Steve Spurrier has been inducted into the 2016 SEC Football Legends class for his efforts both as a player and a coach at Florida.
Spurrier Chosen as SEC Football Legend
Tuesday, October 4, 2016 | Football
Head Ball Coach and 13 others announced as members of 2016 class.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Steve Spurrier has been selected to the 2016 SEC Football Legends class, the Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday.
This year's Legends class consists of 14 former stars who excelled on the gridiron and helped write the rich history of the sport at their respective institutions. The 2016 class includes a Heisman Trophy winner, All-Americans, All-SEC selections and Academic All-Americans as well as NCAA and SEC record holders. They have helped win national and SEC championships and are represented in state, school and college football halls of fame.
As a quarterback at Florida from 1963 to 1966, Spurrier started for three seasons and was a two-time consensus All-American, winning the Heisman Trophy in his senior year in 1966. During his record-setting career, he passed for more than 4,800 yards and 36 touchdowns. Following a 14-year NFL career, he returned to Florida in 1990 to become the Gators' head coach. For 12 seasons, he led Florida to unprecedented success with his Fun 'n' Gun offense, winning Florida's first six SEC championships and first consensus national championship in 1996. Meanwhile, his squads and players set numerous school and SEC records, and in 1996, Spurrier became the first Heisman winner to coach a Heisman winner when Danny Wuerffel won the award. Spurrier was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1986.
Spurrier has since returned to Florida as the ambassador and consultant for the athletic department after 11 seasons at South Carolina. At the 2016 football season opener against UMass, "The Swamp," which was what Spurrier nicknamed the stadium at the end of the 1991 season, was renamed Steve Spurrier-Florida Field in his honor.
The 2016 SEC Football Legends class will be honored at the 2016 SEC Football "Weekend of Champions" Dec. 2-3 in Atlanta, Georgia. The annual SEC Legends Dinner presented by AT&T will be held Friday, Dec. 2 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, and the group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Georgia Dome.
The full 2016 SEC Football Legends class is as follows:
ALABAMA – Chris Samuels, OT, 1996-99
ARKANSAS – Shawn Andrews, OT, 2001-03
AUBURN – Jason Campbell, QB, 2000-04
FLORIDA – Steve Spurrier, QB, 1963-66 and head coach, 1990-2001
GEORGIA – Jon Stinchcomb, OL, 1999-2002
KENTUCKY – James Whalen, TE, 1997-99
LSU – Robert Dugas, OT, 1976-78
OLE MISS – Kris Mangum, TE, 1994-96
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Randy Thomas, OG, 1997-98
MISSOURI – Justin Smith, DE, 1998-2000
SOUTH CAROLINA – Travelle Wharton, OT, 2000-03
TENNESSEE – Deon Grant, DB, 1997-99
TEXAS A&M – Ray Mickens, DB, 1992-95
VANDERBILT – Chris Williams, OT, 2005-07
This year's Legends class consists of 14 former stars who excelled on the gridiron and helped write the rich history of the sport at their respective institutions. The 2016 class includes a Heisman Trophy winner, All-Americans, All-SEC selections and Academic All-Americans as well as NCAA and SEC record holders. They have helped win national and SEC championships and are represented in state, school and college football halls of fame.
As a quarterback at Florida from 1963 to 1966, Spurrier started for three seasons and was a two-time consensus All-American, winning the Heisman Trophy in his senior year in 1966. During his record-setting career, he passed for more than 4,800 yards and 36 touchdowns. Following a 14-year NFL career, he returned to Florida in 1990 to become the Gators' head coach. For 12 seasons, he led Florida to unprecedented success with his Fun 'n' Gun offense, winning Florida's first six SEC championships and first consensus national championship in 1996. Meanwhile, his squads and players set numerous school and SEC records, and in 1996, Spurrier became the first Heisman winner to coach a Heisman winner when Danny Wuerffel won the award. Spurrier was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1986.
Spurrier has since returned to Florida as the ambassador and consultant for the athletic department after 11 seasons at South Carolina. At the 2016 football season opener against UMass, "The Swamp," which was what Spurrier nicknamed the stadium at the end of the 1991 season, was renamed Steve Spurrier-Florida Field in his honor.
The 2016 SEC Football Legends class will be honored at the 2016 SEC Football "Weekend of Champions" Dec. 2-3 in Atlanta, Georgia. The annual SEC Legends Dinner presented by AT&T will be held Friday, Dec. 2 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, and the group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Championship on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Georgia Dome.
The full 2016 SEC Football Legends class is as follows:
ALABAMA – Chris Samuels, OT, 1996-99
ARKANSAS – Shawn Andrews, OT, 2001-03
AUBURN – Jason Campbell, QB, 2000-04
FLORIDA – Steve Spurrier, QB, 1963-66 and head coach, 1990-2001
GEORGIA – Jon Stinchcomb, OL, 1999-2002
KENTUCKY – James Whalen, TE, 1997-99
LSU – Robert Dugas, OT, 1976-78
OLE MISS – Kris Mangum, TE, 1994-96
MISSISSIPPI STATE – Randy Thomas, OG, 1997-98
MISSOURI – Justin Smith, DE, 1998-2000
SOUTH CAROLINA – Travelle Wharton, OT, 2000-03
TENNESSEE – Deon Grant, DB, 1997-99
TEXAS A&M – Ray Mickens, DB, 1992-95
VANDERBILT – Chris Williams, OT, 2005-07
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