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Meet
USC Head Coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier, whose Florida team won the national
championship in 1996, was introduced as the head
football coach at the University of South Carolina
Tuesday afternoon before an overflow news conference
in the south end zone of Williams-Brice Stadium
in Columbia, S.C. Spurrier becomes the 32nd head
football coach in the school's 111-year history
of playing football. Spurrier steps in for Coach
Lou Holtz, who announced his retirement on Monday.
Coach Spurrier has compiled a 142-40-2 (.777)
won-loss record during his 15 seasons as a major
college head coach. He led the Duke Blue Devils
to the 1989 Atlantic Coast Conference championship,
before returning to his alma mater, the University
of Florida, as head coach in 1990. During his
12 seasons with the Gators, Spurrier's teams won
seven Southeastern Conference championships, one
national championship and finished ranked in the
top 10 nine times. His record at Florida was an
amazing 122-27-1 (.817). Spurrier, who won the
1966 Heisman Trophy as a quarterback for the Gators,
most recently was head coach of the NFL's Washington
Redskins (2002-03), and was out of coaching this
past season.
"My family and I are as excited as we can
be to be coming to South Carolina," said
Spurrier. "I honestly believe this is the
right place and the right time for me as a coach.
Coach Holtz did a great job of building this program.
There are good players here. There is great support
here. The facilities are good and are getting
better. Coach (Mike) McGee expressed the desire
for me to become Carolina's head coach and I was
very interested from the beginning. There wasn't
a whole lot of negotiating back and forth. They
wanted me and I wanted to be here."
Earlier in the day, Spurrier's seven-year contract
was approved by the University's Board of Trustees
Executive Committee. The contract calls for an
annual guaranteed compensation of $1.25 million,
including a base salary of $250,000 and outside
income from radio, television and apparel totaling
$1 million. The contract also has an attractive
incentives package. There is a $250,000 annual
buyout clause in the agreement. USC Athletic Director
Mike McGee's Introduction of Head Football Coach
Steve Spurrier "Good Afternoon and welcome
to everyone here. Before I begin I would especially
like to welcome two of our guests, Jerri Spurrier
and their son Scotty.
Coach Lou Holtz's retirement is one we did not
accept lightly. Replacing a great coach is never
easy, especially someone who has meant so much
to the Gamecock family and to the state of South
Carolina. When Coach Holtz approached me about
retiring, I felt it was important we hire someone
to lead our football program with the same superior
credentials. We wanted to build on the foundation
Coach Holtz has laid. We have found someone whose
record speaks for itself - he is a proven winner.
He is a man who will bring an energy and a confidence
to the Gamecock sidelines.
Winning the ACC title at Duke University in 1989,
he then left to build arguably the most successful
SEC football program ever. In his 12-year reign
at Florida, the Gators won a national title and
7 SEC crowns. Finishing in the top 10 nine times
and the top 5 six times, his success was unprecedented.
A 1966 Heisman Trophy winner, he also coached
a Heisman Trophy winner, 5 SEC Players of the
Year, 81 All-Americans and a countless other national
football and academic award winners.
After a two-year stay in the NFL, I know the Gamecocks
are ready to welcome he and his family to their
new home, Williams-Brice Stadium. Ladies and gentleman,
it is my pleasure to introduce to you South Carolina
Head Football Coach Steve Spurrier."
Quotes from South Carolina Players on
Coach Spurrier
Freshman Safety Ko Simpson:"He's
a great coach. Coach Holtz got this thing going,
and now we want to move it to another level. There
aren't any coaches out there that are better than
Coach Spurrier. He will be a great guy and it
will be great to have him here."
Freshman Offensive Lineman James Thompson:
"He will bring more attitude and discipline.
I think he'll make the game more fun and exciting.
We'll work more on pass blocking. I never though
I would play for him, so I'm a little surprised.
Coach Holtz introduced him to us and told us
about his accomplishments and championships,
and we're really excited to play for him."
Sophomore Defensive Back Fred Bennett:
"Our first meeting with him went well.
He introduced himself and told us about his
career at Florida. We're excited about having
him here and we are ready to get going."
Quotes from other College Coaches on
Spurrier's Hiring at South Carolina
Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops:
"I am excited for Coach Spurrier and Jerri.
