Like anyone else with available writing space, remote interest, and a little bit of free time, I wanted to get some thoughts down about Steve Spurrier so that in a few years, I can look back and enjoy some of the old stories about the Head Ball Coach, as well as cringe at most of what I write here today. I don’t have anything particularly insightful or sentimental to add to some of the good things that have been written so far (most notably, here and here), which is a pretty strong selling point to keep you reading.
I know that I saw Spurrier’s Florida teams play on TV at an earlier time, but my first memory of seeing him in full visor-throwing mode was in person when Florida played Ole Miss in 1994. My dad took me and a friend to Oxford to see the number-one ranked Gators inevitably destroy the Rebels, who were in year one of NCAA probation and led by interim head coach Joe Lee Dunn (INTERIM HEAD COACH JOE LEE DUNN).
Initially, all was going according to plan for Florida, as they went up 14-0 within a matter of minutes. But in an effort to make sure everyone didn’t leave at halftime, Ole Miss rallied and cut the score to 14-7.
On the next Florida possession, Spurrier’s offense went right back down the field, poised to crush what little momentum Ole Miss had gathered. Instead, the visor-throwing started.
Fred Thomas, a defensive back whose name I can still remember, intercepted a pass from Terry Dean and returned it for a touchdown to tie the score at 14 midway through the first quarter. While we were falling over each other in the stands, Spurrier was informing Terry Dean just how horrible he was.
Ole Miss didn’t score another point the rest of the game. In fact, Florida took control of the game in the second quarter and led 28-14 at halftime.
What I remember though is that despite Ole Miss never even closely threatening Florida the rest of the game (-22 yards rushing!), Spurrier spent most of the game throwing his visor, looking disgusted, and chewing on whomever happened to be standing near him, regardless if they had anything to do or not with what didn’t go perfectly according to plan.
Looking back and knowing more about him now, it’s obvious he was so mad because he knew he should be blowing out a team coached by Joe Lee Dunn and wasn’t doing it. And maybe he also want to show that Dunn, who, at the time, was considered one of the better defensive coordinators in college football, was no match for his offense.
Not being able to do what he thought he should be able to do on offense drove him crazy. While beyond maddening for him, it gave college football so many visor-throws on that day and in the years to come.
Florida ended up winning the game 38-14, but what happened at the end of it is still something I laugh about with my dad. Some backup quarterback named Danny Weurffel came into the game in garbage time and led the Gators, who were up 35-14, inside the Ole Miss 15-yard line with less than two minutes to play.
After being unable to pick up a first down, Florida faced a fourth and down at the Ole Miss 11. Instead of handing the ball off or throwing into the end zone, Spurrier, either furious at his offense or just wanting more points, sent out his kicker and tacked on three more points.
I remember people booing because they thought Spurrier was running up the score and believed that to be CLASSLESS. I’m pretty sure he did it because isn’t 38 more than 35, Joe Lee?
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
