disappointed since he had been working out with the team up to that point and had not been told that his release was imminent 45 He signed with the Denver Broncos in July and was released after playing in several preseason games then briefly signed with the Miami Dolphins but was released in the last round of cuts before the beginning of the 1977 regular season at which point he decided to end his playing career 40 Over 10 NFL seasons Spurrier played in 106 games starting 38 completing 597 passes in 1 151 attempts for a total of 6 878 yards 40 touchdowns and 60 interceptions He also punted 230 times for a 38 3 yard average 46 Coaching career EditAssistant coach Edit Florida 1978 Edit Spurrier spent fall 1977 out of football living in Gainesville with his young family and considering possible career choices While not officially connected with the University of Florida at the time he was often on campus running at the university s track and attending football games as a fan 40 He watched the Gators play to a 6 4 1 record in 1977 a season that prompted head coach Doug Dickey to scrap the wishbone based run heavy attack that his teams had used for several years with declining success in favor of a more open pro style offense To effect this change Dickey revamped his offensive staff and he hired Spurrier to his first coaching job as Florida s quarterbacks and receivers coach 47 The changes did not bring many positive results While Florida s passing attack improved and former option quarterback Cris Collinsworth was named to the All SEC team as a wide receiver under Spurrier s tutelage 48 the 1978 Gators overall scoring output was almost identical to that of 1977 at about 22 points per game The team s record also slumped to 4 7 leading to Dickey s dismissal 49 50 Spurrier expressed an interest in becoming Florida s next head coach but was not a serious candidate due to his lack of experience and Clemson coach Charley Pell was hired soon after the conclusion of the season 51 Pell chose not to retain any of Dickey s coaching staff leaving Spurrier without a job In later years Spurrier has repeatedly thanked Doug Dickey for giving him a chance to get into coaching with no prior experience 52 Georgia Tech 1979 Edit Spurrier was unsure if he wanted to continue pursuing a coaching career after his unpleasant experience at Florida stating that he would only accept a position if the opportunity was really right 51 In 1979 he accepted an offer to become the quarterbacks coach at Georgia Tech under head coach Pepper Rodgers who had been an offensive assistant at Florida when Spurrier was the quarterback 53 Like Dickey at Florida Rodgers sought to shift Georgia Tech s offense from a wishbone attack to a more passing oriented offense And also like Dickey Rodgers s efforts did not produce immediate results The Yellow Jackets began the season 1 5 1 and did not score more than 14 points against a Division I A opponent over its first seven games Spurrier who had not been tasked with constructing a game plan and had seldom been allowed to call plays up to that point asked Coach Rodgers for a larger role on the staff and was allowed to take control of the offense for the eighth game of the season against Duke 12 Georgia Tech surprised Duke with a more aggressive offense than they d run all year and the Yellow Jackets won 24 14 With Spurrier continuing to call plays Georgia Tech won the next two games as well scoring over 20 points in both contests and setting a Georgia Tech record for passing yardage in a season But the campaign ended with a 16 3 loss to archrival Georgia dropping Georgia Tech to 4 6 1 overall and leading to Rodgers dismissal 54 Spurrier asked incoming head coach Bill Curry if he would be retained as Georgia Tech s quarterback coach and was told that he was one of two or three candidates for the job prompting him to seek employment elsewhere 12 Spurrier would not forget being dismissed by Curry in 1980 In later years Spurrier repeatedly mentioned his perfect record 6 0 against Curry s teams when they met as head coaches often by very lopsided margins 55 56 Duke 1980 1982 Edit In 1980 Spurrier was hired to be the offensive coordinator at Duke University by head coach Red Wilson who had been impressed by Spurrier s coaching abilities the previous season when Georgia Tech had upset Wilson s Duke squad Wilson gave the young coach free rein to design the offense coach the quarterbacks and call the plays and Spurrier met the challenge by developing a record breaking offense that Duke fans nicknamed Air Ball Under Spurrier Blue Devils quarterback Ben Bennett set an NCAA record for career passing yardage receiver Chris Castor was named ACC player of the year and Duke s 1982 team became the first in Atlantic Coast Conference history to average more than 300 passing yards per game 57 58 Duke earned two straight winning seasons in 1981 and 1982 a feat that the program had not achieved since 1970 and 1971 and would not achieve again until Spurrier returned as the school s head football coach later in the decade They also upset Tennessee in Knoxville 25 24 in 1982 on an 88 yard touchdown pass during Spurrier s first return to the state as an opponent 59 In later years Spurrier has stated that his seasons working to get maximum production out of outmanned Duke squads were critical to his development as a coach and an offensive strategist 12 59 Success at a school not known for its football program also built Spurrier s reputation as an innovative young offensive coach who could improvise and succeed without seeming to work very hard 40 Duke quarterback Ben Bennett recalls Spurrier diagraming a trick halfback option play with his cereal on the morning before a game and the play going for a 60 yard touchdown pass that afternoon During another game Spurrier devised a new pass play on the sideline which Duke ran for a touchdown on their next offensive possession Coach Wilson had not seen the play before and when he asked Spurrier what play he d called the young assistant replied Touchdown coach 60 Head coach Edit Tampa Bay Bandits 1983 1985 Edit In 1983 Spurrier returned to Tampa to accept his first head coaching position with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the new United States Football League USFL At 37 years old Spurrier was the youngest head coach in professional football at the time 61 BanditBall was marketed as a fun alternative to the woeful Tampa Bay Buccaneers who were in the midst of a record setting streak of losing seasons Spurrier s wide open offense was prominently featured as was starting quarterback John Reaves who had broken many of Spurrier s passing records at the University of Florida and had grown up in Tampa 40 The Bandits attendance was the highest in the USFL over its three year run and Spurrier s offenses were consistently among the league s best 62 The team narrowly missed the playoffs in their first season and made the postseason the next two years Overall Spurrier led the Bandits to 35 21 record before the USFL dissolved after the 1985 season 53 Duke 1987 1989 Edit Spurrier spent 1986 out of football as the USFL s planned move to a fall schedule never took place When it became clear that the Bandits would not retake the field Spurrier began to seek new coaching opportunities He interviewed to be the head coach at Mississippi State but was passed over in favor of Rockey Felker He also sought to be the head coach at LSU but was passed over in favor of Mike Archer 40 63 Finally Spurrier returned to Duke University as the Blue Devils new head coach and offensive coordinator in 1987 53 Spurrier proceeded to raise the Blue Devils to levels of success that the program had not realized in over twenty five years His offenses broke numerous school and conference records for scoring passing yards and total yards many of which had been set during his tenure as Duke s offensive coordinator