Thursday, November 30, 2006

Spurrier to Alabama?

This rumor is juicy only because he's the biggest name in college football coaching (yes, ahead of Carroll, Weis, Meyer or any of them). Let's see... Pros: More money; more prestigious program. Cons: Dick move to S. Carolina. Yep: I think he'll go. Thoughts?
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61 comments:

Brian in Oxford said...

If Spurrier could make SC relevant, then in 5 years they'd be a more prestigious program anyways, especially if 'Bama just keeps spinning its wheels.

11/30/2006 01:58:00 PM
jhawkjjm said...

Con: Higher expectations. At SC he has a built-in excuse if he fails. Not so at Bama

11/30/2006 02:02:00 PM
FutureLegendVinceYoung said...

The big problem for any coach going to Alabama is the length of the leash he will be given. Shula gets Alabama through probation is without his most explosive wideout in Prothro and loses his 3 year starting QB in Croyle and still manages to win 6 games and were competative in their games against Florida, Auburn and UT. I think they should have given Shula at least 2 years to see how he would have done with the sanctions now lifted.

If Spurrier goes he will immediately make the program credible again but because he is Steve Spurrier he will be expected to win the SEC West next year. If he does get the job it will be fun to watch him antagonize Auburn. Spurrier antagonizing Auburn will be 100 times more fun to watch than anything he did to UT while at Florida.

11/30/2006 02:08:00 PM
RevScottDeMangeMD said...

Sounds like Dan might still be bitter about Spurrier leaving Florida...

11/30/2006 02:08:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I seriously doubt Spurrier leave. He prefers to build up a program. Remember Florida before Spurrier got there? Wasn't the prestigious program it is now. Also, Alabama is always getting investigated because of problems with alumni. Spurrier won't want to put up with taht. Besides, futurelegend is right, you have a very short time to succeed at Bama.

11/30/2006 02:12:00 PM
Anonymous said...

You all talk like winning is the most important thing. Spurrier will go where he gets paid more. That's how life works. Your family won't care in 50 years if you made SC into a national power. They'll care if they can purchase a yacht with the inheritance money.

And in 5 years he'll be talking to Al Davis thinking, "You know, I really think I have a better perspective on this NFL thing."

11/30/2006 02:28:00 PM
FutureLegendVinceYoung said...

In 5 years they will proping Al Davis up like Bernie, if they are not doing that already.

11/30/2006 02:33:00 PM
Trey (formerly TF) said...

I think this is a ploy to get the money and facility upgrade he wants.

11/30/2006 02:36:00 PM
Lenny said...

Dan, sometimes you just post stuff that no one really cares about except you. Spurrier? He's irrelevant. He left Florida a long time ago, sucked it up in the NFL, and hasn't really done anything at South Carolina. He hasn't been a good coach since he left Florida. Let it go!

11/30/2006 02:41:00 PM
Anonymous said...

That's a good point, he's not in the same league as Carrol, Weis and Tressel in terms of hype. As a Florida alum, he probably doesn't notice.

11/30/2006 02:45:00 PM
Dave said...

Everyone who is down playing Spurrier as not being a big time coach is flat out wrong, and clearly knows nothing about SEC football.

Pete Carroll, Charlie Weis, Jim Tressel have only been at their schools and in some cases in College Football for a couple of years.

Spurrier is a legend in the SEC and has spent most of his carreer there as a player (Heisman Trophy Winner) and Coach.

To claim that he is less than or even go so far as to call him irrelevant is a joke. He built the Florida program and won at DUKE before that, and now he has SC challenging teams in the SEC every week.

With that said, where is there any indication that Spurrier is talking or even listening to Alabama. When does scooping the news and speculation just become rumor mongering?

How about some real information before we all go crazy with speculation. Geeze.

11/30/2006 02:55:00 PM
rockchalk said...

It is more than just rumors...Official request to talk to Spurrier by Alabama AD Mal Moore.

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/mobileregister/index.ssf?/base/sports/116488174112730.xml&coll=3

11/30/2006 03:02:00 PM
Unknown said...

Spurrier is definitely a good coach. South Carolina had no business being in several games this year, yet they were competitive.
I DON'T think Spurrier particularly cares about money at this point. I doubt he coaches more than 4 years and he'd have a much easier time at USC than PMS Univ.

