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Why Can't Spurrier Do It
If Spurrier Can't win at USC can anyone?
Why Can't Spurrier Get it Done at South Carolina
Living in South Carolina I get asked by those outside of the Palmetto State frequently as to why Steve Spurrier is having such a problem at South Carolina. Spurrier had so much success at Florida that he created a thought in the SEC that his Gator teams were unstoppable. Along with Bear Bryant, Don Shula, and Adolph Rupp, Spurrier is the most known coach in the South's sports history. So why has it been so hard at South Carolina? Being around the Gamecock Nation for so long I've come up with the following 10 reasons.
1. Tradition-This is an area that kills South Carolina within the SEC. The Gameocks alltime record in football now stands at 528-529-44(includes forfeits). This record ranks them 11th in the 12 team SEC in winning pct only ahead of the Mississippi State Bulldogs. In bowl games it doesn't get better for USC as they have a 4-10 bowl record. It took the Gamecocks 102 years to win their first bowl game and another 6 to win their 2nd. At one time the program held the record for the most consecutive bowl losses at 8(a record since broken by Notre Dame). Every SEC school, with the exception of Vanderbilt and South Carolina has won the SEC. This stat isn't all that fair considering the Gamecocks didn't join the conference until 1992, but while being a member of the Southern Conference and the ACC the Gamecocks only won 1 conference title(1969). The best season in Gamecock history was in 1984, a season that included a double digit loss to Navy. The program even had a 21 game losing streak just 10 years ago.
2. Poor Athletic Decisions- In the past the Gamecock Athletic Department has made some very poor decisions that have killed the football program. In 1971 South Carolina decided to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference. Many will argue as to why they did, some say it was for easier academic standards, others state its due to basketball coach Frank McGuire's feud with the Tobacco Road Schools. Doesn't really matter why, but athletic director Paul Dietzel truly hurt the program with this decision. It took away the school's identity and hurt it in recruiting and it helped Clemson. The Tigers own a 26-9-1 series lead over the Gamecocks since they left. The school likely could've won some ACC trophies in the 20 years they were an independent(84 and 87 they whipped a few ACC schools), but instead they became lost among Independents like FSU, Miami, West Virginia, and Penn State. The decision killed some good rivalries with UNC and NC State and also hurt USC's image in some key recruiting grounds in North Carolina.
Another poor decision has been USC's refusal of bowl games. For a school that only has 14 bowl appearances you would think they would jump at any bowl bid, but three different times they rejected them. After the tragic death of coach Joe Morrison early in 1989, AD King Dixon had to scramble to hire coach Sparky Woods from Appalachian State. Not much was expected from Woods in his first season, but an upset of Georgia excited the Gamecock fanbase as did a 6-4-1 record. The "Sparky Rock" was heard all across the Palmetto State and a bowl bid was coming. Unfortunately for the loyal Gamecock fans, Dixon rejected an Independence Bowl bid in 89 and in 90 due to exams being held at the same time. This would've given the Gamecocks 4 straight bowl bids, a first in the school's history. The decision killed Sparky's momentum and he would never have a winning season again.
In 2004 the Gamecocks were once again looking at a bid from the Independence Bowl. That is until a fight broke out in Death Valley at the USC-Clemson game. The Monday following the fight, South Carolina declined a bowl bid despite Lou Holtz encouraging University officials to play it. South Carolina had been in fights before. In 1992 they got into a fight with Louisiana Tech at Williams Brice Stadium. In the final game of the 1987 season they had a brawl with Miami(and still accepted a Gator Bowl Bid). The only reason South Carolina declined the bowl bid in 2004 was because Holtz was retiring and they wanted to make a good PR move after the NBA brawl the Friday prior to the Clemson-USC game.
Possibly the poorest athletic decision that the Gamecocks have made is that for years they distanced themselves from former players. The reason for this is not known, but its certainly hurt the Gamecock program. One of the greatest NFL wire receivers of alltime played for South Carolina, Sterling Sharpe. But a bad relationship was built by some previous administrators with guys like Sharpe. Players looking to workout at USC facilities were told they couldn't at one point. This problem is one being addressed now, but for many years it has hurt the Gamecock family. South Carolina needs to look closer at the Miami program and see how the Canes support their former players.
3. The Chicken Curse- No, I don't believe in some crazy curse, but there there have been some strange events in Gamecock History that killed the program. 1984 Navy is the first to come to mind. In 84 the Gamecocks were the talk of the college football world. 2nd year coach Joe Morrison had the Gamecocks 9-0 after a wins over FSU, Georgia, and Notre Dame. South Carolina was ranked #2 nationally and looked certain to be headed to the Orange Bowl. They were so certain that they turned down an offer from the Sugar Bowl. Navy was 3-5-1(2 wins over 1-AA teams) and coming off a 29-0 loss to Pitt. All Morrison's boys had to do was beat Navy and they were likely to be #1 in the next week's Associated Press Poll. On a cold night in Annapolis, the Gamecocks lost 38-21sending many in tears that watched the game on closed circuit TV at the Gamecocks basketball arena. The National Title hopes were over.