His 1989 Duke squad was the most successful winning Duke s first Atlantic Coast Conference championship since 1962 and most recent to date and appearing in their first bowl game since 1960 64 In what would become a recurring trend at most of his coaching stops Spurrier s teams regularly beat their biggest rivals while he brashly needled them with jokes and zingers that were amusing to his fans but infuriating to opponents 65 Spurrier s Duke squads went 3 0 against archrival North Carolina including a 41 0 victory in Chapel Hill that clinched a share of the 1989 ACC title At Spurrier s suggestion that win was followed by a joyful team picture taken in front of the Kenan Memorial Stadium scoreboard a photo that still rankles some Tar Heel supporters 64 For his success Spurrier was named the ACC Coach of the Year in both 1988 and 1989 66 Florida 1990 2001 Edit In December 1989 Spurrier accepted an offer to return to the University of Florida as the Gators head ball coach 67 68 69 He had privately expressed interest in the job in early October when Florida coach Galen Hall was fired mid season for his alleged involvement in an NCAA rules violation and prominent Gator boosters reached out to Spurrier 12 However he delayed any further discussion at that time to concentrate on coaching Duke 12 After the Blue Devils clinched the ACC championship in their last regular season game Spurrier met with University of Florida president Robert Bryan and athletic director Bill Arnsparger and he agreed in principle to return to Florida on December 12 67 Spurrier asked to delay an official announcement until both Florida and Duke had played in their respective bowl games As rumors swirled however Spurrier broke the news to his Duke team on December 27 the night before they played in the 1989 All American Bowl 70 They played poorly and lost and Spurrier later decided that he should have waited to tell his team until after the game and that when it came to coaching jobs it s best to make your decision and move on quickly 12 Spurrier was officially announced as Florida s new football coach on December 31 1989 71 72 During his introductory press conference on New Year s Eve 1989 Spurrier said that he wanted to immediately change several things including bringing back blue jerseys Florida had switched from traditional blue to orange in 1979 under Charley Pell bringing back natural grass to Florida Field artificial turf had been installed in the early 1970s and putting Miami back on the schedule the schools annual series had ended after the 1987 game 12 73 note 2 He stressed the need to beat traditional rivals Auburn Georgia and Florida State against whom Florida had gone 0 9 over the previous three seasons Finally he worked to convince Gator players and fans alike that it was possible to win championships at Florida which had still never won an officially recognized conference title in 83 years of football 74 To that effect he put together a booklet called The Gator Mentality in which is collected coaching tips and theories that he used himself along with inspirational quotes he shared with his players 41 12 75 Spurrier inherited a team under NCAA investigation for the second time in five years 76 He successfully steered the program away from the previous scandals and led the Gators to the best record in the SEC in his first year though they were declared ineligible for the league title due to NCAA probation handed down during the season Building on the success of Spurrier s first year Florida finally captured their first officially recognized SEC title in 1991 6 Under Spurrier the Gators represented the SEC East in the first five SEC Championship Games winning four of them 6 The 1996 team captured the Gators first ever National Championship with a 52 20 win over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl 77 avenging the Gators sole regular season loss in which Florida State upset Florida 24 21 in Tallahassee 6 Steve Spurrier on Fan Day 1999 Spurrier s finest moment as a coach may have been the Gators 1997 game against the previously undefeated and national title game bound Florida State Seminoles 78 Spurrier used a two quarterback offense rotating quarterbacks Doug Johnson and Noah Brindise in and out of the game confusing the Florida State defense and its veteran coordinator Mickey Andrews and giving Spurrier more time to counsel his quarterbacks on the sidelines without having to use time outs 78 Florida upset the heavily favored Seminoles 32 29 78 Significantly Spurrier is credited with changing the way the SEC played football Spurrier employed a pass oriented offense known in the sports media as the Fun n Gun 79 in contrast to the ball control rush oriented offenses that were traditionally played in the SEC His innovative offensive schemes forced many coaches in the SEC to change their offensive and defensive play calling While his offensive style used a more wide open passing game than the SEC was accustomed to Spurrier was also able to utilize a constant group of talented running backs Many of them would later go on to have success at the NFL level including Errict Rhett Fred Taylor Terry Jackson and Earnest Graham Spurrier and his Gators accomplished a number of memorable feats during his twelve seasons in Gainesville 1990 2001 including Won one national championship 1996 and played for another 1995 6 Won six SEC championships 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 2000 6 Named SEC Coach of the Year five times 1990 1991 1994 1995 1996 6 First Heisman Trophy winner to coach a Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel 6 Won at least nine games in each of his twelve seasons one of only three coaches in major college history to do so 6 Averaged more than ten wins per season 6 Ranked in the final top fifteen in each of his twelve seasons including nine top ten finishes five final top five rankings and an average end of season ranking of 6 8 6 Appeared among the top twenty five teams in the weekly polls 202 of a possible 203 weeks including each of his last 202 consecutive weeks The Gators were ranked number one in the polls twenty nine times appeared among the top five team for 117 weeks and among the nation s top ten teams for 179 weeks 6 Appeared in a bowl game in each of his last eleven seasons every season in which the Gators were eligible one of only five schools to do so during the same time period 6 Only coach in major college history to win as many as 120 games in his first twelve seasons at one school an overall record of 122 27 1 with a winning percentage of 8167 6 One of only two coaches in major college history to win ten or more games in six consecutive seasons 1993 1998 6 Only college football team to score at least 500 points including bowl games for four consecutive years 1993 1996 since the NCAA began keeping statistics in 1937 6 Spurrier is also credited with creating the nickname The Swamp for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium the Gators home field In the early 1990s he said a swamp is where Gators live We feel comfortable there but we hope our opponents feel tentative A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous Only Gators get out alive 80 Soon after becoming head coach he insisted that the artificial turf then in use at the stadium be replaced with natural grass and the Swamp remains a natural surface field today 71 During Spurrier s tenure the Gators built up one of the most formidable home field advantages in the nation they would not lose a home SEC game until 1994 and would only suffer two more home losses to conference opponents during his 12 year run Largely due to the formidable home field advantage Spurrier built he is by far the winningest coach in Florida history as his 122 wins are 52 more than runner up Graves Spurrier was known for his gamesmanship while coaching Florida doing such things as giving much