11/30/2006 03:04:00 PM
Trey (formerly TF) said...

Where arWhere are you guys located? Probably not from or around the South, the guy is still and will always be a HUGE name. Yes, talking head gush over Weis, Tressel, etc. They are good coaches and should be, however, your talking about the guy who CHANGED how college football was played at the major level, by implementing a large scale passing game. Before that it was three yards and a cloud of dust, everywhere. Yes there were some coaches that threw it around, but no one exploited defenses by taking shots down the field like he did. Give the guy talent he can out X and O anyone at the college level. And, even if he is hated, he’s still an iconic figure in the south. Sorry this isn’t relevant to many of you in the NE, MidWest, West Coast. But I can say that most people feel the same way about things those areas care about. I.E. – Yanks/Sox in the NE.

Joe (Dayton)

11/30/2006 03:07:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Didn't he say that he didn't want to coach somewhere with huge expectations? How, exactly, does Bama fit in with that. Shula was 10-2 LAST YEAR and got fired. You think the ol' ball coach wants to go through that?

He'll "listen", and then SC will up his salary, and he can stay there, play as much golf as he wants...and if he ever gets that team to 10 wins, it would be almost as good as winning another NC.

11/30/2006 03:11:00 PM
Lenny said...

The point I'm trying to make is Dan is always getting pissed off about the "East Coast Bias" and crap like that. Here is a perfect example of how he is part of the East Coast Bias problem.

11/30/2006 03:13:00 PM
Dave said...

The article posted by rockchalk says they requested to talk to him. Who has to grant that request? SC? Spurrier?

I still think this is just rumor mongering until we know more. Nick Saban (!) was on the list as a possible candidate in the article. Evidently, the media in Alabama has the same illusions of grandeur as their fan base.

11/30/2006 03:20:00 PM
Anonymous said...

"he's not in the same league as Carrol, Weis and Tressel"

Yeah, they are in different leagues alright - (they are not up to his league, my friends). Spurrier's teams dominated college football like no other teams have done.

Carroll is pretty close to his in CFB land, Weis has yet to prove he's anything (other than a good assistant in the NFL), and Tressel - pleease!!

Spurrier hasn't even had time to get his kind of talent and skill palyers at SC (THIS WAS ONLY HIS 2ND YEAR).

Give him just one of the talent guys the others have had: Leinart, Brady, Bush, Smith, or Ginn and he would embarrass every team out there - guarenteed.

11/30/2006 04:01:00 PM
Anonymous said...

...And that comes from a Vol alumni who loathes the Visor!!!!

11/30/2006 04:01:00 PM
Anonymous said...

No matter what he once did, he's not the biggest name in college coaching anymore. That's all.

11/30/2006 04:06:00 PM
Unknown said...

Ouch, can't agree with the casual dismissal of Tressel, Sla.

Carroll and Tressel are the two best coaches in CFB based on ability and results.

Spurrier would be top 3 with them based on ability..and he'll get the results soon..at Carolina.

Weis is only up there on results, not ability.

(I think the difficulty with Tressel is that he's far more reliant on defense than Carroll or Spurrier are, and that tends to lessen the shine)

11/30/2006 04:19:00 PM
Anonymous said...

What's hilarious about this whole thing is that the media seems to have jumped at every chance to push Spurrier out of SC. First with a week long second-by-second report of Spurrier leaving to coach Miami, and now the SAME THING with Alabama.

Spurrier has gone on record as saying he has no interest in the job. He has a better chance at winning at SC anyway, mostly because he's already put in 2 years of work here. I seriously doubt he will toss his work in the toilet to go be the next coach eaten by Bear Bryant's shadow.

This underrated SC team is literally three batted up passes caught for TD away from being 10-2 and playing LSU in the SEC title game this weekend, rather than 7-5. All three of those losses were by 7 or less points. (Yes, I said LSU, because one of those wins would have put LSU ahead of Arkansas.)

11/30/2006 04:33:00 PM
Dave said...

The fact this discussion could take place without even a mention of Bob Stoops demonstrates how superficial it is.