The 88-89 athletic year was a bad one for the football program, but it started off with some hope. Following an 8-4 season in 87, there was much hope in the 88 preseason for the team. Todd Ellis was on the cover of Street & Smith's Magazine being touted as "The Gamecocks Heisman Hopeful" Some publications had South Carolina as high as #2 in their preseason magazines. The season started strong as the Gamecocks beat Georgia and Virginia Tech to start 6-0. Led by players like Ellis, Robert Brooks, Patrick Hinton, and Harold Green South Carolina went into Atlanta, Georgia as a 29 point favorite over Bobby Ross' 1-5 Georgia Tech team. The result, a 34-0 whipping by the Yellow Jackets over the Gamecocks. The team would end the year 8-4 and unranked. Then a couple months later the very popular coach Joe Morrison would die of a heart attack.
In 2001 the Gamecocks once again looked headed to glory. At 5-0 and ranked #9 the Gamecocks headed into Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium to play the 2-3 Arkansas Razorbacks for a 3:30 nationally televised CBS game. In a defensive struggle the Gamecocks appeared to have escaped an upset, until a 4th and 10 scramble by freshman QB Matt Jones ended in a 1st down. The run helped setup a Hog touchdown and the Razorbacks were up 10-7. Phil Petty led his team down field for a FG that would've tied the game, but Carlos Hall blocked the kick and the Hogs upset the Gamecocks to end any dreams of an undefeated season.
The final example of how crushing this curse is would be the 2007 game with Vanderbilt. The Gamecocks entered the game 6-1 and ranked #6 nationally. In a season where top 10 upsets happened every week, this would be the week the Gamecocks got hit by the bug. The 'Dores would win 17-6 for only the 3rd victory ever for the program. South Carolina would go on to end the season 6-6.
Pacific, Appalachian State, Furman, and The Citadel are some other pathetic performances for the Gamecock, but we won't bring back these memories for Gamecock fans.
4. Columbia- Yes, I live 30 minutes from the city and it does have some nice things about it, but its not your typical college town. Columbia has high crime rates, gang issues, a Confederate Flag at the State House, and lacks the true feel of a college town. The area known as "Five Points" is not only a hang out for college kids, but also for many individuals not associated with USC looking for trouble. This part of town has in the past led to many arrests of USC student athletes and caused coaches to discipline players.
Businesses in town feel the need to not only support the Gamecocks, but also the Tigers. Many places tend to put up Clemson and South Carolina schedule posters or flags in their business. This isn't the case in towns like Tuscaloosa, Oxford, Athens, Fayetteville, or Auburn. In those towns its 1 team and you know who that team is.
The media in Columbia is split as well. The State Newspaper, based in Columbia, at least 4 pages every Sunday to Clemson football. In 2005 this newspaper put up billboards of columnist Ron Morris around town stating "Hate Him, Read Him". Morris is disliked by many Gamecocks due to his heavy critisism of the athletic program. Even radio stations like 107.5 FM, who calls itself "The Home of The Gamecocks", will have segments with members of the Clemson media. ESPN Radio 93.1 in Columbia tries to market itself towards the Clemson crowd by being the home of Clemson Tiger football, baseball, and basketball broadcasts.
5. Facilities- When you compare the Gamecock Facilities to others in the nation they rank among the best. Unfortunately, they fall near the bottom when you compare it to other SEC schools. The Gamecocks are in the process of building an academic learning center, but by the time its built another SEC school will have built something better.
Williams Brice Stadium is an impressive site. Miles away on I-77 you can see this structure that at night looks like a giant space ship. The problem is that its located about 2 miles off campus and has the worst location in the SEC. Warehouses and condos surround the stadium and none of it gives you the feel of a college football stadium. The State Fairgrounds offer plenty of parking, but its not a scenic area. Sure, the Rocket is a great place to meet your mom when loss, but even the biggest Gamecock fan has to admit they'd rather tailgate in the Grove. Plans are on the way to improve the area, but its still an off campus facility. Something is loss when a student can't walk across campus and see their stadium.
6. Clemson- Clemson University was founded in spite of USC. Ben Tillman wanted an institution to stress the education of agriculture and mechanical arts to the citizens of The Palmetto State. If USC had done this, then Clemson University might not exist or have the influence in the state it does today. Instead, in 1889 federal funds for agricultural education were transferred from the Columbia to Clemson and the school that would dominate the Gamecocks would be established.
Clemson has for years not only appealed to its alumni, but also those living in rural South Carolina. The University is located by the scenic Lake Hartwell and Blue Ridge Mountains. On gameday the shirts on the fans match the leaves on the trees creating a truly great college atmosphere. The fans take pride in their Tigers and there does seem to be more of a family feel to Clemson than USC.
