I am reaching… I know it.
Is there anything positive to take away from South Carolina’s dismal season? Maybe. And it could come from the unlikeliest of places… Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer.
Follow me on this one.
Steve Spurrier made Florida. He put them on the map. He took an average, mid level program and made it in to a national powerhouse. He did it as a player and a coach. During his tenure at Florida he was lauded as a god among men on the field. Nary could a negative word be said about the ball coach. If a Florida fan even thought of uttering an ugly phrase in relation to Spurrier, his Florida fan friends would eat him alive.
Coach Spurrier earned a reputation at Florida of being the coach that will run it up on you to prove a point. He routinely embarrassed opponents and earned himself a mention as the top coach of all time.
A few years back, Coach Spurrier decided he would try his hand at the NFL. Like many college coaches, he found the lack of control to be a little too much for him and he left the pro game. Though there is much debate on the exact particulars as to how it went down, but the long story short is that the AD at Florida told Spurrier he would have to interview to get his old job back. This was much discussed as Florida fans were beside themselves that their AD would do that to them. Prideful and wanting to coach, Spurrier took on the task of turning a mid level and average South Carolina program in to a power. Three years in, he is well on his way to doing that despite the stumbling this year.
During his tenure at the University of South Carolina, Spurrier has said that he is a gator at heart and always will be except on the days that South Carolina plays against them. As Carolina fans, we accept that. It’s ok. He can pull for them the rest of the year.
Meanwhile, the University of Florida ran off a great coach in Ron Zook and hired a brash and cocky guy named Urban Meyer. Urban gained notoriety by running a weird offense that tends to rack up points. He has done a fabulous job of winning with Zook’s players.
The first time Spurrier coached against his old team, he beat them. The second time, they needed three blocked field goals to beat us.
This past weekend, Urban Meyer won a decisive victory over a South Carolina team that has been a skid. It was obvious early on that South Carolina did not have the defensive answer for Urban’s trickery this year. Then near the end of the game, unsatisfied with just winning, Urban Meyer may have done something to help the South Carolina team.
With a minute and a half remaining, a 13 point lead and the ability to run out the clock, Urban sent his star heisman caliber quarter back out on to the field and took a shot at the end zone. The pass connected and the Florida Gators notched their score up to 51 points.
There is not doubt in my mind and I am sure there is no doubt in Spurrier’s that Meyer was not taking a shot at South Carolina. That last touchdown was meant for Spurrier.
In it Urban was saying many things; you can take your pick. But the one that I think resonates loudest is this one: “This is my team. I am the coach of the Florida Gators.”
In my opinion, this is true. He is the gator’s coach. The gator fans apparently think so. They applauded Urban’s effort with articles on blogs and in the local newspapers talking about how good it felt to hang 51 on the old ball coach.
The fact is that Spurrier would never set out to embarrass Florida. If he were given the same chance, he would take a knee and the victory.
Hopefully, this is the slap in the face that Spurrier needed. This is an insult but the Florida fans and Urban Meyer. They apparently have very little respect for all that Spurrier did for them. Hopefully, the humility will fade and Spurrier will come out with that fire and look to cut a few heads off.
Hopefully, Coach will wake up and realize that he is a gamecock now… in every sense of the word.
18 comments:
No Chuck, you got it wrong, at least in part.
We all do things for reasons. How would you like to work all week and not get your paycheck? Allowing Tebow to stay in the game was probably just as painful to Urban Meyer as when your boss cringes when he writes your paycheck. However, Meyer has to reward his star player and capitalizing on South Carolina's weakness for allowing others to pad their Heisman hopeful's stats is exactly what he was ALLOWING Tebow to do. Risky? Yes. But you have to write that paycheck to those that work their asses off for you and that is exactly what he was allowing Tebow to do.
BTW: You contradict yourself in your blog. Earlier you say, "Coach Spurrier earned a reputation at Florida of being the coach that will run it up on you to prove a point." Later you end with, "The fact is that Spurrier would never set out to embarrass Florida. If he were given the same chance, he would take a knee and the victory." So which is it? I say if Spurrier could ever get the Gamecocks to play with enough enthusiasm as to decisively put away an opponet AND make a statement then he would allow them to do exactly that. That is what winners do; play their best until the clock runs out.
