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Spurrier rebuffs retirement rumor

Coach says he is not worried about son succeeding him, has ‘four to five’ years left

Everyone's looking at Spurrier

USC coach Steve Spurrier

Gerry Melendez/gmelendez@thestate.com /The State

Written by JOSEPH PERSON

jperson@thestate.com
Posted on 11.19.08
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Steve Spurrier is not getting the results he wants, but the South Carolina coach said Tuesday he remains committed to seeing things through with the Gamecocks.

While dispelling rumors that he will retire at season’s end, the 63-year-old Spurrier flashed his trademark wit and candor, taking shots at Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis and USC quarterback Stephen Garcia, among others.

Spurrier responded to a report on CollegeFootballTalk.com, which cited “increasing chatter” from NFL sources that Spurrier will step down, by saying he has “a good four to five more years in me.”

Spurrier’s contract, worth $1.75 million per year, runs through the 2012 season. While he can retire without paying a buyout, Spurrier would forfeit $1 million in tax-deferred retirement funds if he leaves USC prior to Dec. 31, 2011.

“Who out there’s retiring? They can’t even get Joe Paterno to retire. Bobby Bowden,” Spurrier said. “Somebody said the other day, ‘How can coaches retire? They make too much money to retire.’

“But I do enjoy it and we do have a chance here, I’m convinced of that. Not the way we played the other night. But hopefully that was just a bad, bad thing that happened.”

Spurrier is coming off the worst loss of his head-coaching career, a 56-6 shellacking by Florida last weekend. The former Gators’ coach is 28-20 — more wins than any USC coach in his first four seasons — and has the Gamecocks on the verge of their first New Year’s Day bowl berth in seven years.

“We’re 7-4. I saw Charlie Weis on TV today, he’s happy as he can be that Notre Dame got their sixth win and they’re bowl eligible,” Spurrier said. “So sometimes you have to keep everything in perspective.”

Spurrier also shot down the suggestion in the Internet report that he was upset that USC officials were not receptive to making receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. the head coach after he retires.

Texas named much-sought-after defensive coordinator Will Muschamp as Mack Brown’s successor Tuesday, doubling his salary and continuing the growing trend of head coaches-in-waiting.

But Spurrier said he has no plans to pursue a similar arrangement for his 37-year-old son.

“I don’t believe in that. He’s on his own,” Spurrier said. “If he gets a coordinator job somewhere and he thinks that’s best for his career, that’s something he’d look at individually.”

Though many of his players heard or read about the Internet report, Spurrier did not address the subject with his team Tuesday. But senior kicker Ryan Succop does not believe Spurrier is going anywhere.

“The way he talks, he’s still building for the future,” Succop said. “So I couldn’t see that happening at all.”

Spurrier joked that one thing that could push him into retirement is the play of Garcia, the redshirt freshman who has struggled learning the offense.

“I won’t coach into my 70s, that’s for sure. I’m in my early-60s right now. But I feel good, in good health and all that,” Spurrier said. “I’ll tell you what now: It’s not a lot of fun coaching Garcia, though. That might send you out of here. But it’s a challenge, and we’ll go from there.”

Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.

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