Gamecocks’ Will Muschamp pays homage to Birmingham’s Legion Field

Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp paid respects to the historic building his team is about to go bowling in.

Brimingham's Legion field was built in 1927 and has hosted various football teams, from Auburn and Alabama to high schools to UAB. The "Old Gray Lady on Graymont," played host to more than a few famous games, but the former "Football Capital of the South" has also fallen to some levels of disrepair.

But Muschamp still has vivid memories of Legion Field linked with his father, Larry.

"Growing up in the Southeast, sitting in Rome, Ga.," Muschamp said. "Watching the Iron Bowl, watching those game through the years, first two Southeastern Conference Championships in 1992 and 1993 at Legion Field, the home of the Southeastern Conference, so we're certainly excited."

This is the third year in a row Muschamp's team has gone to the game, but it will be his first trip there in the stretch. He was let go by the 2014 Florida Gators at the end of the regular season and left the 2015 Auburn Tigers before the bowl game to take over in Columbia.

Sight unseen

When asked after the bowl announcement, Muschamp had to admit, he hasn't seen a stitch of South Florida football this season.

That will change soon enough, but his program did have a few links to the Bulls. Special teams coordinator and linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler was a lower-level staff member on Jim Harbaugh's Sanford staff when Bulls coach Willie Taggart coached running backs there.

Muschamp also recruited USF quarterback Quinton Flowers, who has blossomed into one of the more productive dual-threat passers in the country.

"We would have a hard time tackling him in a phone booth," Muschamp said. "He's really good. He is a slippery guy.

"We're going to have our work cut out for us."

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 6:41 PM with the headline "Gamecocks’ Will Muschamp pays homage to Birmingham’s Legion Field."