Out of the blue Monday evening, the ‘Old Head Ball Coach’ Steve Spurrier announced his retirement from the University of South Carolina effective immediately.
Spurrier coached the Gamecocks for ten years and brought the program to perennial national relevance for the first time in the school’s 100+ year history of football. This season has been difficult with the Gamecocks getting utterly embarrassed several times, as they currently sit at a record of 2-4. Living in Gamecock country, it has been obvious a change was soon to come to the program, but Monday night was a shocker. Reaction to the news was saddening for most Gamecock fans, but as the announcement settles in and logic overtakes emotion, it has become obvious:
Spurrier quit on his team.
I’ve always been sickened by my fellow South Carolinians’ admiration for Spurrier. So much love for a man whose legacy will forever be linked to finding success at Duke in the early 90s, turning Florida to a national power, and THEN underachieving in a decade at South Carolina.
When he was hired, South Carolina was just happy to get a coach who could get the program to win. Spurrier landed top in-state recruits such as Stephon Gilmore, Alshon Jeffery, Marcus Lattimore and Jadeveon Clowney. He racked up a five-year winning streak against arch-rival Clemson and gave the program its first 11 win seasons, capped by several top-10 finishes in the end of year polls. But shoddy coaching at times kept them from going to Atlanta during years South Carolina was favorited to win the eastern division title. He ran Lattimore into the ground his freshmen year, destroyed Sevelle Newton’s career, kept Stephen Garcia around after he more than worn out his welcome in the Met, and let Clowney run the show his sophomore year.
Yes, he brought the program to heights they have never seen, but year after year he never could get the Gamecocks to reach higher.
South Carolina had ample opportunity to take control of the SEC East, with Florida and Tennessee experiencing down years and having the winning edge against Georgia for the majority of his career. But Spurrier was never able to get USC over the hump, allowing Missouri to capture the East in back-to-back years, only a year after joining the SEC from the Big 12.
But that has been good enough for the Gamecock faithful, as blame has consistently fallen on players and coordinators than on the beloved ‘Head Ball Coach’.
This acceptance of being almost good enough is why this program is in the shape that it is in this season, and potentially for the foreseeable future.
Spurrier’s sudden retirement puts the program at a loss. Recruits may begin to question their commitment and current players may choose to transfer. South Carolina was left with more questions than answers, like who would take over? Lorenzo Ward seemed like an ideal candidate years ago, but the play of the defense recently meant it was unlikely he would get the nod at interim coach. According to The State newspaper and Tuesday’s press conference, offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator, Shawn Elliot was named interim coach.
[edit: it has been confirmed that Spurrier has just resigned from South Carolina, not retired]
If the ‘Old Head Ball Coach’ felt it was time to step down, he shouldn’t have signed the contract extension in 2014 which would have kept him as coach through 2018 as well as making him the 10th highest paid coach in the country. Walking away after last season’s disappointment would have been understandable, but resigning due to the team’s struggles this year shows that Spurrier has not prepared this team to compete in the SEC – this season and for the future.
Spurrier brought South Carolina from the fringe of complete obscurity, to a level of national prominence not seen since George Rogers’ Heisman year, but now leaves the program just as big a mess as when he first arrived.
In time we will see what effect – if any this will have on Spurrier’s legacy. but for now, the fact remains that he quit on his team Monday, and the players and fan base will feel the affects for years to come.
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