derided Georgia coach Ray Goff the nickname of Ray Goof 81 82 His rivalry with the Tennessee Volunteers and their coach Phillip Fulmer became highly publicized as Spurrier would gig the Volunteers after the Gators wins over Tennessee saying that you can t spell Citrus without UT a reference to the Citrus Bowl which has the contractual right to select the second place SEC football team He also said of Peyton Manning Tennessee s quarterback I know why Peyton came back for his senior year he wanted to be a three time Citrus Bowl MVP 81 Other memorable one liners from Steve Spurrier included nicknaming rival Florida State University Free Shoes University for the Seminoles NCAA troubles with recruiting violations 81 On January 4 2002 Spurrier abruptly resigned as head coach stating I simply believe that twelve years as head coach at a major university in the SEC is long enough 83 Before Spurrier returned to coach his Gamecocks against the Gators in 2006 and 2008 his most recent visits to Gainesville were on September 2 2006 to take part in the Gators celebration of the 10 year anniversary of their 1996 championship season 84 and on September 30 2006 when he was one of the first four inductees into the Gator Football Ring of Honor alongside Danny Wuerffel Emmitt Smith and Jack Youngblood 85 At both appearances Spurrier received standing ovations from the crowd 85 Spurrier retains a deep affection and loyalty for his alma mater and sometimes still accidentally says we when referring to the University of Florida The feeling is mutual he remains very much in the good graces of Gator fans for building their program into a perennial national power 86 When he was inducted into the Gators Ring of Honor Spurrier humbly announced to the sell out crowd at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium I d just like to thank coach Ray Graves for bringing the skinny kid from Tennessee to the University of Florida 87 Additionally in 2016 the university added his name to the playing surface at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium it is now Steve Spurrier Florida Field Spurrier has not let his affection for the University of Florida get in the way of a budding Florida South Carolina rivalry however In 2005 his Gamecocks upset the Gators 30 22 in Columbia costing the Gators a shot at the SEC championship 88 And in November 2010 he coached South Carolina to a 36 14 victory in Gainesville their first ever on Florida Field in a game that decided the SEC Eastern Division title 89 Washington Redskins 2002 2003 Edit Ten days after Spurrier resigned his position at the University of Florida he became head coach of the NFL s Washington Redskins 90 Spurrier s five year 25 million contract with the Redskins was the most lucrative coaching contract in the history of the NFL at the time 90 A fast start to the 2002 season raised hopes for Spurrier s potential success The Redskins led off the preseason in Japan where they beat the San Francisco 49ers 38 7 in the American Bowl The team threw for over 400 yards and was accused of running up the score a charge frequently leveled against Spurrier at Florida 91 The Redskins went 4 1 in the preseason including a 40 10 win in Tampa against Spurrier s last professional team the Buccaneers 92 and won the first game of the regular season 31 23 with Shane Matthews throwing for 327 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals 93 However subsequent opponents were able to slow Spurrier s offense mainly by using disguised blitzes to disrupt the passing game By the end of the season the Redskins were ranked 25th out of 32 teams in scoring offense and finished with a 7 9 record It was only Spurrier s second losing campaign in 18 years as a head coach the first being his first year at Duke In 2003 the Redskins started 2 0 but finished 5 11 with several close losses coming down to the 4th quarter The offense was a bit improved but the departure of defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis to become the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals saw the defense fade from 5th in scoring defense during the previous season to 24th in 2003 The team as a whole faded late in the season and were outscored 85 31 over their last three games Spurrier resigned on December 30 2003 choosing to walk away from 15 million still owed to him over the remaining three years of his contract In a statement released by the team Spurrier said I apologize to Redskins fans that we did not reach a level of success that we had all hoped It s a long grind and I feel that after 20 years as a head coach there are other things I need to do I simply believe this is the right time for me to move on because this team needs new leadership 94 Spurrier s disappointing tenure as an NFL head coach has been heavily scrutinized and analysed During his first season in Washington Spurrier brought in several of his former stars from Florida including quarterbacks Danny Wuerffel and Shane Matthews leading to criticism that he played favorites Also criticized was his decision to bring along most of his coaching staff from Florida even though they had little or no experience coaching professional football the exception being Marvin Lewis who was a veteran NFL coach 95 As the 2002 season progressed an increasing number of philosophical strategic and player personnel differences began to cause a rift between Spurrier and the Washington front office including team owner Daniel Snyder 96 97 Snyder pushed for the drafting of Tulane quarterback Patrick Ramsey in the 2002 NFL Draft and though Spurrier said that he would not play Ramsey very much during his rookie season the coach was pressured to use him by team officials and Ramsey was starting by game 4 98 The quarterback position continued to be a source of friction particularly when over Spurrier s objections the front office decided to release Wuerffel before the start of Spurrier s second season 99 100 Spurrier later said that he knew it was over when he wasn t allowed to pick the backup quarterback 98 Spurrier spoke about his NFL coaching experience during SEC Media Days in 2014 When I left Florida after 12 years I thought I was going to coach in the NFL five or six years and retire to the beach and play golf a bunch and travel around this that and the other But that was a bad plan It was Later you found out that was not a real good idea But that s the way I was thinking back then 101 After retiring from coaching Spurrier further reflected on his NFL stint in several interviews In a 2016 appearance on the Paul Finebaum Show Spurrier reflected that the Redskins might not have been the best choice for his jump to the NFL I went to the team that offered the most money instead of the best situation he said 102 And in 2015 he told David Feherty that The owner and the personnel guys they picked the team I couldn t even pick the quarterback the second year So I knew it wasn t going to work but that s ok I probably didn t do a very good job and the situation wasn t what I was looking for so it was time to move on 103 In an interview with The Washington Post in 2019 Spurrier said of his time in Washington that I did a lousy job The GM did a lousy job He happened to be the owner so who needed to go 104 South Carolina 2005 2015 Edit Throughout the 2004 football season various sources openly speculated about Spurrier returning to coach in the college ranks once again preferably for a program located in the southeastern United States and even more preferably somewhere in his beloved Southeastern Conference 105 The University of Florida was in the process of taking applications for a new coach after Spurrier s successor at Florida Ron Zook was fired following the 2004 season 106 The timing seemed perfect for Spurrier s return to the Gators and Spurrier initially said that he wanted to be considered for his old job but later removed his name