Neo
11-10-2004, 07:46 AM
http://www.sectalk.com/teams/South_Carolina.gifUSC contacts Spurrier concerning coaching vacancy.
USC checks on Spurrier's interest
By JOSEPH PERSON
www.thestate.com
Holtz: 'It would be great for South Carolina' if Spurrier succeeded him
A USC representative has contacted Steve Spurrier to see whether the former Florida coach would be interested in the Gamecocks’ job if Lou Holtz retires after this season, sources said Tuesday.
Spurrier, who pulled his name from consideration for the Florida vacancy this past week, is said to be intrigued by the possibility of a return to the SEC. The 59-year-old Spurrier became football’s most coveted coach when he resigned last year after two losing seasons with the Washington Redskins.
He has been linked to potential openings at North Carolina and Texas, but his options narrowed somewhat Tuesday when Miami Dolphins president Eddie Jones said Spurrier was not a candidate to replace Dave Wannstedt.
Holtz has been vague about his plans beyond this season, but said Tuesday that “it would be great for South Carolina” if Spurrier succeeded him at USC.
“I can understand why he would want to come here, and I can also understand why they would want him,” Holtz said. “I also understand that the job is not open.”
Holtz, 67, is 33-35 in six seasons at USC and has the Gamecocks bowl eligible for the first time in three years. Holtz has five-year, rollover contract worth about $900,000 a year that does not include a buyout clause, giving him and the school the ability to break it with only five days notice.
Several times since a 43-29 loss to Tennessee on Oct. 30, Holtz said he is tired, but wanted to get through the season before deciding whether he would return to USC.
“I could understand why (Spurrier) would want to come because I think the program is pretty solid. I think it still has to go to the next level,” Holtz said. “We’re close to competing for the championship, and I thought maybe we could this year, but the loss to Georgia, the loss to Ole Miss, but we aren’t far away.”
Holtz and Spurrier are friends who, along with former USC player and ex-Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Reeves, spent two days golfing together at Augusta National this past spring.
Pepper Rodgers, a former Redskins executive and a close friend of Spurrier, said he believes a membership to Augusta National would be enticing to Spurrier. Former USC football player and Columbia resident Hootie Johnson is the chairman at Augusta National.
“The one thing I know Steve loves better than most anything is playing golf,” Rodgers said. “I knew Holtz was a member and I knew Hootie was the big dog at Augusta.”
But Rodgers also said Spurrier might be content to remain retired and work on his golf game. “I don’t think he needs the money and I don’t know that right now he wants to do anything,” Rodgers said of Spurrier, who made more than $2 million a year at Florida and $5 million annually with the Redskins.
Florida won six SEC titles and the 1996 national championship in 12 years under Spurrier. He posted 122 victories, including 10 over the Gamecocks by an average margin of 25 points, and left Gainesville with the best winning percentage in league history.
Holtz was asked whether he would reach out to Spurrier to help lure the ol’ ball coach to Columbia.
“That would be a decision made by the athletic department. But if they asked me, I would say that we have some great head coaching candidates on this staff and some proven head coaches,” Holtz said. “But if and when I ever leave, if you can get a guy like Steve Spurrier, how do you say no? That remains to be seen.”
USC athletics director Mike McGee declined comment when reached at home Tuesday night.
Gamecocks quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach Skip Holtz has long been viewed as the likely successor to his father. The former Connecticut coach turned down a head-coaching job at SMU several years ago to remain at USC. But Lou Holtz stripped his son of his offensive coordinator’s title during the off-season.
First-year defensive coordinator Rick Minter, secondary coach Ron Cooper and running backs coach Dave Roberts all are former Division I head coaches.
But Holtz said he has still not made up his mind about his future.
“The one thing you want to make sure is that when you do leave, the program is going to be solid, in good hands and is going to move forward, because I owe it to these players,” he said. “Everybody you recruit wants to know if you’re going to be there four years and at that time, you believe you are. But somewhere along the line, you aren’t going to be there four years. It’s impossible. Somewhere along the line, the answer is no.
“You people can speculate on that. All I want to do is find a way to beat Florida and go from there.”
