From 1987-89, Steve Spurrier was the head coach at Duke, leading the Blue Devils to an ACC Football Championship in 1989. As a player, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1966 at the University of Florida. Coach Spurrier then returned to Florida as its coach in 1990.
Known as an offensive mastermind, Spurrier led the Gators to multiple SEC titles, as well as the national championship in 1997. Spurrier has deep connections to both Carolinas, because after Florida and a 2-year stint with Washington’s NFL team, Spurrier came to South Carolina, where he was the head coach of the Gamecocks for a decade, beating Clemson five straight times at one point, before abruptly retiring in the middle of the 2015 season.
We’d like to thank the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club for providing space for this interview.
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Sports Legends of the Carolinas is hosted by Scott Fowler. It’s produced by Loumay Alesali, Jeff Siner and Kata Stevens. Our interns on this production are Zoe Williams and Christina Silvestri. For lots more on the show, visit
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Hello everybody and welcome to this Episode of sports legends of the Carolinas I'm your host Scott Fowler Sports columnist for the Charlotte Observer where I've worked since 1994 and as always in this podcast I'm Traveling across the Carolinas seeking Out some of my very favorite sports Legends we're proud to say this episode Is sponsored by Audi Charlotte celebrate The season with holiday savings on new Audi you belong in an Audi from Audi Charlotte for this episode we're in Durham North Carolina very close to the Campus of Duke University and I'm Delighted to have as a guest the one and Only Steve Spurrier in the late 1980s Steve Spurrier was the head coach at Duke leading the Blue Devils to an ACC Football Championship in 1989 as a player he won the Heisman Trophy in 1966 at the University of Florida Coach Spurrier then returned to Florida as its head ball coach in 1990 Sper led the gator to multiple SEC Titles as well as the National Championship in 1997 he has deep connections to both Carolinas because after Florida and a 2-year stent with the NFL's Washington Franchise Spurrier came to South Carolina where he was the head coach of The Gamecocks for a decade he beat Clemson five straight times at one point
Before abruptly retiring in the middle Of the 2015 season we'd like to thank The Washington Duke in and golf club for Providing us such a gorgeous space for This interview Steve sper next on sports Legends of the Carolinas coach Steve sper the one and Only head ball coach welcome to the show Scott good to be with you and good to be Recognized in the Carolinas uh my mom And dad both from Charlotte went to the Old Central High School there and uh They're no longer with us but they would Be proud that I'd be considered a a Legend guy in the Carolinas cuz they Both went through high school and even Took I think a business course there and So forth so Charlotte is my hometown From way back from all my uncles and Aunts and all that I had not realized That until I I did read your Autobiography preparing for this and saw That they had met in youth group at Church or something and so Central High School was the was where they went to High school they yeah now my dad was six Or seven years older than my mom okay Different times yeah yeah she uh she Played the piano in the organ in the Church my dad was Presbyterian Minister For I don't know 40 years or something Like that and uh retired down in Florida Near my sister and me so uh he saw a lot Of our games when I coached at Florida
And uh he was at National Championship Game so anyway he he loved Sports and You know I credited him for whatever Athletic ability or whatever I had cuz He he really uh promoted Sports Athletics and he promoted winning I tell You Uh he coached our little league and bab Ruth league baseball teams and he asked The kids one day uh how many of you Believe in that saying it's not whether You win or lose but how you play the Game well all the half the kids raise Their hand and he said well I don't Believe that he said if you're keeping Score you're supposed to try your best To win and I've tried to instill that in Every team I coach if I keep score up There we're supposed to try our best to Win even like you're pro ball and you're Playing those exhibition preas games Don't count I still think you're Supposed to try to win exhibitions Pre-seasons Whatever as long as you keep them score If you're not keep score well we'll let Everybody play not ever look at the Scoreboard but anyway yeah my dad he Hated losing and uh anybody wins a lot They hate losing yeah absolutely well Let's start with this since we're in Durham uh very near the campus of Duke Uh you have said before whatever kind of Coach you became it was because of Duke
University So why do you say that oh I owe so much To Duke University uh after NFL 10 years Well Steve what are you going to do well What am I going to do I said you know What I I think I may want to try Coaching I think I've watched I've been Around some good coaches and I've been Around some bad ones you know we learn From good and bad and uh maybe if I got An opportunity to be be a coach in College it doesn't seem like work cuz You're anxious to get to the office Every day and uh try to teach your Players how to play the game and this That and the other so coach dicki at Florida gave me an opportunity we all Got fired after the first year and Pepper Rogers had an opening his Quarterback just happened to leave so I Got to go to Atlanta for one year with Coach pepper Rogers and then they let Him go and I'd met coach red Wilson at Duke during spring recruiting in Atlanta The year before and uh actually coach Rogers let me call the plays when the Play dukee and we we scored 24 which was A lot for Geor so anyway I I got in touch with Coach Wilson and he hired me as Offensive coordinator in my third year Ever as an assistant coach so really Grateful for Duke and you know a lot of My buddies said Steve you can't win at
