After the University of South Carolina’s Halloween night loss to the University of Tennessee two weeks ago, we did a poll asking whether or not USC head football coach Steve Spurrier should be fired at the end of the 2009 season.
At the time, Spurrier still had the support of the majority of our readers, although since then the Gamecocks have lost two more games and are likely to be heavy underdogs at home to arch-rival Clemson on Nov. 28.
A loss to the Tigers would end USC’s regular season at a disappointing 6-6, capping another epic late season collapse – one that long-suffering USC fans are becoming all-too accustomed to enduring.
The Gamecocks started this season 5-1 and were once ranked as high as No. 22 in the nation, but they have now lost four of their last five games.
Same sh*t, different year.
Over the last four seasons, Spurrier’s teams have posted a 21-7 mark over the first seven games of the season, only to come unglued down the stretch, where they have posted an atrocious 6-15 mark.
That figure includes a horrific 0-5 finish two years ago and an 0-3 collapse last season that saw them outscored 118-30 in their final three games.
This year’s fourth straight late-season collapse now brings Spurrier’s overall record at Carolina to 34-27, including a 18-21 mark in the SEC.
He is also 1-3 against Clemson, incidentally.
Making matters worse is the lack of “butts in seats.”
Saturday’s 24-14 loss to top-ranked Florida – although a gutsy performance (for three quarters at least) by the players on the field – was only witnessed by 79,000 fans, part of a downward trend in attendance.
So … how’s that Spurrier poll looking now?
Let’s find out …
Loading ...
By Liberty For Me November 16, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I have only been here for a couple of years(I am from Tampa),but I think Steve is going to break through very soon.I think 2 more years might be my limit though.It seems to me he just might be getting tired of dealing with the press,politics and general BS that comes with college football.
or maybe I am seeing something that really isnt there..not sure
By vicupstate November 16, 2009 at 2:06 pm
What the hell good would it do to fire Spurrier? What other coach has a better record, save Urban Meyer(and I don’t think he would take it)? USC has tried every coach strategy there is (within the ranks, outside the ranks, young, old, prior national champions, rising star, assistant coach, head coach) and none have worked out. USC is already known as a coach’s graveyard, and I’m sure adding one more grave to that cemetary will do wonders for getting a ‘great’ replacement.
If Spurrier can’t do it, no one can. Hang with it until he produces a winner.
As for the empty seats, the PSL’s and a lousy economy are to blame for that.
By hammerheadSC November 16, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I said at the beginning- due to younger team and inexperienced starters, i forecasted a 5- and 7. Tenn is the only loss I am truly upset about. Clemson has a good team but we should be able to stop them, regardless of win or lose on that one- my heart says spurrier should stay. Atleast through 2010. This is an entirely different team and he has done a great job of getting Garcia to perform better and his recruiting is starting to pay off. I hate to already look forward, but next year should be really exciting for the program. I think 2010 will be the best season carolina has had since 81′
By fitsnews November 16, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Hammerhead,
So your comment is basically “wait till next year?!?!?”
Goddamnit man, that’s our point!!!
That’s the same sh*t we hear EVERY year.
-FITS
By Toughgirl November 16, 2009 at 2:20 pm
USC: where all great coaches come to die….Sure! Let’s keep him one more year. I mean, what else are we going to do?
By Joseph Reynolds November 16, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Why dont you just give up pulling for USC? To call you a supporter or a fan is really stretching it.
If it cause you that much angst, then just start pulling for Winthrop. No football and it still has more women than men there,I hear.
By Not Sayin', Just Sayin' November 16, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Joseph, the Gamecocks’ misfortune causes Sic no angst. Being a GINO (Gamecock In Name Only), nothing excites him more than Gamecock woes.
By Just a good ole boy November 16, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Hey hey..ho ho..Ole Steve Spurrier has gotta go…If we really want to save education in SC fire Sprurrier, cancel the sports program as USC..tear down Williams Brice and the Colonial Center..hell why were at lets raze USC for that matter…torches and pitch forks for everybody!…as much chance of this happening as Boise State has of being National Champs…
By baked November 16, 2009 at 4:23 pm
until he starts recruiting guards and tackles, we’re in trouble.
By Old Bike Dude November 16, 2009 at 6:11 pm
The USC AD approaches the podium to speak.