Don't confuse great recruiter with great coach. Pete Carroll recruits in one of the most talent rich states in the country and grabs top talent from all over the country.

He's a defensive coach that's won with 3 Heisman trophy winners on offense.

11/30/2006 04:33:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Additionally, I agree with tf. There are facility upgrade talks, and plans to further expand Williams-Brice to seat another 8000 or so.

11/30/2006 04:36:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Something else I forgot to mention. Spurrier has said from Day 1 at SC that he wants to do things here that the critics said can't be done, and do things that have never been done at SC.

He can't do any of that in Alabama.

11/30/2006 04:39:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Weis=Spurrier=overhyped quarterback position coaches.

Hey, I know Spurrier as a ridiculously bad NFL coach. Am I supposed to just forget that he's lazy, arrogant and overconfident? I don't think so.

And America still remembers him this way, or he wouldn't have taken a job with SC, eh?

If you want a good laugh, just search for "Redskins" on his ridiculously slanted bio here:

http://uscsports.cstv.com/sports
/m-footbl/mtt/spurrier_steve00.html

11/30/2006 04:44:00 PM
Anonymous said...

It is confirmed that Alabama has formally asked SC for permission to talk to Spurrier. Alabama seeks talk with Spurrier about head coaching job.

That still doesn't mean Spurrier wants the job.

11/30/2006 04:48:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I'm not meaning to dismiss bob stoops or anyone else, just grabbing three coaches that are hyped more than Spurrier on the ABC/CBS TV shows. It's not systematic, and it isn't meant to be.

Yes, he might be very good, but after the Redskins, that's a hard argument to take seriously.

11/30/2006 04:48:00 PM
Ma4tt (the 4 is silent) said...

This one's pretty easy.

Alabama Golf Courses?

South Carolina Golf Courses.

Alabama Golf Courses?

South Carolina Golf Courses.

Unless the Visor wants to do his weekend duffing on terrible courses, he'll be staying put in South Carolia... or making the jump to The U.

11/30/2006 04:56:00 PM
FutureLegendVinceYoung said...

I agree with what some of the posters that Carroll is a great recruiter but only a so-so coach. His rah-rah shit works in college because he only has the kids for 3 or 4 years (if they redshirt sometimes 5) and then they are gone by the time it gets old. He has also been blessed with some great assisstants (Chow, Sarkisian, Kiffin).

I just do not think he is a great coach, last year's Rose Bowl is a prime example. He is not nearly the in-game manager that a Stoops or Tressel are and if USC does play The Ohio State University Tressel is going to put on a coaching clinic against Carroll.

Pete Carroll and Mack Brown, to me are the most overhyped coaches in the country and with a couple of more years getting beat by the good teams on his schedule Charlie Weis will join them.

11/30/2006 04:57:00 PM
Anonymous said...

rafael said:

(I think the difficulty with Tressel is that he's far more reliant on defense than Carroll or Spurrier are, and that tends to lessen the shine)

- Great point...and Tressel probably does deserve more credit and I shouldn't have casually dismiised him.


Ma4tt,

I like the golf course argument (which trust me, will play a role in his decision) but I'd say it's a push because ALA does have the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail - not too shabby group of courses!!!

11/30/2006 05:08:00 PM
FutureLegendVinceYoung said...

If we are talking golf courses here is the trump card. Spurrier is allowed to play Augusta because a board member at South Carolina is a member. He can also play the courses in Hilton Head and Charleston. So while the RTJ trail is a wonderful group of courses I think Augusta is probably the trump card if golf courses is a factor in his decision.

11/30/2006 05:13:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Awesome post m4tt! I wish I could do a decent Spurrier imitation.

11/30/2006 05:14:00 PM
adam said...

Hey All! Help this northern boy out. WHen did Alambama become better than SC in the last 10 years?? If I am Spurrier, I am not leaving SC only using the Bama job to get better facilities or a fatter contract. Am I wrong in this view??

11/30/2006 05:27:00 PM
Bear said...

http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=44661

Now they're saying he's not going.

11/30/2006 05:27:00 PM
Bear said...

Lazy Link

11/30/2006 05:29:00 PM
Mega said...

