South Carolina Gamecocks Steve Spurrier Retires

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A person close to the situation tells The Associated Press that the South Carolina head football coach has told his players that he is retiring, effective immediately. The person says the school has not named an interim coach but likely would announce someone to finish out the season by Wednesday.

The Gamecocks are 2-4 overall and 0-4 in the SEC for the first time in Spurrier's 23 seasons coaching in the league at Florida and South Carolina.

The 70-year-old Spurrier was in the middle of his 11th season with South Carolina. He considered leaving the Gamecocks last December after the Gamecocks went 6-6. But the team defeated Miami in the Independence Bowl last December, which seemed to re-energize him.

The 1966 Heisman Trophy winner was 86-49 with the Gamecocks. He had his greatest success at his alma mater, going 122-27-1 with a national championship at Florida. Spurrier was 228-89-2 in 319 games as a college head coach.

A person close to the situation says South Carolina co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Shawn Elliott will be the interim Gamecocks coach for the remainder of the season, replacing Steve Spurrier.

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