Duke nobody wins at Duke go somewhere Where you can win if you want a coaching Career and I said well guess what They're the only school that's offered Me a chance so I'm going to go there and Give it the best I got and hopefully we Can make winners there and move on or Whatever and uh but then I had a chance To come back again after the usfl folded I had an opening here and Tom Butters Hired me back in uh 1987 so I had three wonderful years here And of course culminating with the ACC Championship team of 89 and this one's Tipped Away by Duke and that is It and that that goal post is going to Be history I can tell you that right now As duke has picked off North Carolina State And there goes the goal post and Steve Sper and Mike hogwood are down on the Field somewhere I think right that uh is Still remembered fondly maybe the most Fondly of any Duke team ever that 1989 Team what was the key to its success Scott it was a very interesting year Because we opened up uh one and three Now back in those days we played six Road games and and five home games we we Had to go get a paycheck as Mr butter Said to keep the football program Going uh so anyway now we'd lost at Tennessee at South Carolina and and at Virginia which was a very good team that
Year also uh and then we had Clemson Come into town they were 4 and0 and it Was uh we had one of those emotional Meetings we're going to Give It All We Got uh I learned back in uh College from One of our assistant coaches Jean Allenson that if you get the players to Sign the chalk board or grease board That I'll give all I can to help my team Try to win the game today and so we had Everybody sign the board going to give It all literally sign the through the End of the game and we're down 14 Nothing at half and then some Miracles Happened in that game I we'll talk about Those a little later maybe uh but anyway We win the game and then win the rest of The conference games and uh and uh win ACC Championship eight and Three and Duke was winning used to Winning before you got here couple games A year Uh so that was huge from a rain drenched Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham it's the Seventh ranked Clemson Tigers of Danny Ford against the pass minded Blue Devils Of Steve Spurrier Duke's only one of the Season Came here in Durham it's been a Frustrating one and three start for last Season's ACC coach of the year so today The top ranked defense meets the number One offense Clemson and Duke here in Dura took a famous picture at the
Scoreboard at Keenan Stadium when yall We beat them beat UNC 41 to nothing and That was uh that's one that people still Remember finely here not so finely and At the other shade of blue in Chapel Hill are you glad you took that picture In uh 89 Scott we didn't take that Picture because we beat North Carolina They were a sorry team that year I think They were one and 10 uh we took that Picture because we're ACC Champs I see And uh earlier uh we beat Maryland at Maryland I think it was like 45 to 26 And uh as we're leaving one of our Assistant coaches Jim Collins his wife Always on the sideline taking pictures With her camera and so forth and uh I Said Jerry we're going to get the team Under the scoreboard we have beaten Maryland at Maryland first time since 1960 so it's 29 years since that had Happened and uh so the guys are Everybody already left we we' Bea them Pretty good and all the players are Giving it thumbs up so I came in the Locker room and never will forget I said Now fellas if we win the rest of them We're going to take a picture at Chapel Hill cuz we'll be ACC champ Champs and Uh and we talked about before the season That there's a if we get on a row we Could win the ACC Championship so we we Got on a roll and actually we went in The locker room after that game in North
Carolina and one of the players said Coach how about the pitcher I said dang Let's go so we hustled out hardly Anybody was in the stands uh but Fortunately the clock operator left the Score up there that was I want to thank Him for doing that but that was for Winning ACC had nothing to do with Carolina I got you so you you uh were Here for three uh years as a head coach Of course Mike shashki another one of Our sports legends that we interviewed Uh was here during that time and also During when you were an offensive Coordinator right and you wrote in your Autobiography that there would sometimes Be some basketball games football staff Basketball staff and it was very Difficult to beat beat coach Kay's team And why was that well coach Kay when it Got close he dribble in there and if he Missed he called a foul and he was the Only head coach playing so he uh he got The referee and play but now we had some Really good games over there and usually It was uh Coach K and a couple of his Assistants maybe three of us us football Assistants uh playing half court and so Forth in Cameron in Cameron yeah in Cameron oh yeah lunchtime half Basketball so yeah we enjoyed that it Was good competition and so forth but it Was hard to beat coach K's team in fact I don't know if we ever beat him think