Leave the 'Skins out of this. The only real problem with the Redskins is Daniel Snyder and his ego.

11/30/2006 05:40:00 PM
Anonymous said...

On the way home from work, while listening to local sports talk radio, it was reported that a player from the team, speaking anonymously, said that Spurrier held a team meeting in which he told the players not to listen to "That Alabama talk", and he wasn't leaving. "We have a championship still to win."

11/30/2006 06:04:00 PM
mrmom61 said...

He's in the golf course capitol of the world.Nuff said

11/30/2006 06:05:00 PM
Anonymous said...

futurevince,

"So while the RTJ trail is a wonderful group of courses I think Augusta is probably the trump card if golf courses is a factor in his decision."

- SO TRUE, I stand corrected!!!

11/30/2006 06:17:00 PM
Lenny said...

Spurrier is overrated. Let's really look at this. He's had success at Duke and UF. Florida is a recruiter's paradise. North Carolina is not too bad either. If you want to determine a good college coach, you have to look at product on the field as well as recruiting.
A couple examples would be Bob Stoops, Kirk Ferentz, or Barry Alvarez. Particularly Ferentz. I'm sure some of you are laughing right now, but take a look at this. Iowa traditionally is a pretty good football team. This year was a down year but they were competitive at the very least. They are perenially expected to compete in the Big Ten and that is because of Ferentz. Now, look at Iowa high school football. It sucks. I actually played high school football in Iowa and was a member of the semifinalist team in the second biggest class. Iowa high school players are NOT D-I type players. Ferentz has to get his players from out of state. And his teams do well. Stoops and Alvarez were the same way.

11/30/2006 06:31:00 PM
MP said...

Doesn't his commitment to friend Lou Holtz mean anything?

11/30/2006 06:38:00 PM
Anonymous said...

Spurrier isn't overrated for this reason: He alone as a coach wins 2-3 games a season, regardless of the quality of his players. He schemes and calls plays that frustrate the opposing team. SC in the last 2 years has beaten teams that thought they should have won, and they won those games ONLY because of Spurrier. Name another coach that wins games only because of the coach. Stoops wins because of better talent, Tressel wins because of better talent, Carroll wins because of better talent, Weis has mostly won due to playing weaker teams.

The only coaches that are on the level with Spurrier are those who win games with less, and NOBODY fits that description.

11/30/2006 06:39:00 PM
lljbone4 said...

Yeah spurrier, hmmmmm, i think about this guy all the time when it comes to college football. He's nothing anymore, doesn't mean he won't be again, but leave it alone.

11/30/2006 06:45:00 PM
Joe (Livonia, MI) said...

Lenny--

You actually justified his winning at Duke because it's easy to recruit in North Carolina? Then you are telling us we can't look at recruiting, we have to look at the product on the field?

And what exactly was wrong with the product on the field during Spurrier's tenure at Florida?

He did some unprecedented things at Florida. Things that hadn't been done previously, when ostensibly, the recruiting was just as easy.

Besides, since when did anyone say that recruiting was Spurrier's strength? You win again, Lenny.

11/30/2006 07:23:00 PM
Lenny said...

It's not his strength which is exactly my point. A good college coach not only produces a good product on the field, but he also must be a good recruiter. Recruiting in Florida or North Carolina is pretty damn easy compared to Iowa or Nebraska. The talent level just isn't as high.

Nothing was wrong with the product on the field at Florida. Those were good football teams. But Spurrier doesn't have to work to recruit good players. He's always had good location so he doesn't have to be a good recruiter. People like Ferentz have to be good recruiters and provied a good product on the field.

Recruiting and on-the-field product are factors in good coaching. If someone barely has to try because of location, he's not a good recruiter, therefore not a good coach.

11/30/2006 07:29:00 PM
Lenny said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
11/30/2006 07:32:00 PM
Keithsrk said...

Prefacing this by saying that I really dislike anything that has to do with football in the State of Florida...

Spurrier is NOT overrated!

The argument that since he's not as good as Kirk Ferenz, therefore he must be overrated is crap. Ferenz is great - but there can be more than one great coach in college football.

He would be a great get for Alabama, and instantly make them relevant again (much in the same way South Carolina is relevant and improving).