It seems like a great fit for everyone. I'm
also excited to have Coach Spurrier back in
college football. He has been great for our
game and has always represented the best part
of our sport. I have stated many times the strong
and positive influence he has had on me both
personally and on my coaching philosophy. I
believe he'll bring great success to South Carolina
like he has to so many other programs."
Miami Head Coach Larry Coker:
"Steve Spurrier is a tremendous football
coach. His track record as a college football
coach speaks for itself. He will do a tremendous
job at South Carolina."
Florida State Head Coach Bobby
Bowden: "Ever since Steve
resigned from the Redskins, I felt like he would
not be able to stand too much inactivity, because
that's just not like him. He is so competitive
that it doesn't surprise me for him to get back
into college coaching. I think South Carolina
is very fortunate to get him as a coach."
SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD FOOTBALL COACH STEVE
SPURRIER
• Compiled a 122-27-1 record at Florida
from 1990-2001, the most wins for a Gator coach
in school history and a win percentage (.817)
that ranked among the top three in SEC history.
• Coached Florida to two National Championship
Game appearances (1995 and 1996), claiming the
1996 national title.
• His 122 victories at Florida from 1990-2001
ranked as the best win total for a coach in
his first 12 years at a school in major college
history.
• The only coach in SEC history, and one
of only two coaches in major college history,
to lead a squad to six straight seasons of 10
or more wins (1993-1998).
• The only coach in SEC history, and one
of only three coaches in major college history,
to lead a school to 12 consecutive seasons (1990-2001)
of nine or more wins.
• He achieved 100 career victories at
Florida in a faster time period (10th season,
eighth game) than any major college coach at
a school in the 20th century.
• One of only five major college coaches
in history and only the second in SEC history,
to lead a school to 100 wins during a decade
(102-22-1 at UF from 1990-99).
• One of only three coaches in major college
history, and the only one in SEC history, to
lead a school to an appearance in the weekly
polls for a period of 200 consecutive weeks.
• The only coach in the nation to lead
his team to at least nine wins in each of his
12 years (1990-2001) at the helm.
• One of only five coaches in major college
history to have his team ranked in the final
Top 15 Poll in each of 12 consecutive seasons
(1990-2001).
• His UF squads finished in the Top 10
of the polls nine times and six times in the
final top five, totals that both ranked second
best in the nation over his 12 seasons (1990-2001).
UF's average poll ranking of 6.5 in the decade
of the 1990's was second best in the nation.
o He and the legendary Paul "Bear"
Bryant are the only coaches in SEC history to
win as many as four consecutive league championships.
(1993-96).
• His 87-14 record in SEC play ranked
as the best winning percentage in conference
history (.861) and his 73 league wins in the
1990's represents the most SEC wins during a
decade in conference history.
• The only coach in SEC history to win
eight conference games in a season four straight
years (1993-96).
• The only coach in SEC history to lead
a school to nine consecutive January bowl game
appearances.
• His six outright SEC titles ('91, '93,
'94, '95, '96, 2000) ranked as the second best
total in SEC history, trailing only "Bear"
Bryant's 11. • His Gator teams appeared
in the weekly polls 202 of a possible 203 weeks,
including each of his last 202 consecutive weeks.
From 1990-2001, the Gators were ranked number
one in the polls 29 times, appeared in the top
five for 117 weeks and among the nation's top
10 for 179 weeks.
• Led Florida to seven appearances in
the SEC Championship Game (1992-96, '99-2000),
with five victories (1993-1996, 2000).
• Under his leadership, the Gator offense
became the only unit in modern collegiate history
(since the NCAA started keeping stats in 1937)
to score at least 500 points (including bowl
games) for four straight years (1993-96). Yale
also achieved that distinction from 1886-89
and Michigan from 1901-04.
• Prior to his arrival in 1990, Florida
had never won more than nine games in a season.
In 12 seasons at the helm he lead the Gators
to nine seasons of 10 or more wins.
• Recipient of the 1966 Heisman Trophy.
• He won his 100th game at Florida in
1999 in just his 120th overall game (100-19-1
record), a total that ranks among the six fewest
games to reach that level at a major college
school in the 20th century.