Of it um so we're in the midst of Another football season now and I wonder This so you are uh 78 now although you Look about 55 but what do you miss about Coaching this time of year and what do You not miss about coaching well the Thing I miss is the game itself you know Being on the sideline getting your guys Ready to play to to go try to beat the Other team uh the competition part it Was always my most fun part of it uh no I don't miss the nil or the trans for Portals and all that so uh yeah the game Has really changed a lot but on the Other hand you know what's fair for one Team is fair for the other uh it seems Like the same schools that are always at The top are going to continue being There because it seems like maybe They're the wealthiest uh with the Booster involvement in the money now and So forth uh but it's still college Football's still great game I mean Everybody's going there's more money Coming in the coaches make more than They've ever made before by far by far So uh it is what it is and uh but I I Miss the competition uh the game itself I'd say the big thing how would you have Liked to coach in the transfer portal And nil era well if I had to I'd be Doing it like all these guys are doing Right I think I would try to find me a Couple of multi-millionaire guys that
Could afford you know a little 5 10 Million here and there and that would Really help your program if you if You've got those guys Uh but other than that uh yeah I sort of Wish they would let guys earn their Money as they go rather than getting it Up front but uh you mean the players Yeah the players themselves and of Course and on the other hand hey the Coaches get it up front too you know We've you give a guy six sevene contract All guaranteed so he doesn't have to do Much to to get that money also so you Know the coaches have been getting big Money might as well you know pay the Players now just like pro football does Right and in fact you advocated that Really early I think if I if I remember I advocated it back in about 2013 I Think it was uh why don't we give all The players that suited up usually 75 or 80 players like 300 bucks a game you Know that's 21,000 or 22,000 or whatever and uh they Could pay their parents travel maybe a Hotel maybe go out to dinner with their Parents or their girlfriend or whatever And let them share and the enormous Amount of money is coming in but I Remember some of our commissioners Saying that will never happen I said Yeah will too you just wait it's going To happen and then they came up with
That cost of attendance they call it and Uh and all the scholarship athletes were Getting oh six 6 7,000 a year or so Forth and then it expanded from that Obviously let's talk about Florida a Little bit uh you and I intersected Briefly I was there your first year I Was working at the m Harald but would Fly to Gainesville or wherever y'all Were playing every week in 1990 uh which you brought the fun and Gun offense which it was called airball Here if I remember right I sort of like Airball better uh airball yeah why well Fun and gun this sounds like you after Throwing the ball all over the ballpark But but we actually you know we ran the Ball as as much as we threw it and uh When we won the ACC here at Duke Randy Cuthber our running back gained over a Thousand yards M and he only started the Last six games I mean he had 150 a game Just about those so but we did call it Airball here in honor of basketball you Know a guy sh and misses The different stud our students got a Kick out of when we had long pass they' Yell the airball right so I always sort Of liked that had had a little better Ring to it I think than fun and gun fun And gun well at Florida you had an Incredible success what was it like Coaching there after you had won the Heisman Trophy there as a
Player well you don't I don't think when You get into coaching you try to do the Best wherever you are and whatever next Opportunity may come around you go from There and uh I mean looking back if uh If we don't beat Clemson that day we'd Been one and four and maybe ended up Four- seven five- six I don't know how We would have ended up but I never would Have been Florida Coach so uh it Happened and obviously opportunity to go Back to my alma moer a school that had Never really excelled to the the Potential that Florida has oh that was Just a tremendous opportunity and uh When I came down there and mentioned we Got a team capable of winning the SEC This year people sort of laughed I said Wait a minute now but I I I can assure You Scott when uh the team we had down There in 90 I mean we're showing them All the tapes of film of our Duke Players they looked at that and they Said you know what If those guys can win a championship we Can win one simple as that CU we we had A bunch of guys go to the NFL all the Time and we had very few here at Duke That won that Championship so I credit That Duke team for the success I had After that right you had in in general You had much better players at Florida I Mean NFL ready they're bigger they're a Little more into football we still were
