Dec. 2, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. – – South Carolina Head Football Coach Steve Spurrier received a one-year contract extension and an increase in annual guaranteed compensation, it was announced today by Carolina Athletics Director Eric Hyman following a meeting of the Executive Committee of the University’s Board of Trustees.

“We are building a program I believe all Carolina people will be proud of,” Spurrier said. “We’re in the process of putting together one of the best recruiting classes ever here and hopefully this will clear the air. I’m going to be here for a long time and if recruits are going to come here, they are going to play for me and the coaches that we have here.”

The first coach in South Carolina history to take the Gamecocks to bowl games in both of his first two years in Columbia, Spurrier’s amended contract will keep him at South Carolina through 2012 with his annual guaranteed compensation increased to $1.75 million per year, a $500,000 bump up from his existing contract.

“Coach Spurrier has repeatedly said how committed he is to the University of South Carolina,” Hyman said. “South Carolina could not be more excited to have him here for the long term.”

In the event the University terminates Spurrier’s contract without cause, the University would pay Spurrier $500,000 per year for the remaining term of the contract. Likewise, if Spurrier terminates his contract and accepts another coaching position at any time during the remaining term of the contract, he would pay the University $500,000 for the remaining term of the contract.

“A lot of people think that agents do all of these types of things, but Eric (Hyman) and I got all of this done in about 15 or 20 minutes yesterday,” Spurrier said.

Heading into this year’s bowl game, Spurrier owns a 14-10 record in his two years at South Carolina and has led the Gamecocks to victories over traditional SEC powers Florida and Tennessee in addition to a 31-28 win over in-state rival Clemson this year. The Gamecocks finished second in the SEC East in Spurrier’s first season, with Spurrier earning SEC Coach of the Year honors from the Associated Press.