• His 142 career wins in his 15 collegiate
years (Duke and Florida from 1987-2001) ranks
among the three highest victory totals in college
football history for a head coach in his first
15 years at the helm.
• He has been selected as a finalist for
the Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach
of the Year Award four times (1990, 1991, 1995,
1996).
• In his 15 years as a collegiate head
coach (1987-2001) he led his squad to the best
record in the conference standings eight times
(Duke in 1989 and Florida in 1990, 1991, 1993,
1994, 1995 1996 and 2000).
• Has been named his conference's Coach
of the Year seven times (1988 and 1989 in the
ACC with Duke and 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995 and
1996 in the SEC with Florida).
• He has led teams to 12 bowl games, including
each of his last 11 years (1991-2001) at Florida.
Of his 12 bowl teams, 10 played in January games.
• In 12 of his 15 seasons (1987-2001)
as head mentor of a college team, his squad
ranked among the nation's top 10 teams in passing
offense 12 times and ranked among the top 10
in total offense nine times.
• In his 15 years (1987-2001) as a head
collegiate coach, three at Duke and 12 at Florida,
his squads have led the conference in passing
offense 10 times and total offense nine times.
Steve Spurrier Playing Highlights
• In addition to his exploits on the sidelines,
Steve Spurrier was also an excellent quarterback
during his playing days at the University of
Florida, where he was the recipient of the 1966
Heisman Trophy.
• Spurrier was a two-time All-America
selection and was tabbed as the 1966 Southeastern
Conference Player of the Year.
• During his three-year playing career,
he broke every single-game, single-season and
career record in passing and total offense,
and broke all league passing records.
• Became the first player in the history
of the Sugar Bowl to earn MVP honors despite
playing for the team that did not win the game
after breaking six game records in the Gators'
20-18 loss to Missouri.
• First-round draft pick of the San Francisco
49ers. Spurrier played 10 years of pro football
with the 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He
set a 49ers team record with five touchdown
passes vs. the Chicago Bears.
• Inducted into the College Football Hall
of Fame in 1986.
• Finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy
balloting in 1965.
The Spurrier Era at Florida
(1990-2001)
• His 122 wins in his 12 years at UF (1990-2001)
are the most for a major college coach in history
in his first 12 years at a school.
• When he won his 100th game at UF during
the 1999 season (8th game of 10th season), he
became the only coach in major college history
in the 20th century to achieve that distinction
during his first 10 years at a school.
• The only coach in SEC history, and one
of only two in major college history, to lead
a school to 10 or more wins for six straight
years (1993-98).
• One of only three coaches in major college
history, and the only one in SEC history, to
win at least nine games for 12 straight seasons
(1990-2001).
• One of only four coaches in major college
history, and the only one in SEC history, to
lead a school to a final Top 15 finish in the
polls for 12 consecutive seasons (1990-2001).
• One of only three coaches in major college
history, and the only coach in SEC history,
to ever lead a school to a streak of 200 consecutive
weeks in the polls.
• One of only two coaches in SEC history
to lead a school to four consecutive years (1995-98)
ranked in the top five of the final polls.
• He won his 100th game at Florida in
1999 in just his 120th overall game (100-19-1
record), a total that ranks among the six fewest
games to reach that level at a major college
school in the 20th century and ranks tied for
the best in this category in SEC history.
• One of only five major college coaches
in history, and one of only two in SEC history,
to win 100 games at a school during a decade
(102-22-1 at UF from 1990-99).
• Led Florida to its first National Championship
in 1996.
• His seven 10-win seasons from 1990-99
at Florida tied for the most 10-win seasons
by a coach in his first 10 years at a school
in major college history. Overall, he had nine
10-win seasons at UF in 12 years.
• His 102 total wins in the 1990's is
the second most wins for a coach in a decade
in SEC history ("Bear" Bryant had
103 in the 1970s at Alabama).
• Compiled an 87-14 record in SEC games,
a winning percentage of .861. This is the best
in SEC history for a coach who has coached a
minimum of five years in the league by far.
• His 73 SEC wins in the 1990s is the
most league victories for a coach during a decade
in conference history.
• His UF overall win percentage of .817
(122-27-1) ranks as the third-best in SEC history
(min. of 5 years as a head coach in the league).
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