1.) I disagree. Urban was sending a message.
2.) Not a contradiction at all. While it is true that Spurrier would run it up on other teams, it is still my contention that he would never do that to Florida.
And if the situation were reversed (Tebow playing under Spurier's guidance) what would Spurrier have said to Tebow? To sit down? Don't run up the points on my alma mater? Or would he have said, "Son, I have my Heisman, sit down."
That is a silent argument. If Tebow were playing for Spurrier, Spurrier would be coaching his alma mater.
However, to exercise your theory, If Coach Spurrier had Blake Mitchell in the position to put up extra points on Florida after the game was already in hand, he would not do it. He would take a knee.
You're missing the point so I'll rephrase.
IF Spurrier had a Heisman hopeful of Tebow's caliber, what would he say to him?
It's a complex question given his own history as FL player, Heisman winner, and FL coach.
IMHO - Against, anyone but Florida, Spurrier would let him run wild. Against, Florida he would pull in the reigns.
The whole point of this thing is that Spurrier deserves more respect than what Meyer showed him. He deserves more respect than they Florida fans are giving him.
He would never turn his back on them like they have turned their backs on him.
Chuck... I love your blog but on this subject you are sorely mis/uninformed.
One thing you must know and accept first about Spurrier is that he never takes those sort of things personally. In his book "Gators" by Spurrier and Norm Carlson, which is about Florida's first SEC title, he specifically discusses "running up the score" and the fact that he doesn't do it to antagonize anyone. He does it because if you're supposed to win by 3 or 4 touchdowns and you stumble late and maybe the other team recovers an onside kick, you only lose by 10 or 12 points instead of losing outright.
And he specifically states that when he's on the receiving end, it's fine, doesn't bother him at all, because football's supposed to be fun and offense is supposed to be run to put points on the board.
The other thing is, up 13 points with 4:00 and change remaining -- in a contest which was obviously a shootout -- the game was not in hand for the Gators. The touchdown pass was a sign of respect for Spurrier's ability. Taking a knee in such a situation is ridiculous. Spurrier could have scored quickly, recovered an onside kick, and then scored again not just to tie, but to win. No way does any responsible coach allow that to happen with a 2-poss. lead late in the 4th.
Urban Meyer doesn't send messages with touchdown passes. Meyer and Spurrier are friends and their families have spent time with each other outside of football. There is a tremendous amount of respect on both sides of that relationship.
Accept it for what it really was -- a sign of respect for Steve Spurrier. Although the Gamecocks didn't fare too well up to that point and it would have been a long shot to come back, you just never know with Spurs on the sideline.
The only motivation Spurrier will take from this incident is to get South Carolina in better shape to handle bigger, tougher, faster, and more physical teams.
There was less than two minutes left in the game when Tebow tossed that touchdown pass. At that point in the game, Tebow could have run the clock out by taking a knee on 4 straight downs. The game was in hand.
We can agree to disagree.
We can agree to disagree, but I really think you're way off base with this line of thought. I really can't even comprehend your line of thinking here.
Meyer has been in plenty of games where he was in a position to score late with the game in hand and DIDN'T. He is old school in that regard, while Spurrier loves to keep putting up points. (That's what's ironic; you accuse Meyer of something that really is a big part of Spurrier's coaching personality.)
Here's what really happened:
With 1:50 remaining, Florida rushed for 3 yards to get to USC's 21-yard line. Spurrier had all 3 timeouts left. He called one there with 1:45 left on the clock.
Now, here's what COULD have happened had Florida done what you would have liked them to do: take a knee.
In response, Spurrier calls another TO.
3rd down -- take another knee.
Spurrier calls a TO.
The clock has only gone down by maybe 8 seconds.
Florida's kicker Joey Ijjas, who missed a PAT earlier in the evening, now trots out and misses a FG.