That being said, he's not going there. I agree with the poster who said that he's only doing this to leverage improvements at SC. he made a commitment to SC - he's got a good thing going - and most of all - THERE'S NO WAY IN HELL HE'D COACH IN BEAR'S SHADOW! HIS EGO is WAY TOO BG!

11/30/2006 07:33:00 PM
Lenny said...

Let's face it. Iowa is not a fun place to be. There isn't much to do. There aren't nice sandy beaches within a days drive. It's cold in the winter. And there's nothing but cornfields all around. But somehow Ferentz manages to get top recruits to come to Iowa and then he puts a competitive team on the field.

11/30/2006 07:33:00 PM
Trey (formerly TF) said...

Ferentz is a great coach and one hell of a recruiter.

However:

1) Spurrier won an ACC title at Duke. DUKE! That was their only ACC title in the last 44 years.

2) Spurrier went 9-2 and finished 1st in the SEC with a 5th string QB,severely reduce amounts of scholarships (thanks to NCAA sanctions), and the team's only offensive weapon gone (Emmitt Smith) in 1990.

Ya, he hasn't made South Carolina a powerhouse, but the guy's past speaks for itself. He's a damn good college coach.

Joe(Dayton)

11/30/2006 08:46:00 PM
TJ said...

I cannot imagine Spurrier doing this. Unless he thinks the SEC East is too hard and recruiting is more annoying than he remembered.

He's got a great thing going at USC--he's loved for making the program relevant, the Outback Bowl is considered a great season, beating UF, UT, or UGA makes you golden, ...

I'll grant you that Alabama is more attractive than Miami, but he would not be loved there--these are proud SEC fans with their own traditions; they won't sell out to Spurrier too easily. A couple Outback Bowls and he--Spurrier!--would be fired. Lose to Auburn a few times (Spurrier never could consistently solve UF's big rival--FSU) and the boosters are calling for your head.

Absolutely no reason for him to do anything other than stay right where he is.

11/30/2006 08:52:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I've said it on the 500 other posts that Dan has made about Spurrier that none of us cared about - Alabama should only consider one name:

Romeo Crennel.

I've laid out the case for Crennel already in other posts and I think it's a no brainer. I don't think Spurrier will take the job he's just applying pressure to SC to get the facilities that he wanted upgraded.

They need new blood in the SEC - Is Spurrier going to be brought up everytime an SEC team has an opening?

Crennel - has the NFL connection (ala Weis, Carroll), he's got the Super Bowl rings so he has the pull with recruits, he's got charisma, players absolutely love playing for him (for the most part), and he's a defensive guy - something that'll come in handy in the SEC.

So again - RAC for Bama.

11/30/2006 09:23:00 PM
Anonymous said...

I've said it on the 500 other posts that Dan has made about Spurrier that none of us cared about - Alabama should only consider one name:

Romeo Crennel.

I've laid out the case for Crennel already in other posts and I think it's a no brainer. I don't think Spurrier will take the job he's just applying pressure to SC to get the facilities that he wanted upgraded.

They need new blood in the SEC - Is Spurrier going to be brought up everytime an SEC team has an opening?

Crennel - has the NFL connection (ala Weis, Carroll), he's got the Super Bowl rings so he has the pull with recruits, he's got charisma, players absolutely love playing for him (for the most part), and he's a defensive guy - something that'll come in handy in the SEC.

So again - RAC for Bama.

11/30/2006 09:23:00 PM
FuckingBrian said...

As a student at Alabama I can think of no better person for the job than Rich Rodriguez. He is the type of offensive mind we need.

All thew people talkign about it being "unfair" to fire Schula while under suspensions clearly didn't weatch the games. He won last year based on Joe Kines' schemes and the talent of defensive players he didn't recruit. This year his coaching lost us a MINIMUM of two games (Arkansas, LSU). He is too conservative for the modern SEC. He doesn't trust his quarterback (odd considering that he was a former quarterback) and is simply not a good enough coach to lead Bama to even playing for an SEC championship.

And to those saying we are looking for Bear 2.0, in 17 years we have fired only one coach (Schula) for on the field weaknesses. Stallings retired, Franchione left for Aggieland and Price and DuBose were fired for off the field issues (partying and NCAA violations respectively).