from consideration stating that 12 years at Florida was probably long enough 107 Soon afterwards rumors began circulating that South Carolina Gamecocks Athletic Director Mike McGee was actively pursuing Spurrier and that Spurrier was considering the Gamecocks offer Again the timing was perfect and on November 22 South Carolina coach Lou Holtz announced his retirement and during his final press conference hinted that Spurrier might replace him 108 The next day months of rumors were put to rest as Spurrier was introduced as South Carolina s new head coach Spurrier had signed a seven year deal that paid him 1 25 million per year and the Steve Spurrier era began for the Gamecocks 109 In 2005 his first season as the Gamecocks new head coach Spurrier led his South Carolina Gamecocks with newfound humility 110 The Gamecocks who were not expected to have a winning season by most pundits rattled off a five game SEC winning streak for the first time in their fourteen year SEC history 111 Included among those victories were historic wins at Tennessee 16 15 112 the program s first win in Knoxville 112 and against then 12th ranked Florida 30 22 113 who South Carolina had not beaten since 1939 113 The Associated Press named Spurrier the SEC Coach of the Year 53 and the Gamecocks finished the 2005 season with a 7 5 record and a trip to the Independence Bowl 111 Two days prior to South Carolina s 2006 season opener Spurrier announced that he would kick off the athletics department s capital campaign with a 250 000 donation over five years 114 Spurrier s Gamecocks opened the 2006 season with a 15 0 win over Mississippi State in Starkville 115 where he was 0 2 while coaching the Florida Gators 116 With the victory he reached 150 wins for his college coaching career 117 On September 30 Spurrier was inducted into the Gator Football Ring of Honor in a pre game ceremony in Gainesville 118 Later in the season on November 11 Spurrier returned to The Swamp to face off against his former Gators team which was then ranked sixth in the BCS rankings 119 Trailing 17 16 the Gamecocks had a chance to win with a 48 yard field goal attempt on the last play of the game 119 However Ryan Succop s kick was blocked as time expired in a repeat of an earlier blocked extra point attempt 119 In the final game of the 2006 regular season Spurrier led the Gamecocks to victory over in state rival Clemson at Death Valley 120 Trailing 28 14 in the third quarter South Carolina scored seventeen unanswered points to lead 31 28 121 With only seconds remaining Clemson s field goal attempt missed wide left and the Gamecocks celebrated their first victory over Clemson in five years 120 122 On December 2 2006 amid speculation he was a candidate for head coaching jobs at Miami and Alabama Spurrier received a contract extension through 2012 and a raise from 1 25 million to 1 75 million annually 123 Spurrier and the Gamecocks went on to defeat the Houston Cougars in the Liberty Bowl on December 29 and finished the season 8 5 115 All five of the Gamecocks 2006 losses were to ranked opponents 124 Spurrier became the first head coach in Gamecock football history to take a team to a bowl game in each of his first two seasons 125 The 2007 football season got off to a quick start winning at SEC rival Georgia early in the season as well as Louisiana Lafayette and South Carolina State and climbed into the top 10 in the national rankings South Carolina stumbled down the stretch dropping the final five games including a home loss in the season finale to arch rival Clemson The 6 6 3 5 SEC season record marked the first non winning college season for Spurrier since his first season at Duke in 1987 126 127 Spurrier stands on the sidelines during the Gamecocks November 15 2008 game against Florida Spurrier won his 100th SEC game on October 11 2008 coaching the Gamecocks to a 24 17 victory over Kentucky 128 In his ten seasons as the Gamecocks head coach Spurrier has beaten each of South Carolina s traditional SEC Eastern Division rivals at least five times 125 Against their annual SEC Eastern Division opponents his ten teams have posted an 8 2 record against Kentucky 8 2 against Vanderbilt 5 5 against Tennessee 5 5 against Georgia 5 5 against Florida and 2 1 against Missouri who began competing in the SEC in 2012 125 Against South Carolina s major in state rival Clemson Spurrier s Gamecocks have gone 6 4 125 While Spurrier s teams at South Carolina have shown flashes of his old Fun n Gun offense they have mostly relied on stout defense to win upsets The Gamecocks have been bowl eligible every year Spurrier has been their head coach a feat no other Carolina coach has accomplished Also the Gamecocks have been ranked in the AP Poll Top 25 at some point during the season in nine out of Spurrier s ten years at South Carolina In 2009 Steve Spurrier s Gamecocks upset 4 Ole Miss 16 10 in Columbia their first victory over a Top 5 team Spurrier s Gamecocks won the SEC Eastern Division championship for the first time in school history in 2010 clinching the title with a convincing 36 14 victory at The Swamp over the Florida Gators It was a season of firsts for South Carolina including their first win at Florida first win over a No 1 ranked team Alabama and first time sweeping the November Orange Crush portion of their schedule with wins over Tennessee Florida and Clemson Following a 9 3 regular season and an appearance in the SEC championship game Spurrier was named SEC Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches in the conference 129 The Gamecocks had another strong season in 2011 beating every opponent in the division However losses to Arkansas and Auburn cost them a return appearance in the SEC title game With a 34 13 rout of Clemson the Gamecocks won 10 games for only the second time in their 119 year football history In the 2012 Capital One Bowl the Gamecocks dispatched Nebraska 30 13 to win their school record 11th game They also finished eighth in the AP Poll and ninth in the Coaches Poll their first top ten finishes in a major media poll in school history In 2012 Spurrier led the Gamecocks to their second consecutive regular season with double digit wins something no Gamecock team had ever achieved The 2012 regular season culminated with the annual season ending game against Clemson at Clemson s Memorial Stadium Spurrier and his Gamecocks emerged with a fourth consecutive double digit victory over the Tigers That win was also Spurrier s 65th win with the Gamecocks vaulting him past Rex Enright to become the winningest coach in South Carolina s history Spurrier led the Gamecocks to a thrilling 33 28 victory in the 2013 Outback Bowl against the winningest program in college football the Michigan Wolverines The victory elevated the Gamecocks to an 11 2 record for the 2nd consecutive season Additionally by finishing 8th in the Associated Press poll and 7th in the Coaches poll South Carolina finished in Top 10 of both polls for the second year in a row During the 2013 season Spurrier led his Gamecocks to a third consecutive 11 2 record Only two other programs Alabama and Oregon have won 11 or more games each of the last three seasons 2011 13 During the season the Gamecocks defeated three teams that finished ranked in the Top 10 in the final AP Poll Missouri University of Central Florida and Clemson The Gamecocks were the only team to accomplish this feat They also became the first and only team to defeat two teams that won BCS bowl games Following their 34 24 win over Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl the Gamecocks were ranked 4th in the final AP Poll 130 setting a record for the program This also marked the third straight year that the Gamecocks finished with a Top 10 ranking in the final AP Poll While defeating Clemson again the Gamecocks ran their winning streak over their archrival to five games which is the longest winning streak in the rivalry