Very much Academic School here at Duke But U I tell you what they played their Hearts out we played with effort and Attitude that's how we won it we didn't Win it cuz we had more guys going to the NFL and they did yeah when did they Start calling you or or the the head Ball coach uh that nickname oh I think Four or five years in I used to use the Term ball coach just ball coach when I Really admired and respected somebody I Would say like Pat sum at Tennessee or They're man or woman I'd say she is Really one of the best ball coaches There's ever been and Sport and uh a Friend of ours down there he he said Ball coach he said well you must be the Headball coach I said Well everybody's The headball coach whatever sport They're in so he started using it a Little bit and I guess it spread around Caught on and the visor when did that Start was that also when you came to Florida cuz it was so hot it started at Florida yeah it started pretty much at Florida what happened here that day we Upset Clemson it was a rainy day it was A miserable day but it wasn't real windy And uh so I wore a hat and uh of course We won that game so I I wore a hat to The rest of the season same hat uh same Hat are you superstitious well I said I'm going wait till we lose one we never Lost one okay so uh that's when I wore a
Hat but when I got to Florida I looked Around and not many coaches were wear Advisors and uh I believe that saying uh To be successful in life there's two Ways to do it you can do it like Everybody else does it and try to Outwork them or you can do it Differently so I said I don't think I Almost stayed up to midnight trying to Outwork everybody uh so wearing a visor Was just a little something different And even the way we coached was a little Little different I thought so that that Was one reason I did it but I wore Advisor on the golf course all the time And uh so it was just natural why why Would you wear a hat when it's 90° down There and so forth you were widely known As an offensive Mastermind Um so but you got to call plays Incredibly early didn't you call some Plays in high school when you were in Tennessee or something I mean you you Had more play calling experience than Most people would have back when I Played the quarterback called play oh That was just the way yeah High School College every now and then they'd send One in and they they spot something and Sent it in which was fine but I I called Them in high school and in college so You called all the Florida a couple of Pro games yeah I talked to our head Coach let me call him one game when we
Were about 1 and nine think or something Uh but anyway uh yeah I was used to Calling plays so why do you think you Were so good at it well I don't know if I was so good at it cuz I looked back on About seven or eight games and I said Why in the heck did you call that stupid Play but uh I don't know we uh uh I Think having the freedom here with Coach Red Wilson was really helpful because uh I remember asking him one time uh you Know how you want me to call the players You want me be conservative run throw What he said call whatever you want and He said I I want to throw the ball and I And I love trick plays I've always Double passes reverse passes and what Have you so coach Wilson really uh gave Me the freedom to you know innovate Through the offense and we had a bunch Of good players here you know Ben Bennett came in 80 right when I came and The receivers here Chris Caster was ACCC Player of the year year Cedric Jones Marvin Brown bunch of those guys and uh Hind you claron came in the late ' 80s Second Second and of course he was AC Player of The Year also so is it apocryphal or is It really true that you would draw plays Uh in oatmeal or cereal or besides I Mean is that you ever really do that oh I Ben benett used to tell that story I Don't remember exactly that but I do
Remember uh back in about 81 or two we Were playing a team and Rich MC George Was like a volunteer coach and he would Drive back and forth from Greensboro uh He came back but we had a little tight End drag route and a couple of crossers And Rich was a tight end Coach he said Coach when didd you put that play in I Said oh I forgot to tell you we put that During the Friday afternoon walk through And he said that's a dang good play I Know it scor it scored against Virginia But the tight end Coach didn't know we Had that play for the tight end for a Touchdown cuz it was pretty simple you Know you run here you here and you run Underneath and you know everybody uses That play now you nicknamed uh Florida's Field the swamp too right that really Came from you yeah uh we were looking For a good nickname and uh our sports Information director gave me four or Five suggestions that have come down Through the past uh Norm Carlson who was There I think about 40 years or 50 years Or so and I said you know that one the Swamp sounds pretty good maybe I'll call The local sports rker Mike bian yeah and Uh see what he thinks about it so he Wrote an article said we're going to Start calling this place the swamp and One of the sports information guy said That'll never work that's a stupid name Blah blah blah I said well let's give it
A chance I like it so it hit and of Course it stuck yeah the SW Gator always Surviving the swamp right that was the Sort of Florida you know we got a lot of Swampy land and actually our stadium in Gaines was built uh according to the History books on a swampy piece of land Uh just south of the you know University There I didn't know so it was uh yeah They had to sort of drain and put some Let let some of the water flow down a Little creek down down stream there a Bit so it it was built over a little bit Of a swamp to back up for a second but Your Heisman Trophy uh you're went you Won in 1966 time is out and Heisman winner Steve Spa will attempt a 40 yd field Goal something he has never accomplished Before hold your breath the ball is Toad and is on target Steve has done it Again a 40-yd field goal to give far to Their seven straight Victory we did one Of these interviews as as we mentioned Off a with George Rogers his Heisman we Went to his house and his Heisman is Actually in his on his mantle um where Do you keep yours well we have a Restaurant down there now it's called Spur's GD iron grill uh so it's right in The middle we got a big old trophy case There uh of course we got a bunch of Duke stuff also South Carolina stuff Along with the gator stuff uh so it's
