The State in Columbia SC Logo

Morris: Spurrier likes to keep his QB options open | The State

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Archive Search
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters
    • Photo Posters
    • Sponsorships

  • Obituaries
    • All News
    • Local News
    • Crime & Courts
    • South Carolina
    • Business
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Military
    • State
    • Nation/World
    • Civil Rights
    • Charleston Shootings
    • Data, Weather and Traffic
    • Databases
    • Weather
    • Traffic
    • All Politics
    • The Buzz
    • SC Salary Database
    • All GoGamecocks
    • Football
    • Recruiting
    • Phil Kornblut
    • Baseball
    • Men's Basketball
    • Women's Basketball
    • Other Sports
    • Columnists
    • Josh Kendall
    • Sports
    • GoGamecocks.com
    • Clemson Tigers
    • High School Sports
    • College
    • NFL
    • NBA
    • NASCAR
    • MLB
    • Golf
    • Columnists
    • All GoColumbia
    • Entertainment
    • Celebrities
    • Contests
    • Events & Movies
    • All Living
    • Food & Drink
    • Midlands
    • Health
    • Home & Garden
    • Religion News
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Social
    • Place Announcement
    • Features
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Special Sections
    • Living Here Guide
    • All Opinion
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Submit a Letter
    • Editorials
    • Opinion Extra
    • Columnists
    • Cindi Ross Scoppe
    • Robert Ariail
    • Business
    • National Business
    • Technology
    • Shop Around

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Virtual Career Fair
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place an ad
  • Mobile & Apps

Ron Morris

Morris: Spurrier likes to keep his QB options open

    ORDER REPRINT →

September 02, 2008 12:01 AM

CHRIS SMELLEY WILL start Thursday when South Carolina plays at Vanderbilt. That does not mean Steve Spurrier has kicked Tommy Beecher to the curb. Rather, it means Beecher is injured, and Smelley gains the start by default.

You have to wonder, though, why Spurrier has gone to great lengths to defend Beecher following the redshirt junior’s dismal performance last week in his first start.

This is the same Spurrier who has been known during his career to change quarterbacks on a whim. Yet there he was Friday, Saturday and again Sunday putting much of the blame for Beecher’s showing on an offensive line that could neither create holes for USC running backs nor pass protect for Beecher.

No doubt, Beecher’s performance — one-fourth of his 16 completions went to N.C. State —was greatly influenced by an offensive line that seems to major in what Spurrier likes to call “whiff” blocks.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The State

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

So, how does Spurrier explain Smelley’s success after being called from the bullpen for the fourth quarter? The offensive line seemed to come to life under Smelley. He had plenty of time to complete all five of his pass attempts, and USC rushed for 116 yards during the quarter.

“We mixed the run in with the pass better when he was in there, and the protection was better for whatever reason,” Spurrier said. “I have no idea, same protections and so forth. Tommy didn’t play very well, either. I’m not trying to give him all the outs, that he played super and he had no protection.”

It could be that Spurrier recognized N.C. State was out of gas by the time Smelley entered the game. It could be that Spurrier does not want to back down from his decision in the spring that Beecher is the better of the two. It could be that Spurrier is getting softer late in his coaching career and has a little more sympathy for the pressures of running his system.

My guess is Spurrier realizes Smelley is not the answer for the remainder of the season, and he cannot afford for Beecher’s confidence to erode. Even if Smelley performs well against Vanderbilt, Spurrier is still going to need Beecher. Spurrier admitted as much.

“It appears that we’re probably going to need two quarterbacks,” Spurrier said. “Guys get hit all the time. We’ll see how the season goes. That’s all you can do. You’d have to guess we’re going to need (two) quarterbacks to maximize our talent this year.”

It is worth examining how Spurrier has handled such situations in his previous 18 years as a college coach.

Both Doug Johnson and Jesse Palmer had sub-par debuts as quarterback at Florida during the 1997 season, yet both rebounded to have creditable careers. Johnson threw three interceptions in his first start, and Palmer passed for 92 yards in his first start.

Spurrier’s quarterbacks have thrown four or more interceptions nine times, and nearly everyone on that list enjoyed a stellar career. It is no slight for Beecher to be join Shane Matthews, Rex Grossman and Doug Johnson, Florida quarterbacks who threw at least four interceptions in a game and later played in the NFL.

“I think he lost his confidence a few times the other night,” Spurrier said of Beecher. “How to get it back is the next question. I don’t know. We’ll just try to put the best guy out there. It’s as simple as that.”

For now, that is Smelley on Thursday at Vanderbilt. By the following Saturday when No. 1 Georgia rolls into town, it could be Beecher again.

“Every quarterback I’ve coached, except for Shane Matthews, has been benched at one time or another, and every quarterback I’ve coached has had another chance to come back,” Spurrier said. “I’ve just learned over the years that going to the bench a little bit and coming back makes you a better player.”

When Spurrier said during the preseason that he had every intention of using Beecher as the starter for the entire season, he probably meant it. The likelihood of it happening was slim, particularly since Matthews and Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel are the only two quarterbacks to run the table during a season under Spurrier.

Matthews started a remarkable 36 consecutive games during Spurrier’s first three seasons at Florida from 1990 through 1992. Wuerffel led Florida through its national championship season of 1996.

