Almost 30 years in the past, Steve Spurrier led Florida Gators to a nationwide title. Now, the Gators are hoping the son of the “Head Ball Coach” will help the crew’s struggling offense for the rest of the season.
Florida interim coach Billy Gonzales advised reporters Wednesday that Steve Spurrier Jr. will probably be extra concerned within the teaching of sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway within the lead as much as the Gators’ matchup with No. 5 Georgia on Nov. 1. Spurrier, who was employed as an offensive analyst earlier this 12 months, may have a extra hands-on position amid a workers reshuffling following the firing of Billy Napier over the weekend.
“What we’re attempting to do proper now could be tweak a pair issues so we are able to put our gamers in a greater state of affairs to exit and make performs and carry out at a better degree,” Gonzales mentioned, per The Related Press. “All of us perceive that is what we have to do. So that is the No. 1 aim for us as a training workers proper now.”
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The 54-year-old Spurrier’s most up-to-date teaching stops have been at Tulsa (2023-24), Mississippi State (2020-22, Washington State (2018-19), Western Kentucky (2017) and Oklahoma (2016). He additionally spent a decade employee underneath his father at South Carolina in quite a lot of roles, together with huge receivers coach, passing sport coordinator and co-offensive coordinator.
A large receiver at Duke from 1989-1993, Spurrier was a graduate assistant underneath his father at Florida from 1994-98. Throughout that span, the Gators went 54-8-1 that included a 12-1 report and nationwide title in 1996.
The youthful Spurrier received his second nationwide title in 2000 throughout his second of three seasons as Oklahoma’s receivers coach underneath Bob Stoops. He then spent two years within the NFL whereas engaged on his father’s workers in Washington earlier than returning to the faculty teaching ranks.
Spurrier will now attempt to assist a Gators offense that’s at the moment one hundred and fifth within the nation in factors per per sport. He’ll particularly be tasked with serving to Lagway, who has thrown 9 touchdowns and an SEC-high 9 interceptions through the Gators’ first seven video games.
“Everytime you’re round one of many biggest offensive minds in historical past, it is clearly going to rub off on you as properly,” Gonzales mentioned. “He is been concerned, however now he’ll have extra of a task as a result of he’ll be down there on the sector with the quarterback wanting in his eyes and getting an opportunity to speak to him and assessment the movie that is being relayed. It may put us in an awesome state of affairs to assist DJ and the quarterbacks carry out on the soccer area.”
The Gators improved to 3-4 with a 23-21 dwelling win over Mississippi State final Saturday.