“Ladies and gentlemen I present the new face of Gamecock football. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Coach Joe Paterno”.
An eerie silence fills the room.
By Football Fan November 16, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I think it is time to go for a young, up and coming coach. Dragging the legends out of mothballs doesn’t seem to be working.
By Catherine November 16, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Yes Hammerhead,
Carolina SHOULD be able to stop Clemson. They SHOULD have been able to stop Tenn. But they didn’t. And they won’t. But don’t worry! There’s always next year. Best of luck with that.
By countryboy November 16, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Carolina was right there until the unfortunate pass where the receiver wasn’t looking, which got intercepted. As for some empty seats, hard to fill the stadium in this economy when the game is televised…Spurrier is doing just fine and you need to get off his case.
By EX UGA fan November 16, 2009 at 9:23 pm
For gosh sake, don’t give up on Spurrier or our team! That would be the worse thing we could do!
By joe morrison November 16, 2009 at 11:37 pm
give up on the gamecocks? WTF are you talking about? you call yourself a gamecock fan? the essence of being a gamecock fan is the yearly renewal of absolute faith in the nearly impossible, despite all facts and in complete disregard to reality as seen by anyone outside of the palmetto state. every year carolina has a chance to win the nat’l championship and that dream is always alive until, at the worst, our second loss of the season. spurrier can’t be expected to do much more than he’s done. and in fact, the potential of this team is greater than its ever been. after that first td to cooper the gamecocks could have easily folded. instead, it took almost three quarters and an insane bounce to a freakin nose tackle and a surreal, unholy return to put the gamecocks away. in the past, that game would have been a 50 point blowout(like last year for instance). carolina competed for 3 quarters against the 2 best teams in the country…and their offense is almost all sophmores or younger. florida’s going to be worse next year, georgia will be worse- if possible (theyre garbage), tennesee may be better but with no experiece at qb, we’ll beat vandy and kentucky (even if kentucky is no pushover)and we’ll be way better. and that’s not gamecock optimism, thats a realistic analysis. finally, who is better than spurrier? i might take jim harbaugh as a coach, but thats the only name i can think of.
By Calhoun Fawls November 17, 2009 at 6:09 am
Spurrier is the most successful Gamecock coach in 70 years. Like or it or not, that is the fact.
By Toyota Kawaski November 17, 2009 at 8:39 am
Like i always tell you fits STAY HOME!!! and watch hockey wearing your (Eli) Manning jersey. If Carolina Football has run it’s course for you just go away.You freeloading ass wont be missed.
By Tee November 17, 2009 at 9:24 am
This is a retarded article, stick to political bs fits. And to answer your questions above…..hell yeah wait till next year. Everyone else has waited 100+ years what the hell is one more year to wait? Have you noticed that talented youth on this team? My question to you is who the hell out there could do a better job of coaching that we have a chance to hire? You complain that we are doing the same thing every year with late season slides and 6-6 to 7-5 seasons and sub-par bowlgame invite, but what you do not realize is we are also doing the same damn thing every 4-5 years and getting rid of coaches. If you honestly believe that firing Spurrier is the answer then you dont know d*ck about football, especially USC football.
By OnNoNotAgain November 17, 2009 at 10:53 am
There are some who say Holtz left “the cupboard bare” for Spurrier. I don’t agree.
Spurrier came into to a disciplinary mess that was roused and riled up mostly because Holtz announced his departure, then the fight, the loss of bowls and the ridiculous petty criminal activity.
But that purged the program of some who didn’t need to be there.
Spurrier had his best two years with mostly Holtz players.
But I think Holtz took it to one level, Spurrier is taking it to another.
it is just a very long term repair job.
By Isaac Bickerstaff November 17, 2009 at 11:21 am
He seems to have jumped the shark on offensive production, but he can still recruit. In the short term, there’s no way in Hell that they fire Spurrier. Ain’t going to happen. So let him stay and build the talent level. It’s likely he will have a 8 win year in a couple of years, beat the taters and allow somebody else to come in with talent in hand. It’s the best case scenario and also the most likely. He has to be allowed to leave on a positive note. The means 2 or 3 years, folks.
By Bryan McCanless November 17, 2009 at 7:05 pm
There were more than 79,000 people in the stadium.
Bryan McC