for either team since 1940 The 31 17 score marked the 5th straight double digit margin of victory over their ACC foe Also for the 5th straight year the Gamecocks defense held the Tigers to 17 points or less They would go on to defeat Wisconsin in the Capital One bowl 34 24 and would finish the year ranked 4 their highest finish ever in a season The 2014 Gamecocks endured a disappointing season going 7 6 overall and 3 5 against SEC opponents and finishing in fifth place in their division With 4 losses and only 2 wins by the middle of the 2015 season Spurrier announced to his team and staff on October 12 2015 that he had resigned as head coach He publicly confirmed his intentions at a press conference the following day Spurrier reiterated that he was not officially retiring but added he would probably never coach again 131 The Ladies Clinic Edit A popular tradition started during the Sparky Woods era at USC occurs on the last Saturday of July when the University of South Carolina athletics department hosts the annual Steve Spurrier Ladies Football Clinic Only female fans are invited to attend the clinic where football coaches and players discuss the X s and O s with fans who want to understand the game better All attendees get a tour of the football facilities and finish the day running onto the football field through the players tunnel accompanied by artificial smoke and theme music in the same way the team does during the season The event was hosted by Spurrier and his wife Jerri 132 133 134 Orlando Apollos 2019 Edit In April 2018 Spurrier was named the head coach of the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football AAF a new spring football league that was slated to begin play in February 2019 Spurrier was the first coach or player to sign with the AAF as he thought the four to five month per year commitment made the new league a perfect job for him to get back into coaching giving him an opportunity to finish his career on another winning note It s a mulligan in life he explained 135 136 104 The AAF did not finish the season due to league wide financial difficulties The Apollos led the standings with a 7 1 record when the league shut down leading Spurrier to claim that they should be named the first and only AAF regular season champions 137 138 After coaching Edit Spurrier receiving the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Nikki Haley In July 2016 Spurrier returned to the University of Florida to serve as an ambassador and consultant for the athletic program 139 On September 3 2016 the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was renamed to Steve Spurrier Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in honor of Spurrier s achievements at the university 140 On June 7 2016 South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley inducted Spurrier into the Order of the Palmetto the highest honor of the South Carolina government 141 On July 22 2021 Steve Spurrier was inducted into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame 142 Since retiring from coaching Spurrier has been a frequent contributor to sports talk shows on TV radio and podcasts including his own show on SiriusXM Satellite Radio co hosting shows on WRUF radio in Gainesville and appearing on many other shows 143 In 2021 Spurrier opened Spurrier s Gridiron Grill in the Celebration Point entertainment complex in Gainesville The establishment is a sports bar restaurant that features large displays of memorabilia from throughout Spurrier s playing and coaching career including his Heisman Trophy 144 Personal life EditSpurrier married his college sweetheart the former Jerri Starr on September 14 1966 during his senior year at the University of Florida 6 They have four children Lisa Amy Steve Jr and Scott as well as 14 grandchildren 28 Spurrier s oldest son Steve Spurrier Jr has been an assistant football coach for several years including stints as a receivers coach on his father s staffs in Washington and South Carolina After his father retired in 2015 Steve Jr joined Bob Stoops s staff at Oklahoma 145 Spurrier s youngest son Scott played wide receiver for the Gamecocks through the 2009 season 146 147 Scott eventually joined his father as tight ends coach of the Orlando Apollos 148 While he was a University of Florida student Spurrier was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity Alpha Omega chapter and was inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame 149 and Florida Blue Key leadership honorary As a coach he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa at the University of Florida in 1991 Career statistics EditCollege Edit Season PassingComp Att Yards Pct TD Int Rtg1964 65 114 943 57 0 6 10 126 31965 148 287 1 893 51 6 14 13 114 01966 179 291 2 012 61 5 16 8 132 2Total 392 692 4 848 56 6 36 31 123 7Note Bold indicates SEC leader 150 NFL Edit Year Team Games Passing PuntingGP GS Record Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD Int Rtg Punts Yards Y P1967 SF 14 2 0 2 23 50 46 0 211 4 2 0 7 18 4 73 2 745 37 61968 SF 14 0 0 0 68 2 651 39 01969 SF 6 4 2 2 81 146 55 5 926 6 3 5 11 54 8 12 468 39 01970 SF 14 0 0 0 3 4 75 0 49 12 3 1 0 155 2 75 2 877 38 41971 SF 6 0 0 0 1 4 25 0 46 11 5 0 0 75 0 2 77 38 51972 SF 13 9 6 2 1 147 269 54 6 1 983 7 4 18 16 75 9 1973 SF 11 5 2 3 83 157 52 9 882 5 6 4 7 59 5 1974 SF 3 0 0 0 1 3 33 3 2 0 7 0 0 42 4 1975 SF 11 6 3 3 102 207 49 3 1 151 5 6 5 7 60 3 1976 TB 14 12 0 12 156 311 50 2 1 628 5 2 7 12 57 1 Total 106 38 13 24 1 597 1 151 51 9 6 878 6 0 40 60 60 1 230 8 818 38 3Head coaching record EditUSFL Edit Team Year Regular Season PostseasonWon Lost Ties Win Finish Won Lost Win TB 1983 11 7 0 611 3rd in Central Div Did not qualifyTB 1984 14 4 0 778 2nd in Southern Div 0 1 000TB 1985 10 8 0 556 5th in Eastern Con 0 1 000Total 35 19 0 648 0 2 000College Edit Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl playoffs Coaches AP Duke Blue Devils Atlantic Coast Conference 1987 1989 1987 Duke 5 6 2 5 7th1988 Duke 7 3 1 3 3 1 6th1989 Duke 8 4 6 1 T 1st L All AmericanDuke 20 13 1 11 9 1Florida Gators Southeastern Conference 1990 2001 1990 Florida 9 2 6 1 1st note 3 note 3 note 3 131991 Florida 10 2 7 0 1st L Sugar 8 71992 Florida 9 4 6 2 T 1st Eastern W Gator 11 101993 Florida 11 2 7 1 1st Eastern W Sugar 4 51994 Florida 10 2 1 7 1 1st Eastern L Sugar 7 71995 Florida 12 1 8 0 1st Eastern L Fiesta 3 21996 Florida 12 1 8 0 1st Eastern W Sugar 1 11997 Florida 10 2 6 2 T 2nd Eastern W Florida Citrus 6 41998 Florida 10 2 7 1 2nd Eastern W Orange 6 51999 Florida 9 4 7 1 1st Eastern L Florida Citrus 14 122000 Florida 10 3 7 1 1st Eastern L Sugar 11 102001 Florida 10 2 6 2 2nd Eastern W Orange 3 3Florida 122 27 1 82 12South Carolina Gamecocks Southeastern Conference 2005 2015 2005 South Carolina 7 5 5 3 T 2nd Eastern L Independence2006 South Carolina 8 5 3 5 5th Eastern W Liberty2007 South Carolina 6 6 3 5 T 4th Eastern 2008 South Carolina 7 6 4 4 T 3rd Eastern L Outback2009 South Carolina 7 6 3 5 T 4th Eastern L PapaJohns com2010 South Carolina 9 5 5 3 1st Eastern L Chick fil A 22 222011 South Carolina 11 2 6 2 2nd Eastern W Capital One 8 92012 South Carolina 11 2 6 2 3rd Eastern W Outback 7 82013 South Carolina 11 2 6 2 2nd Eastern W Capital One 4 42014 South Carolina 7 6 3 5 T 4th Eastern W Independence2015 South Carolina 2 4 0 4 note 4 South Carolina 86 49 44 40Total 228 89 2 National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth Indicates Bowl Coalition Bowl Alliance or BCS bowl Rankings from final Coaches Poll Rankings from final AP Poll NFL Edit Team Year Regular Season PostseasonWon Lost Ties Win Finish Won Lost Win ResultWAS 2002 7 9 0 438 3rd in NFC East WAS 2003 5 11 0 313 3rd in NFC East WAS Total 12 20 0 375 0 0 000Total 12 20 0 375 0 0 000AAF Edit Team Year Regular season PostseasonWon Lost Ties Win Finish Won Lost Win ResultORL 2019 7 1 0 857 1st note 5 Coaching tree EditAssistant