University of South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier has relieved third-year assistant coach Johnson “Jeep” Hunter III of his duties.
Hunter – who coached USC’s safeties in 2011 – was returning from a recruiting trip when Spurrier informed him of the decision. No reason was immediately given for his firing.
“We wish Coach Hunter and his family the very best,” Spurrier said in a terse statement issued by the University late Friday. Without elaborating, the statement indicated that Spurrier felt USC “needed a more experienced secondary coach.”
Huh?
Along with recently departed USC assistant head coach Ellis Johnson (now head coach at Southern Mississippi) and new USC defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward, Hunter is among those most responsible for helping turn the Gamecocks’ defense – and particularly its secondary – into one of the nation’s most feared units.
South Carolina ranked second in the nation in passing defense in 2011 – giving up just 133 yards through the air per game. USC also ranked second nationally in pass efficiency defense – helping lead the Gamecocks to their first-ever 11-win season and national Top Ten finish.
During his first two years with the Gamecocks Hunter coached tight ends and was a special teams assistant. Prior to coming to joining Spurrier’s staff in February 2009 the Duncan, N.C. native spent two years at Georgia Tech and three years at Memphis – where he coached All-America running back DeAngelo Williams.
UPDATE: Here’s USC’s statement on Jeep Hunter’s dismissal.
UPDATE II: Here’s a story from GamecockCentral.com that features an exclusive interview with Hunter.
Pics: Laurie Giarratano
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By CarpetMuncher January 27, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Apparently he was overheard saying he thought Dabo was a great speaker, and a good coach.
By Buford Pusser January 27, 2012 at 4:17 pm
winder if jeep had a smoking habit he couldn’t break?…perhaps he wasn’t the family man spurrier desires…either way, spurrier showed zero class, but it’s spurrier so what should we expect.
By Buford Pusser January 27, 2012 at 4:18 pm
*wonder
By CL January 27, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Buford,
What is not classy about it? Clemson has never fired an assistant? At least he is man enough to say he let Hunter go, instead of talking out of both sides of his mouth like Swinney on Steele. How classy is it to make your DC the fall guy when your team quits in its bowl game? Or to go off on message board style rants based on false information?
By I voted for the other guy January 27, 2012 at 5:55 pm
The Ole Ball coach wants a more experienced DB coach? If the cocks want to keep winning 10 plus games a year, they will need the players. Just like Frank Howard once said, “The players make the coach, not the coach makes the players.”
By James the Foot Soldier January 27, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Apparently this fella could not recruit the players according to the story linked.
By Tom January 28, 2012 at 6:29 am
The Post and Courier reported that in three years he had brought in only three recruits, none of whom have ever started.
By CL January 28, 2012 at 10:28 am
Hunter did not exactly tear it up as a recruiter, but The P&C is wrong about the starting thing. Hunter recruited Matulis, who started much of the year at RT. He also recruited Deon Green, who probably would have played as a freshman last year if he had not torn up his knee.
By Jeffy01 January 27, 2012 at 8:38 pm
He was part of a defensive staff that gave up 13 to Clempsun. Hell, they all ought to go.
By wpadge54 February 21, 2012 at 10:59 am
Have you ever played the first down of ball on any level, I seriously doubt it. People like you are the ones that “should” be the coach. Your spelling of Clemson shows you are a narrowed minded jerk. The guy was a good coach regardless of rather he could recruit or not, the stats prove that. I am sure that Spurrier, sore knee and all, had someone on the staff that could have made up for the coach’s inability to bring in quality recruits if that were the issue.
Secondily, you don’t know a thing about what really went on with Steele, I do but refuse to share it with jerks like you
By OhNoNotAgain January 28, 2012 at 2:25 pm
I would like to know on what you base the claim that Jeep is one of those “most responsible for helping turn the Gamecocks’ defense – and particularly its secondary – into one of the nation’s most feared units.”
You are right about the secondary, but Hunter’s role as coach? LIke to hear some evidence.
By Cush January 29, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Rats abandoning a sinking ship. From what I hear the NCAA is going to make an example out of SC.
By President Bachmann/Cain/Perry January 29, 2012 at 6:41 pm
What’s the punishment going to be?
By NCAA January 30, 2012 at 8:58 am
And who did you hear that from?
By Cush January 31, 2012 at 12:12 pm
My sources are about as good as fits. But I know a guy who knows a guy and word around town is that they’re looking at 15-20 scholarships gone over the next few years, 5-7 years probation, bigger fines, and 2009 and 2010 seasons vacated because they played 4 ineligible players during both seasons. Of course it may be all BS, but it makes sense to me. Why else would 3 good coaches leave that defensive unit? Weren’t they 2nd in the nation? The $ was there too.
By norman January 30, 2012 at 10:53 am
Obviously this guy was not making the deals with the recruits and who knows what was going on during the road trips. I suspect there is a lot more to it as the HBC did not go off on the QB coach for his drunken public escapade.
By Watching and Waiting January 30, 2012 at 11:14 am
Will,
“Hunter is among those most responsible for helping turn the Gamecocks’ defense – and particularly its secondary – into one of the nation’s most feared units.”
You’re kidding right? The only reason Hunter was there was because of Ellis. Whammy Ward really coached the DB’s. The players didn’t really care for him.
You should be lauding Spurrier for being a fiscal conservative and dropping the dead weight off the payroll.