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Spurrier: I feel a good five more years easy

Associated Press
Originally published 04:04 p.m., July 18, 2008
Updated 04:04 p.m., July 18, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Steve Spurrier cleared up several items Thursday: He’s not leaving South Carolina, he’s not ceding his role as the Gamecocks’ chief strategist and he thinks he’s got a special, albeit untested, talent in junior quarterback Tommy Beecher.

“I will oversee all the playcalling. I’m still the offensive coordinator,” Spurrier said. “In fact, I plan to spend more time with the quarterbacks and the offense this year than maybe I have in three years.”

Spurrier touched on a variety of topics with the Gamecocks two weeks from reporting for fall camp and six weeks from the opener with North Carolina State on Aug. 28.

Among them was the notion that growing frustration and continued stumbles would send Spurrier running from the rebuilding project he accepted after the 2004 season.

Spurrier laughed off the idea that turning the Gamecocks into Southeastern Conference contenders would be anything but a gradual, step-by-step process. “Did you think there was a team here ready to win the SEC?” he said.

The Gamecocks best recruiting class under Spurrier came in 2007, a group considered one of the country’s 10 best by many analysts. Those players, Spurrier says, are just ready to flourish.

And Spurrier plans to stick around to see how they fare.

“Everybody talks about how, ’This guy’s in his 60s. He’s going to walk away from this thing,’ “ said Spurrier, 63. “I feel just as good as I did when I was in my 40s.”

“I’m not trying to brag, but I shot the same number in Lake Tahoe in 1990 as I shot last Sunday,” Spurrier said of his participation in last week’s celebrity golf tournament. “Physically, I’m the same as I was in 1990 right before I coached my first year at Florida. ... That age thing’s a funny thing. But I feel a good five more years easy. I really do. I don’t know what else I’d do.”

He’ll spend the next two years of it trying to turn Beecher into one of the country’s top quarterbacks. Spurrier compared Beecher’s ability to that of a former Gator star Shane Matthews.

Beecher played sparingly last year in South Carolina’s 6-6 season as Blake Mitchell and Chris Smelley split time under center. Beecher, a junior, saw most of his action as the team’s holder.

But, with heralded freshman passer Stephen Garcia suspended for a second-straight spring, Beecher outlasted Smelley and came away with the starting job. Spurrier hopes Beecher doesn’t let it go.

“We need to quit all this, ’Well, if he doesn’t go, then next guy, next guy.’ I’m not in favor of that,” Spurrier said. “We’re waiting on a player to step forward and prove he’s our best quarterback. When one does that, than shoot, he’s quarterback all the way through if he’s clearly our best. Tommy’s not had a real good chance yet, so we’re going to give him a real, good opportunity to run with it.”

Beecher will get 50 percent to 60 percent of practice snaps with the first team, Spurrier said. What happens if Garcia, on a university suspension until Aug. 15, returns? Spurrier says he’ll deal with that when it happens.

Gamecocks receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. will coordinate playcalling with his father. The elder Spurrier remains in charge and with ultimate control, he assured those worried about him giving up the responsibilities that won him a national title and six SEC titles at Florida.

Spurrier can increase his time on offense because of two big offseason hires in defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson and special teams coordinator Ray Rychleski. Johnson’s skill and organization frees up Spurrier to handle what the former Heisman Trophy winner loves most — helping his offense go downfield as much as it can.

As important to Spurrier is keeping things around the team positive, especially after 2007 roller-coaster season. The Gamecocks opened 6-1 and rose to No. 6 in the country. However, they lost their last five games — the longest such streak of Spurrier’s stellar career — and failed to make a bowl game.

“We are where we are, but we can get out of it,” Spurrier says. “We can get out of it with a little bit better coaching and little bit better play.”

© 2008, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

       39 Comments

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 18, 2008 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Uh og....more bad news for Foolmore. LOL!!!!

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 18, 2008 at 4:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

this is like a kick to the crotch for Foolmore.

Posted by TurboFan on July 18, 2008 at 4:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hmmm, a "special teams coordinator". What a concept.

Posted by volfan73120 on July 18, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

workin- Do you live in Louisana?

Posted by workinlikehek on July 18, 2008 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Nah, I'm just a trailer trash big mouth. Hint: Go gators.

Posted by hcjournals on July 18, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It's funny to see Spurrier struggling after so many years of success. You can't say he isn't a great coach. He is. He just such a jackass. And something happened to him when he was at Science Hill, or we didn't recruit him for football.....or something. Supposedly two of his best buddies are in Nashville and played golf with him last weekend in San Francisco. Surely somebody in Brentwood or wherever these guys are in Nashvegas knows why he goes out of his way to screw with us every chance he gets......Just wondering.....

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 18, 2008 at 4:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

We were still running the wing T back in the day and SPurrier wasn't that king of QB so we didn't recruit. Instead, he went to Florida (Ray Graves who is a UT alum, played for the General was Florida's coach or AD at the time) and has pretty much stuck it to us every chance he gets.

Posted by tngeoff on July 18, 2008 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

At least his quarterback is name Smelley anymore. Frighteningly the old ball coach sounds subdued and shall I say it...almost humble. Holy crap...is Jupiter in line with Mars?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kvq52P7MYA...

Posted by TommyJack on July 18, 2008 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Workin/heck: Actually, it was the Single Wing.

