November 18, 2004
Spurrier to South Carolina
“The ol' head ball coach is on his way back to college football and the Southeastern Conference — just not where everyone expected.”
This morning, the Tennessean is reporting that Steve Spurrier has agreed in principle to replace Lou Holtz as the Head Coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks next season. An official announcement is expected sometime early next week, but most of the parties involved are trying to downplay the situation and few comments have been made.
SEC fans everywhere must be cringing collectively, especially Arkansas and all of the teams in the SEC East who play South Carolina every year. Spurrier, a three-time SEC Coach of the Year, will bring his one National Championship and 122-27-1 record at Florida to a team that is ecstatic just to be bowl eligible this season. One thing is certain, with the ol’ ball coach at the helm, those expectations are sure to change.
Update: The entire deal is contingent on Holtz agreeing to step aside. Also, Holtz and Spurrier have talked recently about USC football and other topics.
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Comments & Trackbacks
Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 18, 2004 08:09 AM — linkHoltz's final call-in show of the season was swamped with fans last night.
From SEC College Football - Fanblogs.com
pinged on Nov 18, 2004 8:33 AM11/18/04 Update: Aaron White reports on some more news in this matter. Fueled by the Gamecocks' 6th win, the rumors have grown even stronger in Columbia this week that South Carolina Coach Lou Holtz will go out a winner and step down after this season....
From Backcountry Conservative
pinged on Nov 18, 2004 8:41 AMA new post at Fanblogs by Aaron White points to a report in today's Nashville Tennesseean that says Steve Spurrier has agreed "in principle" to be the next head coach at South Carolina and that the announcement would be made...
Kevin Donahue says:
posted on November 18, 2004 09:06 AM — linkFor what it's worth, I first learned of this early this week from a very well connected Fanblogs author. I doubted him, but...turns out...he was right. Saying it here publicly.
Kevin Donahue says:
posted on November 18, 2004 09:16 AM — linkNow that I've given props, let me say that is an absolutely fantastic development for USC. Gamecocks fans owe an awful lot of Holtz, I hope they realize that. IMHO, Spurrier never looks at South Carolina without the foundation Holtz has laid.
Once this goes down, I would also expect a uniform change (yes, again) within two years. Steve's fussy that way. I would think that Danny W. would join up with Spurrier in some capacity as well, perhaps as QB coach.
And, I think it's appropriate that we're going to be seeing Spurrier with a "COCKS" hat on the sidelines. Fitting.
Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 18, 2004 09:24 AM — linkWith the Huskies in a bowl game too this year, I'm guessing Skip Holtz is having a 20-20 hindsight moment and wishing he'd stayed at UConn.
I heard in the off-season that part of the reason Stockstill left ECU for Columbia was because he expected Spurrier to be there in a year or two (of course the last time Stock gambled like that was when he left Clemson for ECU when he expected Bowden would be fired and he could return to Clemson to work for Danny Ford.)
From etouffee.org
pinged on Nov 18, 2004 9:28 AMFanblogs (where I also write occasionally) is reporting that Steve Spurrier is headed to South Carolina to replace Lou Holtz. I thought sure he would end up at Texas. I have a hunch that Florida's AD is in trouble over this, too. I don't thin...
Josh McClain says:
posted on November 18, 2004 11:11 AM — linkESPN now has a source that confirms the Tennessean story.
Don VanDemark says:
posted on November 18, 2004 12:35 PM — linkAs a Gator, this is bad. One of Spurrier's favorite quotes was "You're either a Gator or a Gator hater". Kinda confusing now, eh Steve?
I don't blame Foley for this. Spurrier wasn't going to come back for a long haul and he can't recruit either (although his name recruits by itself). Urban Meyer/Bobby Petrino are two better long-term candidates. My only fear about Meyer is what happens if the Notre Dame job opens up?
Pete Holiday says:
posted on November 18, 2004 01:11 PM — linkDon... doesn't sound too confusing to me. Looks like Spurrier's a Gator Hater. Heh.
Realist says:
posted on November 18, 2004 01:47 PM — linkSpurrier has always been a cock. The adjective has just been replaced by a noun.....
Aaron says:
posted on November 18, 2004 02:15 PM — linkMy guess is that it takes a couple of years for the Spurrier system to get into place. Right now USC is a defensive-minded team with running QBs, strong RBs and one very good WR. But overall, they aren't a typical Fun 'n' Gun team.
As an Arkansas fan, I hate this, since USC is our annual SEC East rival. Bah!
Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 18, 2004 03:31 PM — linkHeard that Spurrier's brother was the source for the Tennessean... also heard that there really is a slight possibility Holtz changes his mind and doesn't retire.
From The Encyclopeteia
pinged on Nov 18, 2004 3:33 PMI'm not sure that ever before in my football fandom have I had a team that has gone from one of my more favored teams to one of my most despised teams... but when Lou Holtz hands over the reigns of the Gamecocks to Steve Spurrier at the end of this ye...
Aaron says:
posted on November 18, 2004 03:46 PM — linkDo you think the fans would stand for that? Knowing that Steve Spurrier is signed, sealed and delivered will put an INSANE amount of pressure on Holtz to just go ahead and step down. If he came back and did anything less than win a National Championship, he'd be hung. And if he had a losing record... eek.
Franklin says:
posted on November 18, 2004 04:00 PM — linkThis is the most exciting thing USC students have had in a long time. I do think he'll keep Skip on the staff though, mainly as a favor to Holtz.
Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 18, 2004 04:13 PM — linkFranklin,
That's assuming Skip would want to stay on the staff... he dropped everything and came to Columbia when his dad told him he wouldn't take the job without Skip joininig him at S.C. and there was an understanding from the very beginning that Lou would pave the way for Skip to be the next coach.If Lou had gone out on top after the 2nd straight Outback Bowl win in early 2002 then Skip would probably have been head coach. The 2002-2003 seasons threw a monkeywrench into the plans.
From The MUSC Tiger
pinged on Nov 18, 2004 5:20 PMThe Backcountry Conservative points out that both ESPN and the Nashville Tennesseean are reporting that Steve Spurrier has agreed "in principle" to take over the head coaching spot at South Carolina at the end of the season. All of this is conti...
Franklin says:
posted on November 18, 2004 05:33 PM — linkI can't think of anywhere else Skip might go. I think he'd be a good fit on Spurrier's staff as they share the same offensive philosophy.
Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 18, 2004 05:40 PM — linkFranklin,
I don't see anywhere else for him to go either - just hypothesizing about how he might feel about how things have worked out.Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 18, 2004 06:30 PM — linkHoltz to tell team today that he's retiring:
South Carolina football coach Lou Holtz plans to inform players of his decision to retire at a team meeting this afternoon or evening, the Herald-Journal has learned.Holtz, 67, was scheduled to meet with the media Thursday evening after practice as usual, but that session was cancelled earlier today.
Holtz's announcement to his players, which he will ask to be kept secret, comes on the heels of published reports that former Florida coach Steve Spurrier has agreed in principle to become the Gamecocks' next head coach.
USC's current staff will be allowed to coach its bowl game, although it's unclear how many would be retained on Spurrier's staff.
Holtz informed several coaches Wednesday morning that they would be paid through the end of their contracts, a separate source said.
H-town "H" says:
posted on November 18, 2004 11:15 PM — linkI understand Spurrier has a house at Hilton Head where some of the best golf is in the country. So why not!!!!!
But watch out for what happens with Nick Saben and the Dolphins. If the LSU job opens Spurrier will be all over that. He was pissed many years ago (before he took the Gator job) when he interviewed but wasn't offered that job.Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 19, 2004 09:01 AM — linkLatest updates in the Spurrier-Holtz saga.
dave frey says:
posted on November 20, 2004 06:47 AM — linkSaban isn't going to the Dolphins. But let's pretend he does. Such an announcement wouldn't come until after the season. The Spurrier South Carolina announcement is supposed to come next week. Once they make an announcement and get everything signed, it'd be unlikely (and costly) that Spurrier would make such a move. Besides, Spurrier hates LSU. I don't think he'd even consider it.
Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 20, 2004 11:24 AM — linkFranklin,
It looks like Skip Holtz is gone.Diane says:
posted on November 21, 2004 12:34 PM — linkI'll miss Lou but am looking forward to the changes that will take place under Spurrier! Go Cocks!! :)
Franklin says:
posted on November 21, 2004 05:52 PM — linkSo long Skip....there are going to be a lot of happy USC students. I personally don't have a problem with him, but many students do. I heard Ron Zook's name mentioned as someone who may be on the staff.
Jeff Quinton says:
posted on November 21, 2004 06:37 PM — linkReportedly there were multiple resignations today on the SC coaching staff - nothing official as of yet.
Au says:
posted on November 22, 2004 12:25 PM — linkSaban actually agreed to go to the Dolphins if he would be allowed to bring his team with him...
Also I am sure that Spurrier's hate for LSU would be easily matched by Tiger fans' hate for Spurrier.
schmed says:
posted on November 22, 2004 02:47 PM — linkYeah, it's entirely possible Visor Boi would be lynched at the initial Baton Rouge press conference, assuming several members of the LSU board of Stuporvizors didn't do it during the interviews.
This'll give Spurrious nearly a full SEC divisional cycle to erect his 'Cocks for LSU. Tell that prick to bring it on.
philwill says:
posted on November 22, 2004 08:07 PM — linkWhat a great day for the Cocks! I agree with others who have said that Lou laid the foundation and this would not be happening if he had not. This is also a great opportunity for the ole ball coach. With everyone saying that he can't duplicate his previous success as USC, he probably views this as a challenge. Also, with Demetris Summers and the other young talented players, it isn't like the cupboard is bare. What they mainly need is a good quarterback. I read an article in Sunday's Atlanta Constitution that said that many of the top q'backs and wide receivers in the SE are back in play now.
Kevin Donahue says:
posted on November 22, 2004 09:00 PM — linkPress conference scheduled for tomorrow afternoon to introduce Spurrier. Anybody wanna guess the eBay price of the Nov. 12, 2005 tickets for the Florida game @ USC?
From SEC College Football - Fanblogs.com
pinged on Nov 23, 2004 8:04 AMThe University of South Carolina will introduce Steve Spurrier as the new head coach of the Gamecocks today at 1pm EST (streaming video). As previously mentioned, Spurrier takes over following Lou Holtz's retirement. According to reports, Spurrier will...
brian says:
posted on November 26, 2004 08:34 AM — linkGO GAMECOCKS!!! GO SPURRIER!!!! BYE THE WAY CLEMSON FANS NOW IS THE TIME TO JUMP ON THE BAND WAGON
Philip Rockefeller says:
posted on November 29, 2004 02:25 AM — linkWhile I think Spurrier is awesome for USC, personality wise, I think Lou Holtz was the perfect fit. What a great man Lou was. I wish Skip luck wherever he goes. I thought Skip was much better than he was given credit for. Even in our disasterous last 5 games last season, we were still putting up points. Even 17 against Clemson in that debacle, so you fans that never liked Skip, judge him on his record and I think you'll find he was a good asset to Lou's team.
