Gator Legends Collide As Florida and South Carolina Meet in Title Tilt
Saturday, November 13, 2010 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – He left several years ago, but the Florida football team walks past him each day on its way from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to the practice fields. On a brick wall outside the Heavener Football Complex, a silver plaque is attached honoring Steve Spurrier's induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Spurrier packed his bags and took his Fun 'N' Gun to the NFL nearly nine years ago. When that didn't work out so well, Spurrier took over a South Carolina program in 2005 hoping to create some of the same magic he did as Florida's coach from 1990-2001.
Spurrier returns to The Swamp – the nickname he gave the Gators' homefield in the early 1990s – with his best shot yet at making magic with the Gamecocks. The Florida-South Carolina winner claims the SEC East title and will play in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta next month.
“That just adds to the fuel that's already behind the game,'' said former Gators captain Vernell Brown, who was recruited by Spurrier and later played his final season for Meyer in 2005.
While Spurrier was long gone before the current Gators stepped onto campus, they know of him because, as head coach Urban Meyer said this week, “he is Florida.''
“I heard he's a trickster,'' Gators running back Emmanuel Moody said. “He has a lot of trick plays.''
Senior Mike Pouncey's familiarity goes a deeper.
“I personally love Coach Spurrier,'' Pouncey said. “He's one of the only head coaches that I wait for that I really like meeting after the games. I try and meet him after every game just because of his history here at Florida.''
If you expected Spurrier to drop a classic one-liner on the matchup like he used to for Florida's big rival games, you were probably disappointed to hear what he had to say this week about his third game in The Swamp as a visitor.
The last time he was here in 2008, Spurrier suffered the worst loss of his coaching career, a 56-6 defeat to a Florida team that went on to win Meyer's second national title in three seasons.
Spurrier wanted no part of any talk about whether a win Saturday would be his biggest in Gainesville. He'll leave that to the media and fans to wrestle with.
“This is about South Carolina trying to do something, not me personally,'' Spurrier said. “The Florida fans usually have [the SEC East] clinched by now. If I remember right – usually, not always – but usually they have had the division wrapped up by the last game.
“It is different and we're looking forward to it. It's like I told our guys: 'We're going to the big stage fellas. If you're a little nervous about it and scared, then we're all in trouble.' ''
After Spurrier left for a two-year stint as head coach of the Washington Redskins, Florida sputtered to a 23-15 record in three years under Ron Zook. That's when Meyer arrived and elevated the program to new heights.
Brown was there for the whole ride, recruited by Spurrier and playing for Zook and Meyer. He said when Meyer took over, the goal was to return to the winning ways of the Spurrier Era and nothing less.
“That was the total focus,'' said Brown, a Gainesville resident. “We hadn't had a lot of success in the couple of years before Coach Meyer came. That's what everybody wanted to get back to. That's what the players wanted to get back to, the coaches wanted to get back to, and the Gator Nation wanted to get back to.''
In Meyer's second season, the Gators won their second national championship a decade after Spurrier guided them to their first.
Spurrier's connections to Florida and the importance of Saturday's game have only added to the storylines as the Gators attempt to win their third consecutive SEC title.
To make sure The Swamp isn't too friendly to Spurrier in his return, Meyer is urging fans to wear blue and make as much noise as possible.
“I'd like to make this one go down in the books,'' Meyer said. “Obviously, the football team has to do their part, which is the most important one. But I'd like to see this stadium absolutely out of control. We have the best homefield advantage in America. Let's use it to a maximum.
“Unless people got something else to do, I'd like to see a couple hundred thousand people here packed outside, inside, wherever it is, and have a lot of fun with this one. ''
The Gators will try to win their first game at home since a 48-14 win over Kentucky on Sept. 25. After a three-game losing streak nearly derailed any chance of a return trip to Atlanta, the Gators have won two in row – defeating Georgia in Jacksonville and winning at Vanderbilt a week ago.
“Coach always tells us that we always want to be fighting for a spot for the SEC Championship in November, and that's what we're doing,'' Florida quarterback John Brantley said. “We put ourselves in that situation, maybe not the way we wanted to, but we stuck together and we're fighting for our spot.''
With all the hoopla surrounding the game, Spurrier's return and Meyer's message to the fans, Brantley said he expects the atmosphere to be “insane.''
“Our fans are always rowdy, especially for these big games at night,'' he said. “So it's going to be a special sight to see here in The Swamp.''
On the SEC's weekly media teleconference this week, Spurrier rebutted comments made by Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia that Saturday's game is the biggest in South Carolina history. Spurrier was quick to point out that they beat No. 1-ranked Alabama earlier in the season.
While the Gamecocks are coming off a 21-point home loss to Arkansas, Spurrier is confident they will compete with the Gators.
“We had hoped to be in this game and play for the Eastern Division,'' he said. “Our guys actually believed if we had a good year that we could be in this position. One of our goals is to win the Eastern Division, so we have a chance.
“We realize we've really got to play well. We are just going to try and not beat ourselves of course. And try to make Florida earn everything.''
Meyer isn't taking the matchup lightly. The Gators have won four consecutive over South Carolina since losing on the road in Meyer's first season, however, with Garcia, freshman running back Marcus Lattimore, and receiver Alshon Jeffery anchoring the offense, Meyer sees a different challenge.
“I don't know the entire history of South Carolina, but this is by far the most talented South Carolina team that we've coached against,'' he said. “They have always been very good on defense, but the players they have now on offense are arguably some of the best in the conference.''
Win or lose, Pouncey plans to search out Spurrier after the game to say hello. Of course, he hopes he is the one smiling when they talk.
“Our whole goal in the offseason is to get to Atlanta,'' Pouncey said. “If you would have told me we would have lost three games and still had a chance to win this last game and go to SEC Championship, I wouldn't take it back for anything in the world.
“If we get through this one, it will be one to remember.''