It is pretty clear that neither Beecher nor Smelley are in the same category as Matthews and Wuerffel. To expect either Beecher or Smelley — both with little experience — to provide the kind of performances and display the necessary leadership skills for an entire season under Spurrier is unrealistic.

So, Smelley jumps in the saddle for now, and Beecher will be back at the first sign of trouble.

Listen to Morris Tuesday from 4-5 p.m. on ESPN Radio 93.1 FM.

THROWING TO WRONG GUYS

Eight times during Steve Spurrier’s 19 seasons as a college head coach he has had a quarterback throw four or more interceptions in a game. Spurrier’s teams won four of those games.



Ints Quarterback Team Opponent Year W/L
5 Billy Ray Duke Clemson 1989 W
5 Shane Matthews Florida Miss. State 1992 L
4 Steve Slayden Duke Northewestern 1987 W
4 Terry Dean Florida Kentucky 1993 W
4 Terry Dean Florida Auburn 1994 L
4 Doug Johnson Florida LSU 1997 L
4 Rex Grossman Florida Auburn 2001 L
4 Tommy Beecher USC N.C. State 2008 W

Baptisms under Fire

Quarterbacks have had a mixed bag of results in their first career starts under Steve Spurrier at Duke, Florida and South Carolina.

DUKE

Quarterback Year Opponent Com-Att-Int-Yds-TD
Billy Ray 1989 USC 28-39-1-341-2
Dave Brown 1989 Wake Forest 24-36-1-444-4
FLORIDA

Quarterback Year Opponent Com-Att-Int-Yds-TD
Shane Matthews 1990 Oklahoma St. 20-29-0-332-1
Terry Dean 1993 Arkansas St. 16-22-1-237-2
Danny Wuerffel 1994 Georgia 19-34-2-209-3
Eric Kresser 1995 No. Illinois 26-42-1-458-6
Doug Johnson 1997 So. Miss. 17-34-3-231-2
Jesse Palmer 1997 Auburn 8-14-2-92-0
Noah Brindise 1997 Vanderbilt 13-25-1-222-2
Rex Grossman 2000 LSU 18-28-0-276-3
USC

Quarterback Year Opponent Com-Att-Int-Yds-TD
Blake Mitchell 2005 Central Fla. 18-23-0-333-3
Antonio Heffner 2005 Auburn 15-23-0-133-1
Syvelle Newton 2006 Wofford 12-18-1-196-0
Chris Smelley 2007 La.-Lafayette 10-14-1-101-1
Tommy Beecher 2008 N.C. State 12-22-4-106-0

Related stories from The State in Columbia SC

latest-news

Practice report: Rychleski on Doerr's departure

September 02, 2008 12:01 AM

latest-news

Soft-spoken Cook lets tackles do the talking

September 02, 2008 12:01 AM

latest-news

Smelley gets the nod

September 02, 2008 12:01 AM

latest-news

Vets leave wake-up call for Vandy

September 01, 2008 12:01 AM

latest-news

VIDEO: Spurrier, players preview Vandy game

August 31, 2008 05:04 PM

latest-news

Time-lapse slideshow: USC vs. N.C. State

August 31, 2008 11:14 AM

  Comments  

Videos

Tre Jones said Duke played ‘lax’ before needing epic rally to beat Louisville

Clemson baseball coach Monte Lee recaps win against South Alabama

View More Video

Trending Stories

Most South Carolinians couldn’t pass part of US citizenship test, foundation study says

February 15, 2019 11:18 AM

Good news for Staley, Gamecocks: NCAA approves USC host site for tournament

February 14, 2019 03:51 PM

McMaster fires entire Richland Co. election board after lost votes, chaotic meeting

February 14, 2019 04:03 PM

Inmate escaped from South Carolina prison work site, officials say

February 15, 2019 06:33 AM

State declares Hepatitis outbreak in SC county. Worker at 2nd restaurant tests positive

February 14, 2019 09:26 AM

Read Next

Ron Morris

LIVING AND DYING FOR SOCCER IN ENGLAND

By RON MORRIS

rmorris@thestate.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

May 05, 2015 12:19 AM

Nothing comes close to matching the passion for England’s version of football.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The State

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE RON MORRIS

Ron Morris

MORRIS: NCAA Tournament hopes dim for rivals USC and Clemson

May 02, 2015 11:33 PM
Koumas’ world is not done touring

Ron Morris

Koumas’ world is not done touring

April 28, 2015 09:59 PM
Morris: ACC making gains in football, but SEC still on top

Ron Morris

Morris: ACC making gains in football, but SEC still on top

April 25, 2015 10:44 PM

Ron Morris

Morris: Student-athletes should skip the dotted line on signing day

April 22, 2015 11:29 PM
Morris: Winning never gets old for Head Ball Coach

Ron Morris

Morris: Winning never gets old for Head Ball Coach

April 20, 2015 10:34 PM
Final Four experience will prove valuable for future of USC’s women’s basketball

Ron Morris

Final Four experience will prove valuable for future of USC’s women’s basketball

April 06, 2015 11:59 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

The State App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Rewards
  • Pay Your Bill
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • Special Sections
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story