Clemson has for years not only appealed to its alumni, but also those living in rural South Carolina. The University is located by the scenic Lake Hartwell and Blue Ridge Mountains. On gameday the shirts on the fans match the leaves on the trees creating a truly great college atmosphere. The fans take pride in their Tigers and there does seem to be more of a family feel to Clemson than USC.
Clemson has a national championship in football, 24 top 25 finishes, 31 bowl appearances, and 17 conference titles. These accomplishments exceed anything USC has accomplishes, thus the Tigers have a 65-37-4 record over the Gamecocks. Even with Hall of Fame coaches Spurrier and Holtz, the Tigers are 8-2 against the Gamecocks. Until USC can beat Clemson consistantly, they will never win big in the SEC.
7. The SEC Tradition- When USC joined the SEC in 1992 it joined the best football conference in America. Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, and even Ole Miss have won national championships. Each one of these schools appeared in over 30 bowl games. Names like Bryant, Jordan, Vaught, Broyles, Dooley, and Neyland are associated with these schools. Who would you associate with South Carolina? Bob Fulton?
These schools are where high school players grew up admiring and wanting to play for. These are universities that have been on TV in Orange, Sugar, and Cotton Bowls. When you think of great football, these teams come to mind. Tradition means more to the South than any area of the country and South Carolina is far behind these 8 schools.
8. Money- South Carolina is one of the nation's poorest states. This fact hurts the University when any new facilities need to be built. The Palmetto State doesn't have the financial resources that Florida does due to its huge population that draws in big money from all over the country. It lacks the large financial city that Georgia has with Atlanta. LSU is in a poor state as well, but a larger population and some rich oil money helps the Tigers. Arkansas is helped by having Wal Mart, Tyson Chicken, and J.B. Hunt within minutes of its campus.
Tennessee, Auburn, and Alabama all are from poor areas, but these schools win, and winning opens the pockets of fans. This is something South Carolina could certainly use. A large number of fans are frustrated with Athletic Director Eric Hyman, who is putting PSL prices on seats for the 2009 season. These fans wouldn't be so angry if South Carolina was winning big, but 13-12 the past 2 seasons isn't making many happy about giving more money.
9. Recruiting- The Palmetto State is a top 15 producer of NFL talent, but the problem is that for years the best players tend to go to Clemson or leave out of state for schools like Georgia, Tennessee, FSU, or Florida. Also, much of the state's top talent comes from upstate schools(Clemson territory) or rural areas(appealing more towards Clemson). The schools within the city of Columbia just don't play great football anymore. This season the nearest school to make it to a State Championship game from the Columbia area was Sumter High School, located 30 miles outside of Columbia.
Out of state South Carolina doesn't have the appeal to bring in many big name recruits. Few kids outside the state grew up dreaming to become Gamecocks, while in South Carolina many kids grow up dreaming to become Bulldogs or Gators. The kids South Carolina pick up from out of state are usually kids looking for immediate playing time or just leftovers from the other big schools in those states.
On average South Carolina will put together top 25 classes. The problem is that 7-8 other SEC schools usually put together top 15 or higher classes.
10. Instability in Coaching- Since World War II the Gamecocks have had 14 different coaches, by comparison Georgia has had 6, Clemson 9, Tennessee 8, and Auburn 8. It seems every 4-5 years the Gamecocks are going through another coaching search.
The coaching hires aren't always bad ones. Paul Dietzel, Lou Holtz, and Steve Spurrier had all won National Championships at previous schools. Jim Carlen left Texas Tech after having 11 wins with the Red Raiders. Joe Morrison had 10 wins at New Mexico before appearing in all black on the Gamecock sidelines. For whatever reason these guys just couldn't get it done.
Carlen gave the school its only Heisman winner and in 7 seasons only had 1 losing record, but issues with school officials led to his resignation. Morrison was National Coach of the year in 84, but died of a heart attack. Holtz took the program from being the joke of the nation to being middle of the pack in the SEC, but was ready to retire. Richard Bell lasted 1 season due to a loss to 1-AA Furman.
Without stability, the Gamecocks not only have lacked consistancy, but it has also hurt the program to establish a true identity.
Can It Be Done?
If Kansas can win the Orange Bowl, Kansas State can win the Big XII, and Wake Forest can win the ACC then anything is possible. South Carolina does have a loyal fan base that loves its football. The State of South Carolina continues to grow in population and some of the economic mistakes of the past are slowly being corrected.
Yes, it can be done, but don't fool yourselves. Steve Spurrier has one of the most difficult jobs in the BCS conferences and at this time he is the winningest 4th year coach in USC history(28-22). Can he be expected to work miracles? Well, he did course win the ACC Title at Duke.
Matt Barber
dixiefriedsports@gmail.com