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496 or jperson@thestate.com
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/10141745.htm
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1920174
USC checks on Spurrier's interest
By JOSEPH PERSON
www.thestate.com
Holtz: 'It would be great for South Carolina' if Spurrier succeeded him
A USC representative has contacted Steve Spurrier to see whether the former Florida coach would be interested in the Gamecocks’ job if Lou Holtz retires after this season, sources said Tuesday.
Spurrier, who pulled his name from consideration for the Florida vacancy this past week, is said to be intrigued by the possibility of a return to the SEC. The 59-year-old Spurrier became football’s most coveted coach when he resigned last year after two losing seasons with the Washington Redskins.
He has been linked to potential openings at North Carolina and Texas, but his options narrowed somewhat Tuesday when Miami Dolphins president Eddie Jones said Spurrier was not a candidate to replace Dave Wannstedt.
Holtz has been vague about his plans beyond this season, but said Tuesday that “it would be great for South Carolina” if Spurrier succeeded him at USC.
“I can understand why he would want to come here, and I can also understand why they would want him,” Holtz said. “I also understand that the job is not open.”
Holtz, 67, is 33-35 in six seasons at USC and has the Gamecocks bowl eligible for the first time in three years. Holtz has five-year, rollover contract worth about $900,000 a year that does not include a buyout clause, giving him and the school the ability to break it with only five days notice.
Several times since a 43-29 loss to Tennessee on Oct. 30, Holtz said he is tired, but wanted to get through the season before deciding whether he would return to USC.
“I could understand why (Spurrier) would want to come because I think the program is pretty solid. I think it still has to go to the next level,” Holtz said. “We’re close to competing for the championship, and I thought maybe we could this year, but the loss to Georgia, the loss to Ole Miss, but we aren’t far away.”
Holtz and Spurrier are friends who, along with former USC player and ex-Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Reeves, spent two days golfing together at Augusta National this past spring.
Pepper Rodgers, a former Redskins executive and a close friend of Spurrier, said he believes a membership to Augusta National would be enticing to Spurrier. Former USC football player and Columbia resident Hootie Johnson is the chairman at Augusta National.
“The one thing I know Steve loves better than most anything is playing golf,” Rodgers said. “I knew Holtz was a member and I knew Hootie was the big dog at Augusta.”
But Rodgers also said Spurrier might be content to remain retired and work on his golf game. “I don’t think he needs the money and I don’t know that right now he wants to do anything,” Rodgers said of Spurrier, who made more than $2 million a year at Florida and $5 million annually with the Redskins.
Florida won six SEC titles and the 1996 national championship in 12 years under Spurrier. He posted 122 victories, including 10 over the Gamecocks by an average margin of 25 points, and left Gainesville with the best winning percentage in league history.
Holtz was asked whether he would reach out to Spurrier to help lure the ol’ ball coach to Columbia.
“That would be a decision made by the athletic department. But if they asked me, I would say that we have some great head coaching candidates on this staff and some proven head coaches,” Holtz said. “But if and when I ever leave, if you can get a guy like Steve Spurrier, how do you say no? That remains to be seen.”
USC athletics director Mike McGee declined comment when reached at home Tuesday night.
Gamecocks quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach Skip Holtz has long been viewed as the likely successor to his father. The former Connecticut coach turned down a head-coaching job at SMU several years ago to remain at USC. But Lou Holtz stripped his son of his offensive coordinator’s title during the off-season.
First-year defensive coordinator Rick Minter, secondary coach Ron Cooper and running backs coach Dave Roberts all are former Division I head coaches.
But Holtz said he has still not made up his mind about his future.
“The one thing you want to make sure is that when you do leave, the program is going to be solid, in good hands and is going to move forward, because I owe it to these players,” he said. “Everybody you recruit wants to know if you’re going to be there four years and at that time, you believe you are. But somewhere along the line, you aren’t going to be there four years. It’s impossible. Somewhere along the line, the answer is no.
“You people can speculate on that. All I want to do is find a way to beat Florida and go from there.”
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496 or jperson@thestate.com
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/10141745.htm
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1920174