Workin/hek: Posers are cowards.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on July 18, 2008 at 5 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ, thanks for the correct wing-age

Posted by tngeoff on July 18, 2008 at 5:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Next thing you know he'll be heading into the 21st century with some other tired remake.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=s4pVwIms0E...

Dreaming of the sunshine he once enjoyed in F L A. No mas. Nope. Now he's surrounded by a bunch of crazy other word for rooster that I am not allowed to post...who don't know what winning is...only whinning.

Posted by orangebloodgmc on July 18, 2008 at 5:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Workinheck, if you think these mere words would be a kick to Fulmer, then what would Fulmer owning Spurrier with wins the last 2 yrs be? Going for the 3-peat!

And SC quarterbacks ... like Joe Thompson always said, if you've "got two quarterbacks," you aint really got a quarterback.

Posted by TommyJack on July 18, 2008 at 5:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

No way the ol' ball coach will be there 5 more years. He's just posturing for recruits.

Working: Your point, though, on Spurrier's reason for having a bone-on for TN is on the money.

Posted by tngeoff on July 18, 2008 at 5:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TommyJack.

If he gets wind of a Division Championship in the next few...I'll bet he stays. He doesn't want to go out a loser...and he sure doesn't want to go out down to us!

Posted by RJ_Vol on July 18, 2008 at 5:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Garcia is the real deal. Let's hope SC doesn't figure that out too quickly. However, I'd say they know that and that might be why Spurrier says he has a few more years left. If they beat UGA in Columbia early in the season, they have a schedule that lends itself towards an SEC East title. Yes, they do play in UF, but they have a coach who is not afraid to play there...

Posted by TommyJack on July 18, 2008 at 5:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Geoff: A fair point. But I don't see them winning a division. Who knows? I'm not objective...can't stand the man.

Posted by IPOrange on July 18, 2008 at 5:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

At 63, Stevie is a young whipper snapper when compared to Grandpa JoPa. He's like 81+ years old.

Posted by TommyJack on July 18, 2008 at 5:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

IP: True. What about Lord Bobby? He's got to be north of 80.

Posted by LanceR24 on July 18, 2008 at 5:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ya spurrier wont stick around if his teams keep stinking it up. he will get fired or asked to resign. if i had to guess he will be gone in two years just my opinion.

Posted by General_Watermelon on July 18, 2008 at 5:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Fulmer says, "I feel 5 hemorrhoids coming."

Posted by rusty_shackleford on July 18, 2008 at 5:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Little stevie superior left the NFL with his tail tucked between his legs and will leave the SEC the same way. As ugly as Columbia is, I can't believe any kid would want to spend four years there. But then again, maybe the jail looks nice!

Posted by chad_t31 on July 18, 2008 at 6:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Does he mean it'll take 5 more years to turn south carolina around?!? hahahaha

Posted by texan on July 18, 2008 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The guy is just jerking off remembering his past.

Posted by pammyvol1000 on July 18, 2008 at 6:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Mo money.. Mo money!!

Posted by IPOrange on July 18, 2008 at 8:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TJ - Believe it or not, ole' Bobby has yet to reach 80 - born in 1929, he's currently 78.

Posted by pdhuff on July 18, 2008 at 9:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I do believe ol' Stevie the Mouth when he says he has 5 more years.

Good years???- hehe, dream along with me. SC mantra is you might beat us, but you can't outdrink us.

Posted by IPOrange on July 18, 2008 at 9:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

He may have 5 good years left, but they won't be consecutive ones. He'll have to coach another 15 or 20 years to find 5 good ones at Gamecock High.

Posted by VOLnAla on July 18, 2008 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Good. Should be 5 more against the C o c k s !

Posted by mikes70gto on July 18, 2008 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Workin..you stand corrected,he was recruited by UT, was offered; because UT was using the single wing and was not going to change.He was also told that if he came to UT things were about to change..Dickey and the T formation the following year but decided to go on to Gainsville.Straight from the horses mouth his brother, Graham.

Posted by murrayvol on July 18, 2008 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I like Spurrier. Wish he was one of us. But SC is a blackhole and won't be turned around by him or anyone else for any extended period. They're hardwired to lose until Gabriel blows his horn.

Posted by BillVol on July 18, 2008 at 11:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

He says this, but I'll bet he coaches another 15 years with much success.

Posted by gobigorange on July 19, 2008 at 12:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

HEY SPURRIER : UP YOURS

Posted by General_Watermelon on July 19, 2008 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I know what your thinking. Don't worry Tennessee fans. Coach Fulmer will coach for many many more years. We are a shoe in for many more 8 wins seasons.

Posted by richvol on July 19, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Srurrier also wanted to Coach Tennessee when he was at Duke but never got the opportunity as UT went for Johnny Majors instead.

Yes, he comes across as a jerk but that's because he's not your coach. He would have won 4 or 5 national championships if he had coached at Tennessee during those years.

Posted by brokebackvol on July 19, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

richvol, Majors came to TN in 1977, and Spurrier wasn't at Duke then, so not sure I get your dates - doesn't seem possible.

Posted by givehim6 on July 19, 2008 at 1:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I always thought Spurrier was too much of a control freek. He now is in a good system for him, some on to handle the D so he can control the O all to himself. He does have 1 good idea a spec. team coordinator!

Posted by pdhuff on July 19, 2008 at 1:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Gen W 7:27am - great inspirational post. To have 8 wins locked up is just .........

I going back to work on the formula for Orange Grey Goose koolade and will send 3 gallons for testing purposes.

Tell Dupree I need the Pogo Stick back.

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