The quotable Spurrier
Since becoming Florida's head football coach in 1990, Steve Spurrier has racked up as many memorable quotes as he has victories. Some of his best throughout the years: AT FLORIDA After routing Georgia a second straight time in 1991 - "Why is it that during recruiting season, they sign all the great players, but when it comes time to play the game, we have all the great players?" On a Florida State off-the-field incident - "You know what FSU stands for, don't you? Free Shoes University." After a Danny Wuerffel interception - "It's not your fault, Danny. It's my fault for putting you in there." As a photo was being taken after the 1995 SEC title game - "This is our annual team photo." On Tennessee's mid-1990s bowl fate - "You can't spell Citrus without UT." During highlights on his coaching show - "We're doing some good things here, but keep in mind, it's only Kentucky." After a 52-0 win over Mississippi State in 2001 - "Their pass defense was No. 1 in the nation coming in, but it won't be going out." AT WASHINGTON On developing a rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys - "Hopefully they can be our Georgia." On the difficulty of winning in the pros - "There are no Vanderbilts in the NFL." AT SOUTH CAROLINA On playing Georgia midway through the 2012 season - "I always liked playing Georgia in the second game, because you could always count on them having two or three key players suspended." On traveling to Tennessee in 2013 - "This will be the 14th time I've coached in Neyland Stadium. I've coached there more than some of their head coaches." On Jadeveon Clowney's speeding ticket - "I didn't know Jadeveon's car could go that fast. He doesn't have a pretty car like those FSU guys used to drive." REFLECTIONS On speaking his mind - "I'm not one to say 'no comment' whether I am right or wrong, but especially if I am right." On recruiting - "In 12 years at Florida, I don't think we ever signed a kid from the state of Alabama. Of course, we found out later that the scholarships they were giving out at Alabama were worth a whole lot more than ours." On his coaching longevity - "I forgot to get fired, and I'm not going to cheat." - David Paschall
ATHENS, Ga. -- In Steve Spurrier's nearly 23 seasons as a Southeastern Conference football coach, he faced Mark Richt 24 times.
They dueled throughout most of the 1990s, when Spurrier's "Fun 'N' Gun" attack at Florida looked to outscore Florida State's talented offenses that Richt coordinated under head coach Bobby Bowden. Richt left FSU to become Georgia's head coach in 2001 and faced Spurrier's final Florida squad and eventually all 11 of his South Carolina teams.
Florida and Florida State even met twice in 1994, so there was never any lacking for autumn familiarity.
"He was fun to compete against because you just never knew what was going to happen or what he might say," Richt said Tuesday. "Some people got real bent out of shape with a lot of things he said. I never really did. The thing I liked the most about Coach Spurrier is that he was always just honest about everything.
"I didn't always agree with everything he said, but I never really took anything too personally if he was trying to have a little fun here and there."
Spurrier, the first 70-year-old head football coach in SEC history, told his players Monday night that he was resigning. He attended a news conference Tuesday to explain why he was stepping away amid a 2-4 season that includes a 52-20 loss to Richt's Bulldogs.
South Carolina is 0-4 in SEC play, the lone 0-4 league start in Spurrier's career, and now will be guided on an interim basis by co-offensive coordinator and line coach Shawn Elliott.
"You can't keep a head coach that's done it as long as I have when it's heading in the wrong direction," Spurrier said. "It was only two years ago that we were No. 4 in the nation and had the last of those three 11-2 seasons. Somehow or another we've slid, and it's my fault.
"I'm responsible. I'm the head coach, and it's time for me to sort of get out of the way and let somebody else have a go at it."
Spurrier labeled himself a "recruiting liability" because of his age and said there would have been accountability issues had he announced his resignation effective at the end of the season.
South Carolina's historical high-water mark before Spurrier's arrival was a 10-2 season in 1984, when the Gamecocks were guided by the late Joe Morrison. Spurrier took the program to its one SEC East title in 2010 and then produced the three consecutive 11-win teams.
Overall, Spurrier made eight trips to the SEC championship game, more than any other coach, and he's the only coach in league history to be the winningest at two schools. He went 122-27-1 at Florida, compiling six SEC titles and the 1996 national championship, and wound up 86-49 at South Carolina.
The outpouring of respect for Spurrier from the college coaching fraternity Tuesday was as abundant as expected.
"Coach Spurrier has been a college football icon my whole life," Kentucky's Mark Stoops said. "His accomplishments as a player and coach speak for themselves."
Said Clemson's Dabo Swinney: "He's been great for college football."
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel not only congratulated Spurrier on his amazing career but added that "coaches meetings won't be the same without him." Vanderbilt's Derek Mason said Spurrier was the most welcoming coach during his first venture to the SEC spring meetings in 2014, painting an image miles apart from the "Evil Genius" and "Darth Visor" nicknames Spurrier had among the various fan bases during his dominant run through the 1990s.
Spurrier repeatedly ragged Georgia, Tennessee and Florida State in the 1990s, but Richt was quickly gaining respect during that time for a rival.
"As a young coach, you watch offensive football and you learn, and you steal ideas," Richt said. "I can't tell you how many times we would watch film of what he was doing and decided to put it in there at Florida State over the years."
The two visited during Heisman Trophy ceremonies - Spurrier won college football's top individual award as Florida's quarterback in 1966 - but the unlikely friendship really strengthened during Spurrier's second year at South Carolina in 2006. Richt's wife, Katharyn, had a bout with cancer, and Spurrier was among the first coaches who phoned to say he was thinking of them.
Spurrier resigned having defeated Georgia 16 times, more than any other coach. That didn't seem to matter much Tuesday.
"I texted him this morning, as a matter of fact, to wish him and his family a wonderful retirement," Richt said. "Coach, you deserve it, and you've blessed college football for many years."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.
Read more
* Richt among coaching counterparts praising Spurrier * Wiedmer: Summer Elliott also is replacing a Gamecocks legend * Spurrier resigns, takes blame for South Carolina's slide * Coach Steve Spurrier retiring from South Carolina