Every conference has a coach that is a little bit football coach and part comedian. The coach who always is quick to say exactly what is on his mind or throw out a quip or a quote that is sure to raise eyebrows or draw a laugh.
In the Southeastern Conference that coach is Steve Spurrier of South Carolina.
The winningest football coach in Gamecocks history was at it again on Tuesday as the 2013 SEC Media Days got underway at the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham, Ala.
First it was Spurrier talking about one of his causes — money for the players who have made the SEC the most watched conference in the country. He talked about how football and basketball coaches in the conference are in favor of some kind of stipend for the players and their families.
“Now, this is us coaches talking. It’s something that I believe in,” he said of a proposal the coaches discussed at the spring meetings. “We believe those two sports (football and basketball), the income producers, those players, most of them come from lower-income families, that we should provide some expense money so their parents can go to the games, lodging, travel, meals, what have you.
“We’re only talking about $300 a game, basketball would be a little less. But where the players in the course of the year would have $3600, $3900, depending on how many games you play, just to have a little bit of pocket money and their parents to have money to come to the games. We all voted 14-0, that’s all of us coaches, Nick Saban, Mark Richt, Kevin Sumlin, all the basketball coaches agreed that their players deserved a little bit also. They could pro rate that out where the basketball players got $3600, $3900. This is tiny compared to the money that’s coming in now. I think we all know that,” Spurrier said.
“I’m going to keep fighting for our guys. I don’t know what will come. If President Obama would say, ‘Spurrier, you and those coaches need to quit fighting for your players, that they get enough, they get enough full scholarship,’ then I’ll shut up about it. But I just believe that these athletes, because of the enormous amount, just a little bit to help out with their parents watching games and so forth.”
That is a familiar refrain from Spurrier. He’s long been an advocate of money for the players, who by NCAA rules are at a disadvantage when it comes to making extra money.
“This is not pay-for-play. Please don’t say, Spurrier says pay-for-play. This is just expense money. Don’t disguise or say $300 for expenses for a game, that’s not pay-for-play. Just some expense money for our guys to live a little bit better, and their parents, guardians, whatever,” the South Carolina coach said.
When he took over at South Carolina after a brilliant career as coach of the Florida Gators, Spurrier said his goal was to coach long enough to become the winningest coach in Gamecocks history. He has done that with 66 career victories in eight years.
“I did think I could go eight, nine, ten years. I was at a booster club. I think probably all feel you know the story. I said my plan and goal is to be the winningest coach here. It was only 65 wins. If we could average about eight a year, maybe win nine one year, I could get to 65,” he said.
“It worked out that we got 66. I was hoping to be here eight to ten [years]. Now I’m hoping to be here 9 to 13, something like that, 9 to 12. Something like that.”
His South Carolina tenure has given him the distinction of being the winningest coach at two SEC schools — Florida (122 wins) and SC (66).
Spurrier turned on the charm when he was asked about a statement he made at Media Days in 2012, when he said if he had his way he would rather have Ole Miss on his schedule instead of Georgia.
“Well, last year at this time Ole Miss was 2-10, that’s why I made that statement,” he said causing the media to break out in laughter. “They had a good year. Hugh Freeze has done an excellent job there. Hugh and I have a lot in common. We both play golf. We both wear visors. We call the plays. How could you not like a guy like Hugh Freeze?”
Spurrier attended his 50th high school reunion this year and he admitted the years have taken their toll on him and his classmates.
“It was sort of quiet,” he said. “I thought it was going to be a little louder. Looked around at 9:30, half of them had already left. I said, ‘Where did everybody go?’”
Spurrier was asked if he had given any thought to playing his superstar defensive end Jadeveon Clowney on offense at any time this season.
“Not really. We got a bunch of offensive players that are pretty good,” Spurrier said again drawing a laugh. “He played a little bit in high school, though. He’s capable. He’s capable of running with the ball. But that wouldn’t make sense, running with a ball, sprain an ankle, be standing over there with me the rest of the season.
“That wouldn’t be very smart.”
Nobody ever accused Spurrier of not being very smart.
You can’t count on Clowney running the football unless it is with a recovered fumble or an interception. The one thing you can count on this season is that South Carolina’s winningest coach will be adding to his win total, maybe all the way to an SEC championship — and maybe even beyond.