Spurrier Explains UT and Jabs Gators

#1
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WiseOlVol

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ESPN: Having attended high school in Johnson City, Tenn., did the fact that Tennessee was still running the single-wing offense keep you from seriously considering the Vols?

SS: I think that’s where I probably would have gone in a heartbeat if they had been running a different offense. I grew up a Tennessee fan, but Bowden Wyatt was in his last year and they didn’t fire him until after I decided to go to Florida. They were still running the single-wing under the interim coach [Jim McDonald] before Doug Dickey came that next year. So if Dickey had come a year earlier, I might have been a Vol.

ESPN: How did Florida get into the picture?

SS: The only tie was that I was born there [in Miami]. They really didn’t recruit me much during the football season. They started calling during basketball season. Coach [Ray] Graves’ brother sent him a note after we played Knoxville Central [High School] that year and said, ‘You ought to get this tall kid.’ I was 6-1½. In those days, that was tall for a quarterback. I visited Florida in the spring, watched their spring game and signed in April. Florida was sort of an underdog at that time. They’d never won anything. Amazingly, when I got back down there coaching 27 years later, they’d still not won much of anything.
 
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#4
#4
Warren played 1965-67. His record was 19-6, and 1-1-1 vs. Alabama. He was the first Volunteer quarterback to pass for more than a 1,000 yards in a single season. UT won the SEC in '67.
 
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#5
#5
To really illustrate just how thoroughly Dickey revamped Tennessee's offense, consider the following facts: From 1950 to 1965, no Tennessee player threw more than 79 passes, completed more than 44 attempts, passed for more than 588 yds. or hurled more than 8 touchdown passes. Then, in '66, Dewey Warren attempted 229 passes, threw for 1716 yds., and completed 18 touchdown passes. Indeed, the Swamp Rat was the nation's most efficient passer in 1966, which, I believe, remains the only time that we have had a player lead the country in that category.

During the same period, no Tennessee receiver had caught more than 23 passes or amassed more than 357 yds. receiving in a single season. Then, in 1966, Johnny Mills had 48 receptions for 725 yds. and 4 tds., including a monumental 225-yd. performance against Kentucky, which remains the 3rd most yards in a single game by a Tennessee receiver.

By analogy, you might call that transition comparable to going from a Model T Ford to a Corvette . . . in two years.
 
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#7
#7
Spurrier is just a cool dude.

spurrier-arby-swag-top.jpg
 
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#8
#8
I like Spurrier and we should have jumped at the chance to get him when he left the Redskins. But people were still holding on to the hope that Fulmer hadn't lost his touch

He would have won BIG here
 
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#10
#10
I use to hate him with a passion.But the older Ive got the more Ive come to appreciate him He really is a funny dude.Tje thing I like about him is he calls a spade a spade. If he says hes got a team a team and gonna beat u by 50.He will beat u by 50 and tell u afterwards.If u beat him he makes no excuses just got out coached and out played.Same thing with his Qb circus no sugar coating you do the job or your coming out.
 
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#11
#11
Can you imagine? He took Florida from nothing and no tradition to what it is. USCe was as bad or worse. UT steeped in tradition with a massive fan base and budget as a starting point would have been an instant winner with Spurrier. He's a pompous jerk, but he backs it up on the field.:peace2:
 
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#12
#12
some days I'm glad we didn't run him over in our car in 97. Guys like him are what makes CFB
 
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#13
#13
Dragon18 said:
He's a pompous jerk, . . .
Click to expand...

That was just his style. It was his way of psyching the opposition. However, he changed dramatically after his father died. He's actually said some very nice things about other teams, coaches and players.
 
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#14
#14
Dragon18 said:
Can you imagine? He took Florida from nothing and no tradition to what it is. USCe was as bad or worse. UT steeped in tradition with a massive fan base and budget as a starting point would have been an instant winner with Spurrier. He's a pompous jerk, but he backs it up on the field.:peace2:
Click to expand...
Whats the saying .You can talk the talk if u can walk the walk.
 
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#15
#15
I used to hate Spurrier but I kinda like him now. Good coach and calls it like he sees it. He has done an amazing job at SC. Who would've thought SC could actually even be mentioned in SEC or National Championship talk? He has brought in some huge talent (Clowney/Lattimore/Sanders) in his time there. Football won't be the same when he retires.......Still hope we beat their a$$ though :loco:
 
#16
#16
WiseOlVol said:
ESPN: Having attended high school in Johnson City, Tenn., did the fact that Tennessee was still running the single-wing offense keep you from seriously considering the Vols?

SS: I think that’s where I probably would have gone in a heartbeat if they had been running a different offense. I grew up a Tennessee fan, but Bowden Wyatt was in his last year and they didn’t fire him until after I decided to go to Florida. They were still running the single-wing under the interim coach [Jim McDonald] before Doug Dickey came that next year. So if Dickey had come a year earlier, I might have been a Vol.

ESPN: How did Florida get into the picture?

SS: The only tie was that I was born there [in Miami]. They really didn’t recruit me much during the football season. They started calling during basketball season. Coach [Ray] Graves’ brother sent him a note after we played Knoxville Central [High School] that year and said, ‘You ought to get this tall kid.’ I was 6-1½. In those days, that was tall for a quarterback. I visited Florida in the spring, watched their spring game and signed in April. Florida was sort of an underdog at that time. They’d never won anything. Amazingly, when I got back down there coaching 27 years later, they’d still not won much of anything.
Click to expand...

Impressive.. must say he has earned some respect.

Glad he went to Florida... if he had came here, imagine how different the TN/FL rivalry would be!
 
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#18
#18
CountVolcula said:
I like Spurrier and we should have jumped at the chance to get him when he left the Redskins. But people were still holding on to the hope that Fulmer hadn't lost his touch

He would have won BIG here
Click to expand...

I think he wanted to try his hand at building up a program into national relevance at that point in his career though, not dominating with a traditional power
 
#19
#19
TrueOrange said:
I think he wanted to try his hand at building up a program into national relevance at that point in his career though, not dominating with a traditional power
Click to expand...

He is also a huuuuuge golfer. May sound like a cheesy factor, but I think it definitely played.
 
#20
#20
No denying he is a great coach...Hell he had DUKE competing for ACC titles...He's been a winner everywhere he's been except the dead skins...The pro game just wasn't his cup of tea...Hope that SOB retires soon lol...Still can't stand him but respect him for his ability to turn nothing into something.
 
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#21
#21
Didn't he punt on 3rd down once when his gators kept getting penalties? Spurrier is pretty funny, I hated him in the 90's but always respected him. He's a fine football coach.
 
#22
#22
CountVolcula said:
I like Spurrier and we should have jumped at the chance to get him when he left the Redskins. But people were still holding on to the hope that Fulmer hadn't lost his touch

He would have won BIG here
Click to expand...

Hell, he has SC consistently in the top 15. He would have had to be looking for a bigger jewelry box had he come here.
 
#23
#23
VOLnMiami said:
No denying he is a great coach...Hell he had DUKE competing for ACC titles...He's been a winner everywhere he's been except the dead skins...The pro game just wasn't his cup of tea...Hope that SOB retires soon lol...Still can't stand him but respect him for his ability to turn nothing into something.
Click to expand...

In 2003, Steve's redskins beat Tom Brady in September, which was the last game NE lost that season.
 
#24
#24
I have always liked Spurrier he knows how to yank your chain old school style with class instead of insults. He drove me insane with his jabs at us when he was at Fla. But you had to laugh at them.
 
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#25
#25
We did get the last word, beating the #2 Gators 34-32 in the December 2001 game, which was steve's last in the swamp as uf HC.
 
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