scboyinva
12-08-2007, 10:17 AM
Spurrier bothered by commitment issues
Posted: June 22, 2006
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- He groused about it last fall, last winter and last spring. Now, into his second summer at South Carolina, Steve Spurrier is again struggling with the same, old motivational problems for the Gamecocks. Spurrier says the attendance at offseason workouts this summer isn't like it needs to be. "We got some lazy guys here who aren't going to make it and it's just a matter of time before they fall by the wayside," Spurrier said Thursday.
It's not the first time the national championship coach has been upset with the flag-football attitudes of some of his players.
Spurrier was angry at a lack of intensity before last season, even shuffling his lineups to let some true freshmen play after the Gamecocks opened 2-3.
Attitude issues looked like a thing of the past after South Carolina put together a school-record five-game Southeastern Conference win streak that included landmark victories over Tennessee and Florida. But Spurrier's frustrations increased at the end when the Gamecocks threw away a three-touchdown lead to lose 38-31 to Missouri at the Independence Bowl and too many of his team didn't feel that bad about it.
"Hopefully, we can get a bunch of guys around here that it hurts them a little bit to lose," Spurrier said in February, still miffed about the bowl debacle.
Message delivered, right? Apparently not.
Spurrier says it's the poorest commitment he's seen on any team he's coached. "This is the most problem with guys participating in the voluntary (workout) that I've ever had," he said, "by far the most."
And it's not all the older players. Although Spurrier would not name names, he admitted that some of those with poor participation in offseason conditioning were brought in by Spurrier and his staff.
"The commitment level just isn't there," Spurrier said. "If it doesn't improve, then obviously, they don't have much of a chance of playing."
Spurrier figured it was about eight to 10 players who haven't shown the commitment he wants. He wouldn't single any out, but did say that injured playmaker Syvelle Newton was among those Spurrier would like to have at workouts more often.
"He's another guy who's not always here," Spurrier said. "But then he wasn't always here last year."
Newton is rehabbing from a torn left Achilles tendon that was surgically reattached last fall. Spurrier thinks Newton's recovery is going well and expects his senior will resume his multi-threat duties at quarterback, tailback and wide receiver.
Offseason workouts at this point are voluntary, and Spurrier said the players won't be disciplined for not showing up. South Carolina is on three years of NCAA probation, and one of the violations cited by the governing body was that such workouts were deemed mandatory instead of voluntary by players during the tenure of former coach Lou Holtz.
Spurrier has had personnel issues since he took over for Holtz in November 2004. He lost stars like tailback Demetris Summers and defensive end Moe Thompson because of various problems before his inaugural season. Runner Cory Boyd, perhaps the Gamecocks, most versatile player out of the backfield, also missed last season on school suspension.
Spurrier said then that if someone didn't want to be Gamecock, and showed that through their actions, he and the team would move forward without them.
Spurrier's message could resonate loudly with fans and supporters, who the coach says will be leaned on by the school to help raise between $75 million to $100 million for athletic department improvements. The team got renovations to dorms, Spurrier said, with improvements in the team training rooms and cafeteria facilities priorities. Spurrier said a priority down the road is enclosing Williams-Brice Stadium to add more club seats.
So Spurrier's hopeful he can find those who want to play the kind of football that led him to win six SEC championships and the 1996 national title at Florida. The bonding that title teams have starts long before the first kickoff.
"I wish I could deliver a glowing report," Spurrier said. "I think last year at this time, I think I said the attendance had been very good. But it hasn't this year. So that's where we are."
Posted: June 22, 2006
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- He groused about it last fall, last winter and last spring. Now, into his second summer at South Carolina, Steve Spurrier is again struggling with the same, old motivational problems for the Gamecocks. Spurrier says the attendance at offseason workouts this summer isn't like it needs to be. "We got some lazy guys here who aren't going to make it and it's just a matter of time before they fall by the wayside," Spurrier said Thursday.
It's not the first time the national championship coach has been upset with the flag-football attitudes of some of his players.
Spurrier was angry at a lack of intensity before last season, even shuffling his lineups to let some true freshmen play after the Gamecocks opened 2-3.
Attitude issues looked like a thing of the past after South Carolina put together a school-record five-game Southeastern Conference win streak that included landmark victories over Tennessee and Florida. But Spurrier's frustrations increased at the end when the Gamecocks threw away a three-touchdown lead to lose 38-31 to Missouri at the Independence Bowl and too many of his team didn't feel that bad about it.
"Hopefully, we can get a bunch of guys around here that it hurts them a little bit to lose," Spurrier said in February, still miffed about the bowl debacle.
Message delivered, right? Apparently not.
Spurrier says it's the poorest commitment he's seen on any team he's coached. "This is the most problem with guys participating in the voluntary (workout) that I've ever had," he said, "by far the most."
And it's not all the older players. Although Spurrier would not name names, he admitted that some of those with poor participation in offseason conditioning were brought in by Spurrier and his staff.
"The commitment level just isn't there," Spurrier said. "If it doesn't improve, then obviously, they don't have much of a chance of playing."
Spurrier figured it was about eight to 10 players who haven't shown the commitment he wants. He wouldn't single any out, but did say that injured playmaker Syvelle Newton was among those Spurrier would like to have at workouts more often.
"He's another guy who's not always here," Spurrier said. "But then he wasn't always here last year."
Newton is rehabbing from a torn left Achilles tendon that was surgically reattached last fall. Spurrier thinks Newton's recovery is going well and expects his senior will resume his multi-threat duties at quarterback, tailback and wide receiver.
Offseason workouts at this point are voluntary, and Spurrier said the players won't be disciplined for not showing up. South Carolina is on three years of NCAA probation, and one of the violations cited by the governing body was that such workouts were deemed mandatory instead of voluntary by players during the tenure of former coach Lou Holtz.
Spurrier has had personnel issues since he took over for Holtz in November 2004. He lost stars like tailback Demetris Summers and defensive end Moe Thompson because of various problems before his inaugural season. Runner Cory Boyd, perhaps the Gamecocks, most versatile player out of the backfield, also missed last season on school suspension.
Spurrier said then that if someone didn't want to be Gamecock, and showed that through their actions, he and the team would move forward without them.
Spurrier's message could resonate loudly with fans and supporters, who the coach says will be leaned on by the school to help raise between $75 million to $100 million for athletic department improvements. The team got renovations to dorms, Spurrier said, with improvements in the team training rooms and cafeteria facilities priorities. Spurrier said a priority down the road is enclosing Williams-Brice Stadium to add more club seats.
So Spurrier's hopeful he can find those who want to play the kind of football that led him to win six SEC championships and the 1996 national title at Florida. The bonding that title teams have starts long before the first kickoff.
"I wish I could deliver a glowing report," Spurrier said. "I think last year at this time, I think I said the attendance had been very good. But it hasn't this year. So that's where we are."