Steve Spurrier loves talking. He is always good for a comment.

Now those comments aren’t so funny.

He once famously called Florida State University (FSU) Free Shoes U in reference to a scandal involving a few Florida State players and a trip to the mall for an “after-hours shopping spree” at a sporting good store.

Oh, but it gets better.

In a 1994 article quoting Spurrier, the coach reportedly said, “We’ve always suspected. They’ve beaten us four out of five years in recruiting.They always tell their fans that the reason they out-recruit us is because they outwork us. Well, that’s their story.”

And Spurrier said even more.

“I believe some coaches try not to find out anything (about violations),” Spurrier said. “I’m not mentioning any names, but some coaches deliberately stay out of the loop. This way, when something happens, they can say they’ve not done anything wrong.”

Spurrier left Florida for the NFL and then returned to college football with South Carolina. Today it was revealed South Carolina’s football program committed alleged infractions including illegal benefits. These illegal benefits came from the Whitney Hotel for football players and from two men who allegedly provided free trips to campus for recruiting visits and a 7-on-7 clinic.

According to the AP, “The NCAA letter received Monday says 12 athletes in football and women’s track received an extra benefit of $47,000 for staying at a local hotel for a reduced rate. The NCAA also says officials with the Student Athlete Mentoring Foundation provided $8,000 worth of impermissible benefits and inducements for South Carolina athletes and prospects.”

According to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations, South Carolina “did not sufficiently monitor student-athlete housing arrangements at the Whitney Hotel, a representative of the institution’s athletics interests, or the impermissible activities of Kevin Lahn and Steve Gordon, also representatives of the institution’s athletics interests.”

The NCAA also alleged the institution “failed to monitor and investigate the impermissible activities of Lahn and Gordon” even after the school became aware of the potential violations. (read the entire NCAA Notice of Allegations here.)

Ouch.

Free lodging for football players.

Free trips for prospective recruits.

It sounds much worse than free shoes.

That $55,000 illegal benefits number said it all.

What was Spurrier doing while these activities were happening?

Was he supervising his program? Or did he want to be kept in the dark—like he alleged certain other coaches at other schools wanted to be kept in the dark?

What about that recruiting help now? Did it help Spurrier and the Gamecocks?

Is this what it takes to win football games at South Carolina? Or has Spurrier always said one thing and done another?

Or perhaps these days, Spurrier prefers playing golf to rules compliance.

16 thoughts on “What does Spurrier have to say about violations now?”

  2. Now we know how he got Latimore away from the Awbies and Clowney away from us. Bwaa haww haww. No wonder USCjr is suddenly playing with the big boys. RTR!

  5. I dont think Spurrier would have known. Its just not him. He wodesnt want that stigma attached to his legacy.

  6. Spurrier knows he is on the 18th hole. And he is sooooo close to gooing out a winner. Something like this is the last thing he would want. He can be a pompous smug jerk. But I dont think he would knowlingly cheat. On the otherhand I can think of a coach who claims God in every triumph and is too ignorant and/or impotent to see that the old cronies who run his program are destroying his credibility.

    1. Auburn is still a rule-breaker and a known cheater. It isn’t helping you this year as much as it did last year.

  12. If you’re going to write on this subject, let’s use facts… They weren’t “free” stays at a hotel. Players (including 2 female track students) were charged approximately $15 a night for rooms that usually fetch $30 (though the NCAA says they were $52/night). It was a failure on the part of USC’s compliance department who knew about it, but didn’t question why kids were staying at hotel. That still boggles my mind and I’m a fan…As for the recruiting trips, it was paid for by an organization that also takes kids to a number of other BSC schools. Just so happens that one of the guys had “loose” ties to USC so it raised a red flag. And in the time of recruiting all of these players through this organization, only one signed with USC by the way… If penalties are coming, so be it. They messed up. But I wish the NCAA was consistent in it’s enforcement. Seems odd that this draws this kind of attention, yet Newton played all year and everyone at the NCAA seems fine with it and reinstated him immediately in the middle of the night. For an organization that exists to try and level the playing field among its members, it’s amazing how they actually carry themselves.

  13. You’re right about the NCAA, but I have grave doubts about the room price. The Nazi’s price is probably more accurate in this day and age. The last time I checked a hotel room that was only $30 it came furnished with cockroaches the size of rats, rats the size of Great Danes and a 44 magnum for self defense against the above and whatever. Kind of agree Spurrier doesn’t seem like a guy who would stoop to cheating this late in his game. He’s always been the Narc who ratted out everybody else. However, he has come under a lot of pressure for not reproducing Florida results at USCjr – as if even God could. Bwaa Haww haww! Time will tell. RTR!

  14. let’s use facts… They weren’t “free” stays at a hotel. Players (including 2 female track students) were charged approximately $15 a night for rooms that usually fetch $30 (though the NCAA says they were $52/night)

    Let us use facts
    http://whitneyhotel.com/

  15. At least one player didn’t pay rent for about a year.

    I suppose that isn’t free….if the guy ever paid the bill.

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