Spurrier banner removed from Williams-Brice

Steve Spurrier’s name will continue to grace a ramp at Williams-Brice Stadium, but his visage will no longer greet visitors.

The 35-by-80-foot banner of Spurrier hanging outside the West stands was removed Wednesday, a crane performing the process despite spattering rain. The banner will be placed in storage for the time being, according to a South Carolina sports information spokesperson.

“I think it’s a good idea to remove it,” Spurrier told The State.

USC confirmed the banner will be replaced by another banner. What that will be is to be determined.

Spurrier, USC’s all-time winningest coach who has that accomplishment and his school record for single-season wins etched on the Northeast ramp of the stadium, resigned mid-season. He didn’t like the idea of the banner when it was broached, saying people could start throwing eggs at it if USC didn’t continue to win at Williams- Brice.

Raised five days before USC’s 2014 season-opener, the Gamecocks’ first game after it was up was a 52-28 pasting from Texas A&M, which ended an 18-game home winning streak. Spurrier was 77-39 before the banner went up and 9-10 after. The Gamecocks were 6-7 at Williams-Brice with the banner up.

The banner faced Bluff Road and was under the Gamecocks’ Block C logo on the tallest concrete tower of the west stands.

There has been a movement to name the field at Williams-Brice after Spurrier, but Spurrier said that this year was not the right time.

This story was originally published December 2, 2015 at 10:56 AM with the headline "Spurrier banner removed from Williams-Brice."