Right uh in the middle sort of the Restaurant we got some private rooms on The back and sort of the open uh Restaurant part in the front uh so it's Uh part of the memorabilia showcase they Call sounds like a great place called The museum so yeah it's right there Along with so much other stuff no that's Awesome I'm next time I'm in Gainesville I'm going there for sure you and the Field there now is named for you right That must have been a big honor it was a Definitely a very big honor Jeremy Foley The athletic director called me up as I Was leaving South Carolina to come back Home to set to speak of and uh he said We we're going to put your name on the Stadium Steve spur or Florida field uh And we're going to give you a little job Called ambassador give you an office Somewhere to go every day I read in a Book one time uh in life you need to Have somewhere to go every day don't Just wake up and look at your wife and Say what are we going to do today yeah So I mean I don't have to go every day But every now and then you need Somewhere to go yeah and anyway uh so It's worked out very nicely over the Last what seven eight years it's gone Just like that and you and your wife Jerry who you met in college or y'all Live in Gainesville most of the time now Is that yeah yeah I had originally
Thought maybe go live at the beach I Love going to the beach a week or two uh At a time i' never been there a month or Anything so after we left South Carolina We're down there about a month or so she Said I don't know hardly anybody down Here and I said I don't either uh and Then the opportunity to come back to Gainsville that was only natural so we Got a condo down at the beach uh right Near St Augustine Crescent Beach so we Don't go near as much as we thought we Would but uh we did go a couple days Last week and that's about it two days And they come on back there you go yeah Yeah the um National Championship was in The 1996 season I remember that right And the issue has long since been Resolved here the Florida Gators number Three have defeated Florida State number One and the Florida Gators are now Anticipating a national championship Their First and that's going to do it the ball Game is over the Florida Gators have St Their play for the national championship Of the 1996 season was that the biggest thrill At Florida I mean that you know to win That one was that the of all the Highlights at Florida as a coach was That well I gu it was the biggest Championship since it was the national But we were we were extremely fortunate
Uh we had some other teams that very Close to the 96 team overall in Talent Not quite as good probably 96 was Statistically our best team in the 12 Years I was there but we got a lot of Help you know we we said a lot of thank You Lords because we lost the last game Of the season FSU uh 24-21 at their Place if we' lost the first game of the Season to them we would have been Definitely playing for the national Championship but when you lose the last One it's almost whop we went from one or Two in the nation to about number five And then all of a sudden the teams that Were in front of us started losing Ohio State lost one uh Nebraska lost one in That big 12 game and then uh Arizona State uh was undefeated they Lost in the Rose Bowl and then all we Had to do is beat Alabama and FSU which We did and uh to be national champs but If either one of those teams maybe had Won their bowl game or or won their Championship game uh they might have Been right ahead of us there was no Playoff back then so we we're very Blessed and we said a lot of thank you Lords after that yeah some wonderful Onliners throughout your career um Florida State you labeled as free shoes University during their um shoe Scandal That they had well you know this summer Steve
Spur took a little poke at NOS when After their controversial shopping spree By the part of several players and Steve Referred to it as free shoes you and I Said to Bobby I said coach you handled That rather well you had a little Chuckle about it didn't you I'm a Humorist I love humor you know and and And uh I got was amused uh for it I Would like to fire back but it goes Right on his bulletin board I ain't Going give him nothing to fire back at Me you know and uh uh but uh Steve Steve I I really like be honest with I like Him his coaching is very uh it's it's It's daring you know I like daring and And your rivalry with FSU was Interesting can you sort of just Describe that I mean you were you were In your autobiography you right you were Honestly angry sometimes that their Defensive players thought at least in The mid90s that they try to hurt people Well uh they uh they actually talked About if you knock the quarterback out Of the game with a clean hit that's Football I don't think that's football And uh they talked about hitting to the Echo of the whistle well nobody else Hits after the whistle and uh and they Bragged about you know knocking bunch of ACC quarterbacks out of games and uh and They knocked Danny Warford down I think It was 34 times after he thrown the ball