coaches under Spurrier who became head coaches Jim Bates Miami Dolphins 2004 interim Kerwin Bell Jacksonville University 2007 2015 Valdosta State 2016 2018 Western Carolina 2021 present Shane Beamer South Carolina 2021 present Shawn Elliott South Carolina 2015 interim Georgia State 2017 present Jedd Fisch Arizona 2021 present Carl Franks Duke 1999 2003 Marvin Lewis Cincinnati Bengals 2003 2018 Hue Jackson Oakland Raiders 2011 Cleveland Browns 2016 2018 Grambling State 2022 present G A Mangus Delaware Valley University 2002 2005 Bob Pruett Marshall 1996 2004 Rick Stockstill Middle Tennessee 2006 present Bob Stoops Oklahoma 1999 2016 Charlie Strong Louisville 2010 2013 Texas 2014 2016 South Florida 2017 2019 Buddy Teevens Stanford 2002 2004 Dartmouth 1987 1991 and 2005 present John Thompson East Carolina 2003 2004 Barry Wilson Duke 1990 1993 Eric Wolford Youngstown State 2010 2014 Ron Zook Florida 2002 2004 Illinois 2005 2011 See also EditList of Florida Gators football All Americans List of Florida Gators in the NFL Draft List of University of Florida alumniNotes Edit Spurrier set the Sugar Bowl passing record with 352 yards in 1966 Sugar Bowl This record would not be broken until the 1992 Sugar Bowl when Florida quarterback Shane Matthews passed for 370 yards and was broken again in the 1995 Sugar Bowl when Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel passed for 394 yards both under head coach Steve Spurrier Coincidentally both of Spurrier s proteges also lost their record breaking Sugar Bowl contests The current Sugar Bowl passing record is currently held by another Florida quarterback Tim Tebow who threw for 482 yards in the 2010 Sugar Bowl which Florida won However Tebow played for the Gators after Spurrier had left 27 Florida s athletic administration brought back blue uniforms installed natural grass and signed a contract to renew the Miami rivalry before Spurrier s first Florida team took the field in 1990 However the contract to play Miami was cancelled several months later when the SEC decided to move to an eight game league schedule and establish the SEC Championship Game beginning in 1992 a b c Florida was ineligible for the SEC title a bowl game and the Coaches poll in 1990 due to NCAA violations under the previous coach Spurrier resigned on October 12 2015 151 Shawn Elliott was named interim head coach and led the Gamecocks to a final record of 3 9 The Alliance of American Football folded after playing eight games of a planned ten game schedule at which point the Apollos held a two game lead in the standings References Edit Maloy Brendan August 31 2016 Fox News called Steve Spurrier Head Game Coach SI com Sports Illustrated Retrieved April 4 2019 Pantages Will January 9 2017 Steve Spurrier Re enters College Football HOF floridagators com University of Florida D Angelo Tom October 13 2015 Bobby Bowden calls Spurrier national champion at needling people The Palm Beach Post Retrieved April 4 2019 a b Low Chris September 4 2016 Swamp Sweet Swamp Steve Spurrier is back home at Florida ESPN Retrieved September 4 2016 Pro Football Reference com Players Steve Spurrier Retrieved July 9 2010 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s GatorZone com Football History 2001 Roster Steve Spurrier Biography Archived March 22 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 25 2009 a b S L Price Steve Superior Sports Illustrated October 23 1995 Retrieved September 15 2009 a b c Williams Trey October 22 2015 Before he was Head Ball Coach Steve Spurrier was just a kid from Johnson City The Johnson City News amp Neighbor Retrieved July 30 2016 Longman Jere September 1 2002 With Innovation Winning Is the Only Thing for Spurrier The New York Times Retrieved September 4 2016 databaseFootball com Players Steve Spurrier Archived February 12 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 9 2010 a b c d Porter Cody Spurrier s Fame Began as Three sport Star in Tennessee www nfhs org National Federation of State High School Associations Retrieved October 27 2019 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Spurrier Steve with Buddy Martin 2016 Head Ball Coach My Life in Football New York Blue Rider Press ISBN 978 0399574665 Haney Travis October 27 2007 Spurrier s Hometown Conflicted The Post and Courier Charleston South Carolina Retrieved September 10 2016 Steve Spurrier to be Inducted Into NFHS Hall of Fame TSSAA Retrieved February 1 2020 Jenkins Henry November 19 1962 Sideline Review Spurrier Widely Sought by Colleges Kingsport Times News Kingsport Tennessee Retrieved September 4 2016 a b Gordon Weidler Steve s Story New Book Unlocks Spurrier Mystery The Gainesville Sun September 28 2002 Retrieved October 13 2015 a b Henry Ran 2014 Spurrier how the ball coach taught the South to play football Guilford Connecticut Lyons Press ISBN 9780762791842 Siler Tom September 11 1964 College Football Roundup El Paso Herald Post Knoxville News Sentinel Retrieved September 4 2016 a b McEwen Tom 1974 The Gators a story of Florida football Huntsville Ala Strode Publishers ISBN 978 0873970259 Harper s Running Sets Florida s Pace The Progress Index AP September 20 1964 Retrieved September 4 2016 Moffitt David October 11 1964 Floridians Chew Up Ole Miss News Journal UPI Retrieved September 4 2016 Land Charles October 25 1964 Alabama fights off Gators 17 14 The Tuscaloosa News p 11 Retrieved May 12 2013 Spurrier Top SEC Soph Kingsport Times Kingsport Tennessee UPI December 15 1964 Retrieved September 4 2016 a b c 2012 Florida Football Media Guide Archived May 27 2013 at the Wayback Machine University Athletic Association Gainesville Florida pp 70 72 74 75 80 87 89 92 93 94 96 98 102 106 112 113 116 122 124 129 136 141 142 144 146 149 150 153 154 155 157 165 171 182 2012 Retrieved September 16 2012 S L Price Spurrier Call Me Mastermind Sports Illustrated October 3 2007 Retrieved April 8 2010 Mabe Logan November 14 1996 Heisman was Spurrier s 2nd Best Catch The Gainesville Sun pp 1C 6C Retrieved November 11 2013 Sugar Bowl Record Book PDF Retrieved September 4 2016 a b c Heisman com 1966 Steve Spurrier Archived December 17 2008 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 25 2009 2012 NCAA Football Records Book Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association Indianapolis Indiana pp 7 amp 14 2012 Retrieved September 14 2012 Sports Reference com College Football 1966 Heisman Trophy Voting Retrieved April 26 2012 Dirocco Michael September 9 2005 SEC EXTRA Payback s for the Dogs Jacksonville Times Union Retrieved September 4 2016 Low Chris September 6 2013 Is Steve Spurrier in Georgia s head ESPN Retrieved September 4 2016 Robbie Andreu amp Pat Dooley No 2 Steve Spurrier The Gainesville Sun September 1 2006 Retrieved March 30 2013 Rovell Darren September 2 2005 First in Thirst How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat Into a Cultural Phenomenon AMACOM p 28 ISBN 0814410952 NFL com NFL Draft History 1967 Round 1 Retrieved July 25 2009 Steve Spurrier career statistics Pro Football Reference Retrieved September 8 2016 Reid Ron December 4 1972 Battle Royal of leftovers Sports Illustrated p 22 Macomber Frank December 24 1972 Spurrier Extends 49ers QB Dynasty The Sunday News and Tribune Copley News Service Retrieved September 6 2016 49ers to Rely on Passing Game Panama City News Herald UPI December 23 1972 Retrieved September 6 2016 a b c d e f g h i j k Chastain Bill 2002 The Steve Spurrier Story Lanham Maryland Taylor Trade Publishing a b Alex Rachel January 20 2002 Spurrier s Complex Superiority The Washington Post Retrieved October 27 2019 Underwood John August 23 1976 A three hour time difference Sports Illustrated p 16 a b Mabe Logan November 15 1996 Steve Spurrier 1 Gator The Gainesville Sun Retrieved September 7 2016 SportsIllustrated com SI Vault Sports Illustrated July 23 1976 Retrieved July 25 2009 Spurrier puzzled disappointed by his release Lakeland