Spurrier gets the ball down 13 points with approx. 1:35 remaining. Blake Mitchell throws two short outs to get the ball up to the 35 yard line, then launches a bomb which is miraculously caught in the endzone by Kenny McKinley.
Now South Carolina is down by 6.
Succop, who's had practice with two onside kick attempts twice already that night, now successfully tips the ball 10 yards and a South Carolina player lands on it.
Spurrier has the ball at his own 41 yard line. He needs to travel 59 yards in a little less than a minute to WIN, not tie, but WIN the game.
Which he then does.
Who looks like the biggest doofus in all of college football if that happens?
Urban Meyer.
Who would be laughing and celebrating a victory over a division rival?
South Carolina, not Florida.
You see, the decision which started this chain of events was Spurrier's timeout after Florida's 3-yard rush.
South Carolina, expecting more runs, then loaded up the box in an attempt to stop the run, or maybe cause a fumble (which our running backs have a propensity to do.)
Why do you think Louis Murphy was so wide open in the endzone? South Carolina sold out to stop the run. This is what Tim Tebow and his offense practice all the time: the defense gives you a run stop, no deep look, you toss one into the endzone.
It was the safest play to end the game. Tebow's pass protection had been great all night so there was no worry over him taking a hit. The running backs don't get a chance to drop the ball. Meyer can forego a field goal attempt and boom, South Carolina's hopes are cleanly and surgically cut away.
What do you say to that?
What would I say to that?
The first thing I would say is that you clearly have no idea as to how a debate works. Since your first post, you have changed your reasons as to why I was wrong three times. I on the other hand have not varied from my theory.
The second thing I would say is that I don’t understand why you are having a hard time understanding my position. I have not changed it. I have made it clear that my opinion is that Meyer was sending a signal.
The third thing I would say is that since you have taken to the time to do a little research and present a new argument, I feel as if I should at least give it a half hearted attempt to debunk. Amazingly, that is all I will need.
The flaws in your argument:
South Carolina has not stopped a runner in the last two games. Tebow had his way all night with South Carolina’s defense on the ground. If Urban Meyer was truly concerned with the crazy scenario you just laid out, he would play ball control (at least a smart coach would) and run the ball. As I said already, South Carolina had not stopped Tebow all night. Calling a pass play is quicker and much more dangerous than a running play. Had the pass play not worked, there are several scenarios that could have come to be.
1.) The pass is incomplete.
2.) Seeing as how South Carolina had the number pass defense in the nation, the ball could have been intercepted.
So since you like to play out scenarios, how about this one:
Tebow drops back, tosses the ball, Stoney Woodson picks it off (Tebow was intercepted Saturday) and runs it back for a touchdown. South Carolina either kicks the extra point or goes for two making it a one score game. South Carolina kicks the one side kick and gets the ball back. Now they need to drive the ball at least 20 yards to take a shot at the end zone. It was proven earlier in the game that Mitchell did not have the Hail Mary arm strength. They do that, and score winning the game. All in under a minute and fifty seconds.
Or this one:
The pass is incomplete, which means the clock stops (tops 4 seconds off the clock), which means Spurrier does not have to take a time out. The rest plays out as you suggested.
No my friend, throwing the ball there was not the safest route to go. Throwing the ball at that point in the game is not OLD SCHOOL.
It was clearly an ego thing and jab at Spurrier.
As you said, we can agree to disagree.
I do have a question though: Are you a Florida fan?
Thanks for the response, Chuck. I'm sorry you're getting agitated over this. I respect your opinion but I just don't think it is logical or supportable
I have not changed my reasoning at all.
A sign of 'respect' to Spurrier obviously equates to a concern over his offensive capabilities. A 13-point lead just isn't safe against a Spurrier coached team.
Florida got the ball on their final drive with 4:00 remaining so that is why I referred to that amount of time rather than 2:00.
You seem to think that Meyer had it out for Spurrier, and that he specifically instructed Tebow in the endzone just to make Spurrier's life miserable. It just doesn't compute, my man.