In the game up there so uh anyway but It's history I I hate try to bring all That back up but and they don't play That way now yeah you actually tell some Of the FSU people I said actually maybe Pull for you guys and every now and then Because you guys play like everybody Else now you don't try to hurt people And this that and the other but that was That was their defensive team their Offensive team was outstanding War D Peter war and all those guys and uh they Were class fine Christian people and Everything so it was just a little extra On the hit side uh but anyway that that Was history and uh and it was it is History uh you wrote of regret you said I now realize I should have stayed at Florida longer uh why is that well History would say he should do that but Back in those days U I don't know how Many people when theying double or Triple whatever they're making in life Uh they say no I'm must stay here but For some reason I always thought well I'll coach it Florida 10 to 15 years or 10 to 12 years or something like that And then maybe go to the NFL yeah I went To the wrong NFL team but anyway that's Okay we wound up 5 and 11 not very good Um but there was some worse than us I Guess that's one positive way to look at It we weren't the worst team in the League by doing going the wrong NFL team
I got chance go to South Carolina and Have 10 wonderful years down there with Those those people and uh you know set a Bunch of school records that we still Own and uh I don't know when they're Going to break them but it may be a long Time before they win 11 games and three Years in a row too yeah we won 11 finish Top 10 in the nation three years in a Row so and I still wish we could have Won one sec because I think we had the Team that was capable but it seemed like Again we would lose that one game and Uh the other team Georgia or even Missouri they both went seven and one in Conference play a couple of those years When we were six and two in conference Play but uh yeah it didn't work out but Still they were they were three three of The best years in school history and People in South Carolina admire you so Much for beating Clemson five years in a Row that was big right I mean the your Arch rival that yeah we got on the run There uh let's see we be 9 10 11 12 13 And then it seems like uh we we'd get All the breaks you know something would Happen they would drop a pun or Something would happen and uh and then We'd play extremely well that'll do It oh somebody got the b ball Coach the game cops are going to win This one 31- 17 it's a first time that the Gamecocks
Have won five in a row against the Tigers yeah we we were able to get the Upper hand on those guys for quite a While but uh and that that helped us to To finish in the top 10 in the country Which was one of our goals most all Those years Washington you know I always Wished I've covered the Panthers for the Entire time they've been there 30 years Almost and I always wished that that had Worked out were the Panthers ever in the Ballpark for your Services uh I don't think so I I think Uh I went somewhere where they offered the Most money which was the mistake I made But that's okay gave me a chance like I Said to end up going to South Carolina Later in fact Mike McGee hired me who Was a a Duke man yes that's right yeah At South Carolina right 11 uh three 11 Win Seasons you had J Davon Clowney Conor Shaw so many Stars uh and then you sort of fired Yourself I guess in 2015 you just you Can't keep a head coach coach that's Done it as long as I have when it's Heading in the wrong direction and Really today when I move out of the way And Sean Elliot is going to take over as The interim head coach it sort of starts Our rebuilding or building back uh what We had just two years ago it was only Two years ago that we're fourth in the
Nation and uh the last of those lean Twos and somehow or another uh We've Slid and it's my fault I'm responsible I'm the head coach and it's time for me To sort of get out of the way and let Somebody else have a go at it tell me Why you decided not to do it anym I made Some mistakes I I had a coaching staff a Little bit in disarray and I had a few Players uh I ask them to do something And they they look at me like I don't Have to listen to you anymore something Like that so it really that was the Point I I I admit I I guess I'd lost the Team our quarterback we we had a running Quarterback all of a sudden we were Uh becoming more of a you know run Quarterback run type thing and I just Said you know this team doesn't listen To me so I need to get out of here and You know and AD said won't you wait till The end of the season announc now I said I do not want to go stand on the Sideline last game he's ever going to Coach here last game I I said no I just Need to go get out now and let maybe an Assistant coach win some games here and Maybe have a chance to be the head coach And because the inter coach as you know Get hired a lot Mississippi State hired An inter guy uh so anyway I thought Maybe that would happen but they didn't Win enough games with that team we had And I made a lot of mistakes within the
Coaching staff that led to maybe all That stuff happening I don't know but it Was it was it was time for me to get out Of there simple as that and you I know Have had a you know another run at Coaching until this oh wonderful run was That fun oh the Orlando Apollo yes yeah Tell us about that Tim rusell was our General manager JK McKay was like a vice President guy and uh yeah really enjoyed Coaching the Orlando Apollos we we ended Up seven and one uh and then the league Folded went busted or whatever and uh Lee Coro told me that that's the best Coaching job you did in your life I said Come on Coach he said no I'm serious you Guys really played well and we did play Well we uh uh every game we had a lead We ran the clock out our back uh uh Garrett Gilbert uh had a heck of a year We led the conference in offense and Scoring and our field goal kicker Elliot Fry who kicked for us at South Carolina He was 14 out of 14 I mean we we just Played efficiently and what was Interesting uh we won a game out at Utah Where the gator played a week ago or so And uh started snowing about 4:00 for a 7:00 game and that snow was covered the Field And uh I remember coming in and telling Our team I said fellas us Florida boys We're all Florida boys if we could win a Game in the snow we'd have something to
