Spurrier set to take over at South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Steve Spurrier was hired at South Carolina on Tuesday after the school trustees' executive board approved a seven-year deal worth $1.25 million a season for the former Florida coach.

Spurrier, who replaces the retiring Lou Holtz, returns to college football after a three-year absence. He was coach of the Washington Redskins for two seasons after leaving Florida, going 12-20 before resigning.

Spurrier won the 1996 national championship and six Southeastern Conference titles while with the Gators, and also went 10-0 against the Gamecocks.

The ol' ball coach met with the team Tuesday morning. Players said Spurrier told them he wanted to bring fun back to the game.

Athletic director Mike McGee presented details of the contract to the trustees.

”Maybe we're prejudiced now for Steve Spurrier,” McGee said. ”That wasn't always the case.”

Spurrier's hiring had been expected for nearly a week.

There was much speculation that Spurrier would return to Florida next season, following the recent firing of Ron Zook. But Spurrier pulled out of the running, saying 12 years at one school was probably enough.

Next season, Florida is scheduled to play at South Carolina on Nov. 12.

Spurrier, 59, went 20-13-1 in three seasons at Duke before taking over at Florida, his alma mater, in 1990. He posted 122 victories over 12 seasons, tormented opponents with his offensive flair and witty one-liners, and departed with the best winning percentage in league history.

The 67-year-old Holtz kicked things off Monday, on one of the strangest days in South Carolina football history. Holtz made official what he hinted about for weeks, and retired after 33 seasons.

Then came the news that South Carolina and rival Clemson, both 6-5, would forego bowl bids because of a brawl late in the Tigers' 29-7 victory Saturday.

Holtz leaves with 249 victories, eighth-most in Division I-A, and a reputation for turning stumbling programs into winners. At each of his six schools — William & Mary, North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina — Holtz went to bowl games by his second season.

His greatest accomplishment came in 1988, when he led Notre Dame to the national title only three seasons after the disastrous Gerry Faust era ended.

”Lou Holtz has been one of the great coaches in college football history,” said Florida State's Bobby Bowden, the winningest coach in Division I. ”He has brought a lot to the game and has coached some great teams. It will seem strange without him.”

His latest reconstruction project at South Carolina was nearly as remarkable. He came out of retirement in 1998 at age 61 to rebuild the Gamecocks. After going 0-11 his first season in Columbia, Holtz brought South Carolina to its best two-year mark in history (17-7) and won consecutive Outback Bowls.

”I don't know where I'm going to go. I don't know what I'm going to do. I have faith in the Lord to let him lead me. As long as my family's with me, everything else will be OK,” Holtz said. ”But I do feel confident leaving here that the football program is on a firm foundation.”

Spurrier will try to build on Holtz's work.

Holtz didn't mention good friend Spurrier by name Monday, but said his replacement ”was a very-well-known, proven winner … that I play golf with.”

Holtz worried that his reputation would be damaged by the brawl with Clemson. Holtz was in the middle of it, trying to restore order.

”Isn't it a heck of a note, Lou Holtz is going to be remembered along with Woody Hayes for having a fight at the Clemson game,” Holtz said.

Hayes' career ended after he punched Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman at the Gator Bowl in 1978.

South Carolina players were told of the school's no-bowl decision by athletic director Mike McGee on Monday evening. They quickly scattered to their cars with belongings and mementoes of their winning season.

”I thought some players were going to be suspended,” Gamecocks center John Strickland said. ”I didn't think we were going to be sitting home during Christmas for the third year straight.”

AP-DS-11-23-04 1307EST