Steve Spurrier, A to Z: People, places and things in the HBC’s life

ANYWAY

What Spurrier says to reporters a lot. Anytime he’s ready to move on to a new topic.

BEAR BRYANT

Only the legendary coach who has more SEC wins (159) than Spurrier (131). Bear picked up SEC victories at Kentucky and Alabama.

CHAMPIONSHIP, SEC EAST

Spurrier won the first at USC this past season, after having won seven SEC East titles at Florida.

DAN SNYDER

Oh, Danny boy. The Washington Redskins owner who hired Spurrier away from Florida and signed him to a 5-year, $25 million deal. The pro gig lasted only two seasons.

EMORY & HENRY

A formation that Spurrier named after tiny Emory & Henry College in Virginia. The formation has three linemen in the middle of the field with the quarterback and running back behind them, then a lineman and tight end out to each side with a receiver behind them.

FUN ‘N’ GUN

What’s Spurrier’s offense at Florida was called when the Gators were throwing the ball all of the field and scoring 50 points a game.

GATOR RING OF HONOR

In 2006, Spurrier was one of the first four inductees along with Danny Wuerffel, Emmitt Smith and Jack Youngblood.

HEISMAN TROPHY

Spurrier won the Heisman in 1966, his senior season at Florida. Purdue quarterback Bob Griese came in second.

INDUCTED

Spurrier was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

JOHNSON CITY, TENN.

Where Spurrier grew up and attended Science Hill High School. He was a three-sport letterman, starring in football, basketball and baseball for the Hilltoppers. He never lost a game as a pitcher.

KICKER

Spurrier was a part-time kicker while playing at Florida. Legend has it that he ran out onto the field to kick a potential 40-yard game-winner against Auburn during this senior season before coach Ray Graves could send in the starting kicker. He made it.

LOU HOLTZ

The coach Spurrier replaced as the head coach at South Carolina after Holtz retired in 2004.

MARCUS LATTIMORE

Spurrier’s star running back for the Gamecocks and one of the biggest recruits in USC history. He led USC to an SEC East title.

NEWTON, SYVELLE

Newton, a former Gamecock, was one of the first running quarterbacks Spurrier ever used. But the HBC will try whatever it takes to win.

ORR

Spurrier’s middle name, giving him the enviable initials of SOS.

PASSING

Spurrier put the pass into the SEC. Before he coached at Florida, the SEC was mainly a physical, running league.

QUOTES

The Head Ball Coach is a quote machine, especially when he’s trying to poke fun at one his opponents. His nickname for former Georgia coach Ray Goff was “Ray Goof.”

RICE, SIDNEY

One of the best wide receivers Spurrier had at USC. The former Gamecock could catch and Spurrier made sure he had plenty of opportunities.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

The NFL team that picked Spurrier in the first round in the 1967 NFL Draft. He was mainly a backup to John Brodie during his nine seasons with the 49ers.

TAMPA BAY BUCS and BANDITS

Spurrier played quarterback for the winless Bucs in 1976. He had a 35-19 record in three seasons as head coach of the Bandits.

UT

University of Tennessee Vols, Florida’s big rival during Spurrier’s glory days as the Gators’ coach. “You can’t spell Citrus without UT,” Spurrier famously said about Tennessee having to play in the Citrus Bowl as a second-place team.

VICTORIES

Spurrier won 86 games at USC, putting him first on the all-time wins list.

WUERFFEL, DANNY

Spurrier’s best quarterback at Florida, Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy in 1996. Spurrier is the first to have won a Heisman Trophy and to have coached a Heisman winner.

Xs and Os

Spurrier is known for his photographic memory and ability to draw up plays.

YARDAGE

Spurrier’s teams always have been known for putting up big offensive yards because they threw so much. USC had had more than 500 yards of total offense four times under Spurrier.

ZOOK, RON

The Zooker had the misfortune of having to follow Spurrier as the coach at Florida. Zook forgot the first rule of coaching: Never follow a legend.