Remember the rest of our lives and our Guys went out and played one of the best Games of the year really do really yeah We had no turnovers I think we won like 24 to 11 or 12 or something like that But uh that that was fun tell me what Your secret to the Fountain of Youth is Here I know you you always believe or Big exercise guy I'm in a pretty good Cardio shape I think I've got a little Arthritis in my lower back so I got a Little gimpy in my walk uh but yeah I've Always been uh well I was a runner until My second knee surgery I guess and doc Said you need to get on that bike now so I've been on the bike for the last oh 15 To 18 years probably something like that So yeah I enjoy getting a good sweat Good workout setups a few little hand Weights it's nothing real big uh but I Just think that's you know that's key to Living a long time being in good health And so forth so I do try to continue That would you ever coach again uh no Not as a head coach uh you know one of Those analyst type things uh where you Can advise Here There and the other uh That might be something I'm still Waiting on my son Steve Junior to get a Head coaching job he's had several Interviews and for some reason hadn't Worked out I was hoping he's get to UNCC Charlotte job last year he interviewed There but they went of course in another
Direction uh but anyway uh and he is Where now he's at University of Tulsa uh Or I think it's Tulsa University okay uh He's offensive coordinator with Kevin Wilson so if he ever was a head coach You'd be the unofficial adviser or some Sort I wouldn't get away or anything Yeah right you know okay first of all I'm resigning I'm not retiring I get That part straight great I uh I doubt if I'll ever uh be a head coach again but You know maybe coaching a high school Team or something uh so don't say I've Retired completely from coaching who Knows what will come in the future and What's uh Scotty doing uh Scotty is the Special team coordinator with Bobby Stoops in the XFL last year in uh Arlington Texas uh they had they won the Championship of the XFL and let me tell You how they did it they were four and Six in the regular season but somehow They won their division their side of it And they played Houston again and I Think Houston had beaten them twice in The regular season but somehow or Another uh Bobby Stoops they reorganized A little bit and did some things Different and uh they beat Houston and Then beat Washington uh a team that came In like uh lean one or something like That I'm not sure what their record was So they won two games won the Championship with a six and six record
How about that and uh there you go and I Told him I said you guys played a lot Better and you coaches coached a lot Better too he said you're right you know A lot of times people they don't realize Coaches have bad games too and I've had Some bad games uh but they they coached Better and played better and that's of Course the key for key to winning one Thing I always uh like so much about you Coach was that you said what you meant And obviously you still do but uh uh you Didn't really do a lot of Coach speak Like I think my favorite quote you ever Had was when in South Carolina you would Say of Georgia I sort of always like Playing them that second game because You could always count on them having Two or three key players suspended That's that was that was a good one that Was back when they used to suspend Players in college they don't suspend Players for anything now I remember Asking the our academic advisor at Florida one time I said now you guys Suspended Ike Hillard All-American wide Receiver for the Georgia game back in '96 for class attendance oh class Attendance it is class attendance yeah And uh I said how come I never read Anybody in the country getting suspended For class attendance I said do we still Have that policy he said well we sort of Got it but nobody pays any attention to
It I said okay so anyway but we pay Attention to it back in yes yes right Yeah we had to play the Bulldogs without Our without H All American oh shoot but We we still won easily that day your Thoughts on acc expansion Stanford Cal And SMU coming into the league well I Wish that uh they would just bring their Football teams into and let all the Other sports stay in the conference they Were in uh but I don't guess they're Going to do that uh I still don't know How they're going to do all the other Sports you know volleyball soccer tennis Swimming road trip yeah uh but anyway it Is what what it is Big 10 they going Across country and so forth now and uh I Guess they'll work it out I guess they Got enough money to travel uh but still Parents getting a chance to watch their Kids play uh is a little difficult now Uh but we'll see how it works out I Think a lot of most of the people would Rather keep competing against the same Teams we always have uh but it it's About to change you mentioned that Clemson Duke game has been so Instrumental in your life really career Um what is your most favorite win that You've ever had well you look back when Your coaching career is over and you can See the crucial wins that helped you Stay alive as a coach or whatever and Lead to maybe another opportunity or
