With his name coming up more than once among college coaching vacancies (and potential vacancies), the South Carolina Gamecocks are looking for a way to convince head coach Steve Spurrier to stay in Columbia. It now appears they may have found more than one… one million to be exact.
The university’s Board of Trustees approved a tax-deferred retirement package Friday for Spurrier’s contract that would pay the football coach $1 million if he remained with the Gamecocks the next four seasons.
The money would accrue in installments of $250,000 the next four years and would be given to Spurrier if he’s still at South Carolina by Dec. 31, 2011. Spurrier would forfeit the package if he left the school before then.
The Old Ball Coach’s name was brought up on message boards during the Les Miles hat-dance. Rumors had Saban pining for the LSU position, while ‘Bama boosters were working the phones to bring Spurrier in to replace St. Nick.
And while it turned out to be just talk, the Gamecocks don’t want to take any chances.
South Carolina athletic director Eric Hyman said the retirement package was a thank you for Spurrier’s work so far.
“He’s an MVP. He’s a champion,” Hyman said. “And this the way for us to show how much we appreciate the job he’s done.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that USC just did the same annuity for their head basketball coach, too.
In my opinion, I think South Carolina is being a little too Dr. Evil. One “meeellion” dollars isn’t going to stop boosters at any school from going after Spurrier for a vacancy. And the money certainly isn’t going to stop the OBC from packing up and leaving if he’s not happy in Columbia.
Money is nice, but Spurrier has money - plenty of it.
If South Carolina really wants to keep Spurrier, they will find a way to silence some of the more absurd criticism coming from the ‘Cocks fanatics, develop the facilities that Spurrier has been requesting for years now, and truly commit to building a winner.
Those things will keep the OBC in a USC visor for years to come.
Source: Gamecocks have one million reasons for Spurrier to stay