What Spurrier means to South Carolina

Spurrier is setting up USC nicely for future success. The key will be the next hire, because we all know how difficult it is to maintain that level.

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Spurrier is setting up USC nicely for future success

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possibly. We honestly have no idea what SC will do after spurrier, all we DO know is that they'll have a foundation in place and some talent to work with.

Make no mistake, a ton of these kids go to SC because of "Steve Spurrier". Unless they hit a grand slam hire, I think they'd be just as likely to continue on their current path as they would be to return to 8-4 seasons every year.

I read recently that in the last five years SC has gone from a coaching graveyard to a top 20 job. Incredible.

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Spurrier is setting up USC nicely for future success. The key will be the next hire, because we all know how difficult it is to maintain that level.

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I'm glad somebody recognizes this. Spurrier and the athletic department (under Tanner and Hyman) have directed the fan base in the right direction. Not just from a 'buying ticket and going to the game' perspective.. but from a donation stand point. In turn it has led to some massive facility upgrades that has made them SEC worthy, something that couldn't be said just a few short years ago.

On top of that we continue to recruit highly. While we don't have a "big name" like a Lattimore, Jeffery, or Clowney all of our classes finish top 20, many top 15, and although there is a long way to go we're currently ranked 3rd by rivals (if you consider recruiting services to be a good indicator)

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We had the Outback bowl seasons in the previous 2 seasons before that.. and before that 1-21 record with 1 bowl win in our entire history.

Even Spurrier has admitted he didn't realize how far behind we were in the facilities arms race when he got here.

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agreed. Depending on how many years you go back, it can paint a very different picture. If you include the entire Holtz tenure, it adds that first 0-11 season to the numbers. If you cut it to the last three, it leaves out his two best seasons the two seasons prior.

In the end, I think it's very fair to say that Holtz had lifted that program up a level, and that Spurrier definitely lifted it far higher.

Yeah it's strange. I've always heard conflicting reports about Holtz's last years. Some say he was setting up for his son Skip, an assistant for us at the time, to take over for his first HC job. At the same time I've also heard Holtz was instrumental in getting Spurrier to come here.

Holtz didn't deserve to go out the way he did. Yeah he doesn't have the cleanest rap sheet with the NCAA but getting hammered by Clemson, massive team brawl with Clemson, teams not going to a bowl, several of the players shortly after got caught breaking into a dorm room and stealing stuff.

I think population growth will also keep SC competitive post-spurrier.

15 years ago, by the time UGA, UF, AU, UA, Tenn, FSU, Miami, and a couple other southern schools were done recruiting, there wasn't a hell of alot left over for schools like South Carolina.


That's changed.

Population has gotten bigger, but scholarship limits and # of football teams haven't.

This will create more parity among SEC schools moving forward.

Example, the state of Georgia in this recruiting cycle has 80 players ranked .85 or higher by the composite.

The state of South Carolina has 16.

State of Alabama has 25.

The state of Florida has 119.

The point is there are more than enough above-average talent kids to go around now.

I think Spurrier helped, but it's coming to look like he was at the right place at the right time.

If SC's next coach can continue to split the state's top talent 50/50 with clemson and fill out the rest with talent from GA and FL, Gamecocks will continue to field a competitive team.

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Why can't MSU have same success as SC? Their state is just as talented and facilities are even better than SC.

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MSU has 5 commits to OM's 1 commit from MS's top 10 on the 247 composite in the state.

There are still a few uncommitted but even if they just get 5 of the top ten, that's called "locking down your state"

In addition to that, they have the #9 and #11 rated guys from Alabama, and a #8 guy from Missouri.

They are currently ranked 13th in the nation on composite.

This is Mississippi State we are talking about.

They keep this up, they could soon see a turnaround just like SC did.


ETA- a closer look at their 27 commits, they only have 5 line of scrimmage commits total, offense and defense.

Seems to me if you are taking 27+ class, you ought to have more linemen in the mix. This isn't Washington St. Did MSU have some crazy take of linemen last year?

ETA 2 - Yes, I see they took 8 last year. So nevermind, keep up the good work Dan.

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they aren't .496, either

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I know He walked into a dumpster fire, but Holtz was 33-37 which is .472