South Carolina loads up the box. What is Tebow supposed to do? Throw.
We got three yards on the first carry with the running back who is most likely to drop the ball (Kestahn Moore). Unsafe.
We have a Heisman-caliber quarterback who completes 70% of his throws and a wide receiver standing all alone in the endzone -- how close was the closest South Carolina DB? 10 yards away when he caught it?
Safest play we had and the game was officially over at that point.
I can tell this is an emotional issue for you but I can assure you the TD pass was not for Meyer, the Gators, or our fans. We simply wanted to win the game.
As someone who loved Spurrier for 12 years, I think I can safely say I know him pretty well. If you don't think he'd ring up pinball scores in the Swamp against his former team if he could, you simply don't know the guy. He would, in a heartbeat.
But that's not what happened here.
Ok. So you are a Florida fan. Of course, you want to believe your version. Your version is from someone who still respects Spurrier. All you have to do to see that you are becoming more and more of the minority is look at the blogs and newspaper headlines.
That last touchdown was a message to Spurrier and MOST Florida fans applauded it.
I am not agitated at all, I just knew you were a Florida fan and wanted you to admit it.
I feel your pain bro.
Hmm... OK.
I thought it was pretty obvious I was a Florida fan from the get-go, but maybe it wasn't. Next time I will be a little more clear about it. For the record I write on the SEC at AOL's FanHouse. Linked to your blog a couple of times.
Speaking personally, my level of respect for Spurrier is not that high. In fact I resent the guy for taking the job at your school, as can be evidenced at my blog, www.orangeandbluehue.com.
If the opportunity was there to safely run up the score, it wouldn't have bothered me at all to see it happen, but Urban Meyer just never does it. Drives me crazy sometimes. The final score in the Gators' championship game against Ohio State could easily have been 48-14 but Meyer took a knee.
I don't know why we can't agree. If we both agree that a 13-point lead wasn't a completely safe place to be for the Gators, what does a TD pass to a wide-open receiver have to do with anything?
Maybe you haven't seen Kestahn Moore much this year, but he's a fumble machine. Even Brandon James (#25) fumbled at your 6-yard line in the first half.
Spurrier was still fighting when he called those time-outs. As long as he fights, we'll fight back.
I dunno why you can't see it that way.
1.) Thanks for the links.
2.) I can't see it your way because I don't agree.
3.) Any other game, any other coach and I might agree with you. In this case, I think Meyer wanted to make a statement.
4.) It is ok for us to disagree. Hell we probably should as we are SEC rivals.
5.) If Spurrier taking the job at S.Car hurt your feelings, you have your AD to thank for that. Why are you not made at him for asking Spurrier to interview for his job?
6.) Of course Spurrier was still fighting, but you are crazy if you expect me to believe that you watching that game thought Florida's win was in danger.
7.) If a run was called at that point in the game, your #1 rusher would be handling the ball. His name is Tebow. Have you met him?
8.) Ohio State: Urban was not coaching against Spurrier. If you think Urban doesn't resent the shadow cast by Spurrier, you are again crazy.
9.) My final thought: I appreciate you coming to defend Meyer. I would do the same for Spurrier. Still, I stick by my opinion. And that is ok.
Responding to your points...
5) Spurrier had his choice of top jobs across the country, but specifically chose the SEC East. Probably so he'd have to face Florida every year. It really wasn't in the cards for him to return to UF. I just think he could have been a little truer to his alma mater by coaching in a different conference, or at least a different division.
6) I not only expect you to believe it, I absolutely assure you that we were nervous as hell. We've seen Spurrier do amazing things at Florida. That game was not in the bag until Tebow threw his final TD.
7) Didn't want Tebow handling the ball. Although the game was still in doubt, it was no longer worth risking his health to run the ball.
9) Thanks for the discussion.
Although you brought more points, that I could again... argue. What is the point? You and I just do not agree. No worries.
You are welcome and come back anytime.
Wow...I'm suffering scroll-shock from reading all this.
Sorry to hurt ya Greg!
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