Jerri hugs for everyone: Spurriers greet Gamecocks in Gainesville

As disappointed South Carolina players and coaches streamed from their locker room to the team’s buses, they were met by two familiar faces.

Former Gamecocks head coach Steve Spurrier, the winningest coach in school history, and wife Jerri stood outside the team locker room for about 30 minutes talking with players, coaches and family members. Spurrier resigned as South Carolina’s coach midway through the 2015 season.

Spurrier is now a consultant at Florida, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1966 and coached the Gators to a national title in 1996. On Saturday, he recognized his 1990 and 1991 Florida teams on the field between the first and second quarters. The 1991 Gators won the SEC championship and the 1990 would have, too, if not for NCAA probation stemming from incidents prior to Spurrier’s arrival at the school.

Spurrier met briefly with reporters. He called current South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley “an excellent player.”

“He can do it all,” Spurrier said. “Throw it. Move around.”

Head coach Will Muschamp caught up with Spurrier before the game.

“He was great, as usual,” Muschamp said. “He wished us luck.”

This story was originally published November 13, 2016 at 8:30 AM with the headline "Jerri hugs for everyone: Spurriers greet Gamecocks in Gainesville."