This was the move Bama needed to make.Now we need to get a guy with the balls to do something, Rodriguez, maybe Mike Leach from Texas Tech, Bobby Petrino would be a coup. Spurrier clearly fits in with that group and while I don't think he's more qualified than any of those three he gives a recruiting advantage and frankly I think he'd like the challenge to be enshrined in Alabama's coaching lore like Wallace Wade, Gene Stallings, or, yes, Bear Bryant. Plus he gets back in a true bloodfeud, age old rivalry with Tennessee. I know we're years away from being a national contender but we're not far away from being an SEC contender with a very young offense, a defensive identity which seems to exist whether we have the players for it or not and next year will be returning what could be the most talented three man wide receiver group in the South.

Well, whatever. Since I'm originally from Houston and follow the hapless Texans and the perennially disrespected Rockets (same number of wins as the spurs, best center in basketball, almost zero coverage) its nice to see my team mentioned on TV and the ebays regularly.

Roll Tide.

11/30/2006 10:17:00 PM
FutureLegendVinceYoung said...

Alabama student do you think the reason those other guys left was they knew that their time at Alabama was going to be short (I am not counting Mike Price). When did Texas A&M become a football program that you leave Alabama for unless you knew that you time was going to be short unless you win like Bear.

Like I said earlier in the thread anyone who coaches at Alabama is going to have a short leash. I think they need to do what Oklahoma did when they got Stoops. Find a coordinator like Bo Pellini and give him 5 years realizing that there are going to be bumps but the reward will be worth it once Alabama matters outside the state of Alabama again.

11/30/2006 10:36:00 PM
Joe (Livonia, MI) said...

Hey Lenny

Pretty sure Spurrier could go into Iowa City and go 2-6 in the Big 10 as well as your boy Ferentz.

Still wondering why you thought it was easy to recruit to Duke.

11/30/2006 10:48:00 PM
Bear said...

FutureLegendVinceYoung

Fran left to go to A&M for two reasons. One, Alabama was just hit with those sanctions, and he didn't want to be there during those times of reduced scholarships and no bowl games. Two, A&M was his 'dream job'. That's where he always wanted to coach, so he left as soon as he could.

f'nbryan is right in saying that the way that Shula coached this year warrented his dismissal. He's a GREAT head coach as the face of a program, but he's a very bad play caller.

I also think that Rich Rodriguez would be a better fit, not only for his offense, but for the potential years that he could give them.

11/30/2006 10:56:00 PM
Lenny said...

It was easier to recruit at Duke than at Iowa because look at the home grown talent level in North Carolina. It's a lot better than the home grown Iowa talent. It's easier to get good players to stay in state. Iowa had a down year. Young receivers were their downfall. Too many dropped passes and too much Tate trying to do everythign. They;ll be back next year. Jake Christensen (another out of state recruit that Ferentz is awesome at getting) is a good young quarterback. Personally, I think he'll be better than Tate.

12/01/2006 12:46:00 AM
FutureLegendVinceYoung said...

For everyone saying that it is easy to recruit at Duke because it is in North Carolina is flatout wrong. Duke is a private school and rarely do kids from North Carolina want to go to school there let alone play football. Look at the roster for any Duke sport and you will see very few kids from North Carolina on any of them.

12/01/2006 07:32:00 AM
Geoff-Detroit said...

Eh, I never thought Spurrier was anything special. Good coach for sure but not the best coach in the country or the biggest name coach. Just more Florida blathering going on.

12/01/2006 08:07:00 AM
Unknown said...

lmao
Spurrier would want to become an Alabama legend??

He's a Florida legend already and could be the same at South Carolina.
Alabama hasn't been relevant nationally in almost 15 years. They are a middle of the pack SEC team...just because Tom Berenger coached them decades ago does not mean they should automatically be viewed as a premiere program now. In the West, it is LSU and Auburn and then a revolving door of scrubs. Get used to it.


Oh, and to whoever said Tressel, Carroll, etc. only won because they had superior players...um...Tressel won 4 national championships in I-AA. Superior players!?

12/01/2006 08:26:00 AM

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