Whatever uh U certainly that win over Clemson uh was huge because it led to The ACC Championship the only won in 60 Years years uh here at Duke so that one Uh was one of the best ever and and then There was a few at South Carolina a few At Florida I hate to start ranking all Of them uh but certainly uh when you Have one of those crucial wins where Your guys really played well and they're Able to continue that maybe throughout The season uh then you look back and say Man that was a big win for us because That's what it led to having a super Great year just got like one or two more Coach thank you so much for your time um We didn't talk at all about your NFL Career could I know it wasn't probably All you wanted could it have been more Where you're in a bad situation were There other factors what well I tell People all the time uh I've coached Three pro teams do you know that huh no Okay well well the bandits I guess Bay Bandits uh we were 35 and 20 which was Right at about 66% and in the Apollos we're s and one I That's about 80% or something in it so The only one uh I didn't do very well Was the Washington team and uh I really Wasn't in charge well Dan Snider was the General manager right when the owner and General manager picked the quarterbacks The second year that that that's when I
Knew I got to get out of here but was That the same person though the owner And the general manager I mean he was Your general manager right I thought I Was going to get a general manager but I Found out uh you thought you were going To get Bobby bethard I think right Bobby Wanted to come back back and uh it Didn't work out between he and the owner So so I got him uh but anyway I I guess I'm asking about your playing career Though like where oh my playing career Playing career was well I I got a chance To play behind John Brody for about six Seven years as a backup and that Extended my NFL career and uh played a Little bit here and there but uh I got 10 years in somehow and U and punted too Oh I was a punter Yeah couple of years Two three coup years The other but uh I was just you know I Was fortunate and blessed that Dicky Hired me to start with at Florida and Then pepper Rogers and then Coach red Wilson here at Duke and they they they Kept me alive as a coach and man I Always grateful to those three guys and Then Duke University Tom Butters hired Me back as the head coach uh in ' 87 and Uh and and and on from there Duke took a Chance on you twice they at really Critical moments uh in your coaching Well it gave me the opportunity I don't Know if it's a chance cuz we our
Offenses were doing pretty well that was Pretty good but they didn't know that at The time I mean you were you were not Buts told me one time that uh one of the Administrative people came in and and Told him I said Mr Butters said I don't Think I'd hire spur you he said why he Said cuz he'll come in here and win a Whole bunch of games and leave and he Said well let me tell you what if he Comes in here and wins a whole bunch of Game and leaves he'll be the first coach In Duke history to ever do that so so I Was the first to do That well that's a good uh note to Conclude on I think uh that's coach Steve sper thank you so much for doing This coach enjoyed it Scott thanks again To Audi Charlotte for sponsoring this Episode celebrate the season with Holiday savings on new Audi's you belong In an Audi from Audi Charlotte thanks so much for listening To sports legend of the Carolinas a Production of the Charlotte Observer This show is produced by Lum Ali Sally Jeff siner and C stev the sports editor Of the Charlotte Observer is Lydia Crarer and the executive editor is Raina Cash remember you'll find much more About this interview and about all of Our guests including Steph Curry Roy Williams Dale Earnhart Jr and Don Staley And our sports legends book pre-order
Your copy now at sports Legends Book.com for lots more Sports content And to continue supporting this kind of Work please visit charlet observer.com And consider a digital subscription and Connect with me on Twitter at Scott Fowler or email at Sall Charlotteobserver.com see you next Time
Things to Do in Charlotte, North Carolina
Events, Life, Sports, Weather, News
A mid-size southern city with a major financial industry, multiple professional sports teams and stadiums, an abundance of parks, and a delicious (and ever-evolving) food scene, Charlotte has the look and feel of a big urban center. But it also boasts a friendly community, a low cost of living, and easy commute times. Here’s why Charlotte is attracting people from other cities across the U.S.
The city has a reputation for hosting a wide variety of annual festivals and events that celebrate everything from music and food to art and beer. The temperate climate is ideal for outdoor gatherings, and many of the area’s historic parks offer scenic trails, a lake, and picnic shelters.
Motorheads will want to head to the Charlotte Auto Show, which takes place in November and showcases new vehicles from top manufacturers. Those with military or first responder status can attend for free.
A burgeoning craft brewery scene makes it easy for beer lovers to find their favorite pints in Charlotte. From patios with skyline views to quaint taprooms, this city has more breweries than you can fit in a growler. Grab a flight of local brews or try something new at a taproom in town like Heist Brewery, which offers brunch and alternative beverages. For families, there are tons of things to do around Charlotte, including riding the roller coasters at Carowinds, panning for gold at Reed Gold Mine (the first documented location of gold in the U.S), and exploring interactive spaces at Discovery Place Science Museum.