South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier is retiring, according to multiple reports from Monday evening. Per Josh Kendall of The State, Spurrier has already notified his players. An interim head coach will be named on Tuesday, according to Kendall.
The news comes as a surprise despite the Gamecocks' slow 2-4 start to the 2015 season. Speculation has swirled in recent years that the end could be close for Spurrier as the South Carolina program fell into something of a decline after posting three-straight 11-win seasons from 2011 to 2013.
The 70-year-old Spurrier is in his 11th season as the head coach of the Gamecocks. The "old ball coach" joined South Carolina after a short, mostly unsuccessful stint in the NFL. During two seasons with the Washington Redskins, Spurrier compiled a 12-20 regular season record and failed to reach the postseason.
Spurrier, a one-time quarterback, played for the Florida Gators from 1963 to 1966, winning the Heisman Trophy in '66. Spurrier spent a decade as a player in the NFL before joining the coaching world with his alma mater. He rose through the ranks during stints at Florida, Georgia Tech and Duke before becoming the youngest head coach in the professional ranks when he was named coach of the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits at 37.
After three seasons with Tampa Bay, Spurrier jumped back to the college ranks, taking over the top spot with Duke. After compiling a 20-13-1 record at Duke, including two ACC coach of the year awards, Spurrier was hired on at Florida, where he turned the team into a consistent powerhouse.
Under Spurrier, the Gators managed five SEC titles and one National Championship. He left Florida in 2002, but returned to college, joining South Carolina in 2005. In eleven seasons with the Gamecocks, Spurrier managed 86-49 record and five bowl wins.
