Holtz to retire after season, Spurrier on tap to replace him

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Lou Holtz wanted his South Carolina team to focus on its game against Clemson this weekend.

The Gamecocks players suddenly have a lot more on their minds.

Holtz will retire as coach at South Carolina after the season, The Associated Press learned Thursday night, apparently paving the way for Steve Spurrier to replace him.

Holtz told his players before the team's final regular-season practice, according to a source close to the program who spoke on condition of anonymity. All season, the 67-year-old Holtz said he was worn out and tired, and even said Spurrier would be a good choice to succeed him.

On Wednesday, South Carolina cornerback Fred Bennett said Holtz promised the players he would tell them first when he decided about next year. ”So I respect him for that,” Bennett said.

A report in The Tennessean of Nashville had Spurrier taking over and the announcement coming next week. Other reports had a contract worth between $1.5 million and $2 million agreed to between Spurrier and South Carolina officials.

If Spurrier decides to coach the Gamecocks, he would face his old team next season on Nov. 12, when Florida comes to Williams-Brice Stadium.

An announcement regarding Spurrier, who won a national championship at Florida, is expected next week, the newspaper said, citing an anonymous source close to the situation.

South Carolina athletic director Mike McGee wouldn't confirm or deny the reports. Several calls to Spurrier's agent, Memphis-based Jimmy Sexton, were not returned.

Holtz wanted the Gamecocks (6-4) locked in on the Tigers (5-5). A victory would be the school's first seven-win season since 2001 and would earn it a probable bowl upgrade. A defeat would be South Carolina's fifth in six years of the series since Holtz arrived. And it was be another slap in the face after last year's 63-17 loss that Holtz said left him as embarrassed as he'd ever been.

South Carolina quarterback Syvelle Newton could tell Holtz is extra intense this week — and not necessarily because he's leaving.

”We don't worry about any of that,” Newton said. ”We love coach Holtz and whatever he does, that's for after the season. We're only thinking about Clemson.”

Holtz said earlier in the week the atmosphere surrounding the South Carolina-Clemson game at Death Valley reminded him of his last game at Notre Dame.

”Not that I'm saying this is my last game,” Holtz said. ”The decision was already made and Bob Davie was going to replace me. We had a terrible week of practice. We were 8-2 and had a young football team and we were playing Southern Cal.

”We played probably the worst football game I've ever had a football team play, yet we were up by eight points and missed an extra point. With about a minute-and-a-half to go, USC scored and went for two and tied the game and we lost in overtime. We had five turnovers and all kinds of penalties.”

Holtz had opened the door for talk of his future. He said several times that he's worn out and tired from the season. Holtz went through a troubling offseason in which he let go four longtime assistants and took the offense away from his son, Skip. Holtz then went to work on a project he called ”changing the culture” at South Carolina. He taught weekly sessions with his players on being good teammates, accountability and citizenship.

While Holtz hasn't delivered on the Southeastern Conference and national titles he spoke of at his welcoming press conference in December 1998, he's the only coach in Gamecocks history with two bowl wins.

Holtz thinks the team's talent level is up, along with discipline, commitment and academics. He feels the program is in much better shape than a year ago, when the 63-17 loss to Clemson knocked South Carolina out of a bowl bid.

”I still say there's a lot of solid things,” Holtz said. ”We'll find out Saturday.”

Spurrier and Holtz are friends. Spurrier helped Holtz's wife, Beth, obtain an appointment with Florida's NCAA faculty adviser Dr. Nicholas Cassisi for treatment for her throat cancer. When Beth Holtz was in the university's surgical center for several weeks, Spurrier's wife, Jerri, checked on her several times to see what she needed.

”He didn't have to do any of that,” Holtz said in 1999. ”He's got a million other things on his mind. I was out of coaching.”

Spurrier, 59, went 20-13-1 in three seasons at Duke before taking over at Florida, his alma mater, in 1990. The Gators won six Southeastern Conference championships and the 1996 national title under Spurrier. He posted 122 victories over 12 seasons, tormented opponents with his offensive flair and witty one-liners, and left town with the best winning percentage in league history.

Spurrier abruptly left after the 2001 season, taking over the Washington Redskins. He resigned after two seasons with a 12-20 record.

AP-DS-11-19-04 0318EST