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New Year, Old Result For Spurrier, Gamecocks

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 1, 2009

TAMPA - One wasn't ready for prime time. The other might be past it.

OK, so an 11 a.m. kickoff isn't prime time, but you get the idea. Stephen Garcia and Steve Spurrier were back in Tampa, a place they love, and they got no love from this Outback Bowl.

Garcia, the South Carolina quarterback, looked like little boy lost. Spurrier, the Florida legend, now South Carolina coach, simply looked beaten down like Garcia and the rest of the Gamecocks after they were pounded, but good, by Iowa. It was Chamber of Commerce weather and a Medical Examiner result: 21-0 at halftime and 31-10 at the end.

Some homecoming.

For redshirt freshman Garcia, who starred at Jefferson High, this was his big shot in front of his family and friends, the chance to start down the road to stardom after his publicized missteps.

Then came his first pass.

It was intercepted.

"I just threw it too early," Garcia said.

He threw an interception on his second snap, and fumbled on his fourth snap. He had three interceptions by halftime. In the locker room, Spurrier switched quarterbacks, going with sophomore Chris Smelley. From stinky to Smelley.

"I didn't play very well," Garcia said. "The way it ended was not the way it was supposed to go. Playing in my home city, it was pretty rough. Losing a bowl game in general is pretty frustrating, but especially here, in my hometown in front of my family, it's hard."

If you think that was hard, try being Steve Spurrier these days.

Remember when he used to terrorize defenses in bowl games? In 13 bowls, win or lose, Spur Dog squads always managed to get their points across, averaging 30 per bowl. Thursday's 10 points were the fewest for any Spurrier bowl entry, and a sad collection of points it was.

Yes, folks, that really was the Ball Coach, formerly of Bandits ball, and Gators offensive juggernauts, explaining why he kicked a field goal - a field goal! - with two minutes left in the game.

"Well, it was fourth and about 10, wasn't it?" Spurrier said. "It was a long way. Just trying to put a few points up. 31-10 looks better than 31-7."

Sad yet?

"We didn't need to get behind," Spurrier added. "We needed to get in a fairly close game with maybe six or seven punts per team."

Punts?

Sad yet?

We've seen all this great coach's greatest hits, but we might have seen the last of them. Spurrier hasn't broken through yet at South Carolina, and maybe he just never will. The Gamecocks are 28-22 in his four seasons. They finished this season with three consecutive losses, in which they were outscored - get this - 118-30.

The 30 is what jumps out. Carolina can't score. Steve Spurrier can't score. The man who made even Noah Brindise a holy terror can't get this batch of quarterbacks going.

"We did some decent things in the middle of the year," Spurrier said, "but lately we've really struggled. We've got to go back to trying to run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, use some play-action passes."

Run the ball, run the ball, run the ball?

Garcia was making just his third college start, so bumps were expected. But on the first pass?

"That was 'Why did you do that?' That was one of those plays," Spurrier said. "You'll have to ask Stephen that. I thought he would play a little better, but maybe he just wasn't ready."

"I just didn't make the plays I should have," Garcia said. "Early on, it killed us."

Late in the game, Garcia stood on the sideline and waited for it to be over. So did his coach. The way it ended was not the way it was supposed to go.

Stephen Garcia planned a quiet evening in Tampa home with family.

"Just stay low," he said "Stay low ... now."

Lower than this?

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