Ledger Florida April 15 1977 p 1B National Football League Historical Players Steve Spurrier Career Statistics Retrieved July 25 2009 Spurrier Joins Gator Staff The Naples Daily News UPI December 21 1977 Retrieved July 31 2016 Kerasotis Peter February 1 2019 Steve Spurrier Back in the Game Orlando Magazine Retrieved November 14 2019 UF Fans can thank Vol s AD for Spurrier Orlando Sentinel November 29 2001 Archived from the original on January 29 2016 Retrieved January 23 2016 UPI November 20 1978 No Title so Florida Gives Ax to Dickey The Evening Independent Retrieved January 23 2016 a b Hamilton Brian 1979 Spurrier Joins Coaching Staff Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine 55 3 12 13 Florida football Gators to rename field after Steve Spurrier NCAA com June 9 2016 Retrieved September 4 2016 a b c d Gamecocks Online Steve Spurrier Profile Retrieved July 25 2009 Sigiura Ken October 16 2015 Did Georgia Tech and Pepper Rodgers keep Steve Spurrier s career alive Atlanta Journal Constitution ajc com Retrieved July 30 2016 Mell Randall September 12 1993 Spurrier Enjoys It When He Beats Kentucky Orlando Sun Sentinel Retrieved September 10 2016 Kendall Josh August 17 2012 Spurrier No Ill Will Towards Bill Curry The State Columbia South Carolina Retrieved September 10 2016 Featherston Al November 26 2009 Duke Record Book Forever Changed goduke com Retrieved July 30 2016 Holliday Bob December 5 2018 Three decades later Spurrier s Duke legacy stands tall WRALSportsFan com WRAL TV Retrieved December 9 2018 a b Holliday Bob October 14 2015 Steve Spurrier s days at Duke WRAL com Retrieved July 30 2016 Jenkins Sally September 8 2002 If Football Is Life Touchdown Spurrier The Washington Post Retrieved October 16 2017 The Miami News Google News Archive Search Zier Patrick December 26 1985 Buccaneers are also losing at turnstiles The Lakeland Ledger Retrieved July 31 2016 LaBelle Fran February 20 1986 SPURRIER SCRAMBLES WITH USFL ADVERSITY Orlando Sun Sentinel Retrieved April 29 2019 a b Keeley Laura August 28 2014 Steve Spurrier still remembers his time at Duke like it was yesterday The News amp Observer Retrieved July 31 2016 Low Chris May 24 2012 Spurrier loves speaking his mind ESPN Retrieved July 31 2016 Matt Hayes Spurrier legacy at South Carolina in QB Garcia s hands The Sporting News May 27 2009 Retrieved July 25 2009 a b Kallestad Brent January 1 1990 Spurrier Takes Florida Job The New York Times AP Retrieved September 11 2016 Olson Andrew September 3 2016 Head Ball Coach draws a crowd at book signing in Gainesville Saturday Down South Retrieved February 9 2019 Taylor John March 28 2018 Steve Spurrier open to joining new pro league as Head Ball Coach NBC Sports College Football Talk Retrieved February 9 2019 Jeff Browne UF Spurrier merger everything but official The Gainesville Sun Sports Weekend Section p 3 December 30 1989 Retrieved September 11 2016 a b Pat Dooley It s official Spurrier is head Gator Gainesville Sun pp 1A amp 6A January 1 1990 Retrieved September 5 2009 Associated Press Spurrier takes Florida Job The New York Times January 1 1990 Retrieved February 8 2011 Dame Mike May 31 1995 Gators Maneuvering to Add Miami to Schedule The Orlando Sentinel Retrieved September 11 2016 The Gators won the 1984 SEC championship but were stripped of the title by a vote of the SEC university presidents in the spring of 1985 because of fifty nine documented violations of NCAA rules by the previous coaching staff The Gators also had the best record in the SEC in 1985 but were ineligible for the SEC championship because of NCAA probation Harry Chris August 30 2016 HACKS LOOK BACK AT SPURRIER S ARRIVAL GATORS REVIVAL floridagators com Retrieved September 11 2016 Associated Press Football and Basketball Teams Placed on Probation at Florida The New York Times September 21 1990 Retrieved February 8 2011 S L Price 96 For The Love Of Gator Nation Sports Illustrated October 3 2007 Retrieved April 8 2010 a b c Matthew Zemek Urban Meyer Meet 1997 Archived 2011 07 16 at the Wayback Machine Gator Country October 18 2005 Retrieved July 26 2009 Offensive Revolution The Steve Spurrier Fun n Gun Sports Illustrated August 8 2005 Retrieved July 26 2009 Gatorzone com Facilities Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field Retrieved July 26 2009 a b c Dave Kindred Spurrier dares to imagine always The Sporting News January 28 2002 Retrieved July 26 2009 Ray Goff responded publicly He s a good coach but I d like to run into him some night down a dark alley Jack Hairston Spurrier Has Built a Sugar Bowl Legacy Archived 2014 03 25 at the Wayback Machine Times Picayune January 8 2008 Retrieved July 26 2009 Associated Press Spurrier resigns as Gators coach ESPN January 4 2002 Retrieved July 25 2009 See also American Rhetoric Online Speech Bank Steve Spurrier Resignation Speech University of Florida Archived August 8 2008 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved August 30 2009 SECSports com Football SEC Football Roundup Saturday September 2nd Archived September 30 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 26 2009 a b SECSports com Football SEC Football Roundup Saturday September 30th Archived September 30 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 26 2009 Andy Staples At Florida loyalty still runs deep for the Head Ball Coach Sports Illustrated November 14 2008 Retrieved September 10 2009 Antonya English Gators start Ring of Honor with four former greats St Petersburg Times October 1 2009 Retrieved July 26 2009 College Football Data Warehouse All Time Coaching Records Urban Meyer Records by Year 2005 Archived September 30 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 26 2009 Spurrier No 22 Gamecocks clinch SEC East title a b Schottenheimer out Spurrier in for Redskins ESPN January 14 2002 Retrieved July 26 2009 USATODAY com Spurrier preseason era opens with Redskins rout Retrieved September 5 2016 Redskins vs Buccaneers Game Recap August 24 2002 ESPN Retrieved September 5 2016 Cardinals vs Redskins Box Score September 8 2002 ESPN Retrieved September 5 2016 Hack Damon December 31 2003 Spurrier Resigns As Head Coach Of Redskins New York Times Olivia SM August 27 2011 Saban Petrino amp Spurrier Why Didn t They Make It In The NFL Demasio Nunyo July 28 2003 Owning Up Snyder Learns From the Past Washington Post Jenkins Sally December 10 2013 Washington Redskins are being undermined by Dan Snyder s corrosive star culture Washington Post a b Low Unhealthy culture hurt Spurrier in NFL December 11 2012 Retrieved September 5 2016 USATODAY com Spurrier quits as Redskins coach Retrieved September 5 2016 Steinberg BIll September 30 2015 Steve Spurrier says he couldn t even pick his quarterback during his second year with the Redskins The Washington Post DC Sports Blog Retrieved June 12 2016 Spurrier s new plan Just keep winning July 15 2014 Retrieved September 5 2016 Gaither Steven J April 20 2016 Steve Spurrier regrets Florida departure Sporting News Retrieved May 7 2016 Schwartz Nick September 30 2015 Steve Spurrier reveals he wasn t allowed to choose his starting QB with the Redskins in 2003 USA Today Retrieved October 28 2017 a b Adelson Eric March 26 2019 Steve Spurrier was ahead of his time Now 73 and in the minors he hopes to go out a winner The Washington Post Retrieved November 14 2019 See e g Mark Maske Spurrier Considering Options in Florida NFL Insider The Washington Post October 29 2004 Retrieved July 26 2009 With Zook out will Spurrier get a call ESPN News Services October 26 2004 Retrieved July 26 2009 David Jones Spurrier withdraws name from Florida coaching search USA Today November 4 2004 Retrieved April 8 2010 Mark Schlabach Teams in Fight To Skip Bowls Washington Post p D1 November 23 2004 Retrieved September 5 2009 Viv Bernstein With Less Swagger Spurrier Returns to SEC The New York Times November 24 2004 Retrieved September 5 2009 Karl Taro Greenfeld Meet