Steve Spurrier had a memorable run at the University of Florida, so now that the Gators fired Will Muschamp as head coach, many people were speculating if Spurrier would make a grand return to Gainesville. Apparently, the answer is no.
Spurrier decided to set the record straight that he has no interest in returning to Gainesville, but he did think that Muschamp is an excellent coach.
“I’ve already had my run at Florida,” he said. “I think everybody knows that. They need to hire a coach that hopefully will be there 10 years. That’s what all athletic directors do, they hire a coach sort of going on the assumption he’s going to be there at least 10 years.”
“I hate to hear it about Coach Muschamp,” Spurrier said. “Will’s a good person, he’s a very good coach. His Florida teams were unlucky, as you could say. The losses that he’s had over the years, we all complain about close losses, but he has had his share of them. And unfortunately, coaches, we’re all based on whatever your record is. And I guess Florida decided they want to make a change.
“But he’s an excellent coach. I was telling somebody recently in the four meetings that we’ve had with his teams, we had not scored over 20 points in regulation. Of course we got six in overtime (Saturday). But we’ve won three out of four somehow. Sometimes that’s just how it happens, I guess. But he’s a good coach and if he wants to coach again next year, I’m sure a lot of people will be after him.”
Spurrier in Gainesville would be pretty good for the state of Florida, but it looks like it won’t be happening.
[h/t USA Today]