Mr Humble Sports Illustrated August 22 2005 Retrieved April 8 2010 a b College Football Data Warehouse All Time Coaching Records Steve Spurrier Records by Year 2005 Archived November 2 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 26 2009 a b College Football Data Warehouse South Carolina Opponents South Carolina Record by Team South Carolina vs Tennessee Archived September 7 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 26 2009 a b College Football Data Warehouse South Carolina Opponents South Carolina Record by Team South Carolina vs Florida Archived September 7 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 26 2009 Ben Crane Coach Gives funds to USC Spurrier s gift seeks to aid renovations of athletic facilities Archived 2014 02 26 at the Wayback Machine Daily Gamecock September 6 2006 Retrieved July 26 2009 a b College Football Data Warehouse All Time Coaching Records Steve Spurrier 2006 Archived November 2 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved August 26 2009 College Football Data Warehouse Florida vs Mississippi St Archived July 7 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved September 4 2009 Spurrier s Gators lost to Mississippi State in Starkville in 1992 and 2000 College Football Data Warehouse All Time Coaching Records Steve Spurrier Records by Year Archived February 15 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 26 2009 Antonya English Gators start Ring of Honor with four former greats St Petersburg Times October 1 2006 Retrieved July 26 2009 a b c Alex Riley Spurrier s past still outshines his future Battle with best of SEC leaves Carolina Florida fans pondering legacy permanent dead link Daily Gamecok November 13 2006 Retrieved August 26 2009 a b Michael Aguilar Defense uses bend don t break mantra for win Stops on Tiger offense allow gutsy Gamecocks to wrangle seventh win permanent dead link Daily Gamecock November 27 2006 Retrieved August 26 2009 Jonathan Hillyard Victory over rival will spark turnaround for USC Spurrier says Clemson win could get Carolina ready for future success seasons permanent dead link Daily Gamecock November 27 2006 Retrieved August 26 2009 College Football Data Warehouse South Carolina vs Clemson SC Archived September 7 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved August 26 2009 Associated Press Suitors beware SC gives Spurrier 500K raise ESPN December 2 2006 Retrieved July 25 2009 AP Poll Archive 2006 Final AP Football Poll Archived August 1 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved August 26 2009 In the final AP Poll the five teams that defeated South Carolina finished as follows Florida 1st Auburn 10th Arkansas 15th Georgia 23rd and Tennessee 25th a b c d College Football Data Warehouse South Carolina Yearly Results 2005 2009 Archived October 10 2016 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved August 26 2009 College Football Data Warehouse South Carolina Coaching Records Steve Spurrier Records by Year Archived February 15 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 26 2009 Pete Iacobelli Spurrier holds down Gamecocks expectations USA Today August 25 2008 Retrieved September 11 2009 College Football Data Warehouse All Time Coaching Records Steve Spurrier 2008 Archived November 2 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved September 3 2009 GamecoocksOnline com Football Spurrier Lattimore Earn SEC Superlatives December 8 2010 Retrieved December 10 2010 2013 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 17 ESPN ESPN com Retrieved November 30 2015 ESPN com News Services October 13 2015 Steve Spurrier announces resignation ESPN Retrieved October 13 2015 2010 Steve Spurrier Ladies Football Clinic thestate Retrieved October 13 2015 University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site www gamecocksonline com Archived from the original on September 5 2015 Retrieved October 13 2015 Steve Spurrier Ladies Football Clinic a Big Hit South Carolina Gamecocks Retrieved October 13 2015 Marx Bill April 7 2018 Steve Spurrier returns to coaching with new Alliance of American Football Sporting News Retrieved April 7 2018 Knight Joey April 7 2018 Steve Spurrier returns to coaching tampabay com Tampa Bay Times Retrieved April 7 2018 Owens Jason April 4 2019 Steve Spurrier claims AAF title at Rick Neuheisel s expense and a sportsbook agrees sports yahoo com Yahoo Sports Retrieved April 16 2019 Pastor Frank April 2 2019 Steve Spurrier on AAF suspending operations We ve got to be the champs right Tampa Bay Times Retrieved November 14 2019 Brockway Kevin July 29 2016 Spurrier named UF ambassador The Gainesville Sun Gatorsports com Archived from the original on September 17 2016 Retrieved July 30 2016 Low Chris September 4 2016 Swamp Sweet Swamp Steve Spurrier is back home at Florida ESPN Retrieved March 26 2018 Knittle Andrew January 20 2017 Gov Haley hands out Order of the Palmetto to her staff agency heads The Post and Courier Retrieved July 18 2021 Vasko Dan Spurrier among SC Football Hall of Fame inductees WSPA Retrieved November 19 2021 Hall of Fame Player and Coach Steve Spurrier Joins SiriusXM As College Football Analyst investor siriusxm com Long Mark August 14 2021 Built for Gator Nation Steve Spurrier floods new Florida restaurant with old memories USA TODAY Retrieved March 15 2022 Kersey Jason March 2 2016 Steve Spurrier Jr joins Sooners staff in off the field role The Oklahoman Retrieved May 8 2016 Gamecocks Online Football Scott Spurrier Profile Retrieved July 26 2009 Gamecocks Online Football Steve Spurrier Jr Profile Retrieved July 26 2009 The Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football Announce Full Coaching Staff Alliance of American Football December 10 2018 Retrieved January 7 2019 F Club Hall of Fame Gator Greats Retrieved December 14 2014 College Football Reference Steve Spurrier Retrieved October 6 2022 Owens Jeff October 14 2015 Steve Spurrier did the unthinkable He quit on his team sportingnews com Retrieved September 2 2019 Bibliography EditCarlson Norm University of Florida Football Vault The History of the Florida Gators Whitman Publishing LLC Atlanta Georgia 2007 ISBN 0 7948 2298 3 Chastain Bill 2002 The Steve Spurrier Story From Heisman to Head Ballcoach Taylor Trade Publishing ISBN 978 0878333165 Golenbock Peter Go Gators An Oral History of Florida s Pursuit of Gridiron Glory Legends Publishing LLC St Petersburg Florida 2002 ISBN 0 9650782 1 3 Hairston Jack Tales from the Gator Swamp A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told Sports Publishing LLC Champaign Illinois 2002 ISBN 1 58261 514 4 Henry Ran 2014 Spurrier How the Ball Coach Taught the South to Play Football Guilford Connecticut Lyons Press ISBN 978 0762791842 McCarthy Kevin M Fightin Gators A History of University of Florida Football Arcadia Publishing Mount Pleasant South Carolina 2000 ISBN 978 0 7385 0559 6 McEwen Tom The Gators A Story of Florida Football The Strode Publishers Huntsville Alabama 1974 ISBN 0 87397 025 X Nash Noel ed The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football Sports Publishing Inc Champaign Illinois 1998 ISBN 1 57167 196 X Proctor Samuel amp Wright Langley Gator History A Pictorial History of the University of Florida South Star Publishing Company Gainesville Florida 1986 ISBN 0 938637 00 2 Spurrer Steve with Buddy Martin 2016 Head Ball Coach My Life in Football New Rider Press ISBN 978 0399574665 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Steve Spurrier Steve Spurrier player at the College Football Hall of Fame Steve Spurrier coach at the College Football Hall of Fame Steve Spurrier at Heisman com Career statistics and player information from NFL com Pro Football Reference Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Steve Spurrier amp oldid 1133070155, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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