Dec. 28, 2008

Sunday’s Press Conference | Practice Report | Busch Gardens Visit | Photo Gallery

Tampa, Fla. – South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier met with the media on Sunday morning to discuss this week’s upcoming football game vs. Iowa at the 2009 Outback Bowl.

(Opening Statement)
“We are obviously thrilled to be here in Tampa at the Outback Bowl. We had a good year, we didn’t finish as strong as we would like but 7-5 turned out to be a pretty good record (this year). We beat some good teams and our guys played pretty well most of the year. Overall, it was a good year for South Carolina. (Iowa head coach) Kirk (Ferentz) and his guys do a super job, solid program up there at Iowa. We’re looking forward to a heck of a game here on January 1st.”

(On comparing Iowa to other SEC teams)
“I guess you could say maybe Alabama plays a little bit like Iowa. Run the ball and throw the ball combination. Obviously, Iowa runs the ball about as well as anyone in the country this year. Shonn Greene, winner of the Doak Walker Award, is the best running back in the country. We didn’t have any runners (in the SEC) do that. The best running team, Florida runs it pretty well, but they have about five or six guys that carry it. We’ll certainly be tested against trying to stop Shonn Greene.”

(On the Outback Bowl)
“I want to add the facilities, the hotel, the Harbour Island Westin, is magnificent, one of the tops in the country without a doubt. We have wonderful facilities here and I appreciate the Outback Bowl and all their hospitality. Our wives, our children, our grandkids are having a wonderful time here. It’s a nice treat for both teams to be able to be here.”

(On returning to Tampa)
“A little bit of reflection here and there, but really that was 20, 25 years about, we have so much to do here to try and get the team organized and out to practice and back, and the festivities and so forth. So, trying to get our team ready to play the best is all that we have really time to think about. We went to the hockey game last night, had a wonderful Outback dinner the night before, we’ll do a few of those things but in the back of our minds we are going to try to play the best that we can on January 1st.”

(On the safety situation)
“When a player doesn’t pass enough hours, I don’t know if we need to sit here and talk a whole lot about him, to tell you the truth. The next guy comes in, (it) gives an opportunity for maybe Darian Stewart to get a little bit more involved, maybe Dion Lecorn can fill in. They still allow 11 on the field, so that is the way to approach it.”

(On Iowa running back Shonn Greene)
“He is definitely an NFL type running back because he is big. He can run over people, he can block linebackers, he can do about all they are looking for.”

(On the SEC vs. the Big 10 matchup)
“The last couple years, prior to this year, the SEC went about bragging about our conference as the best in the country. We did have a lot of statistics to back it up, as far as the size of our stadiums are the largest in the country, so we have more fans in our games. We had more guys drafted and of course national championships were won, LSU, Florida. We have had a good time to promote SEC football and our commissioner Mike Slive did an excellent job. He also did an excellent job with that new television contract. Timing is everything. Realistically this year, Alabama and Florida were definitely are two big teams. I really think, overall, we have moved down a little bit this year and that is going to happen.”

“We did have some good bragging rights there, the last couple of years, we (might be) a little quiet this year, unless one of our teams wins the national championship, which should be a heck of a game, Oklahoma vs. Florida.”

“I don’t know if it’s the style of the conferences, or if it is the teams. Purdue throws the ball all over the place up there and Northwestern has been very good (at passing). I think you coach whatever your talent is; both places, and you go from there. The Big 10 has speed also, some people think that the reputation is the SEC is a lot faster than the Big 10, and that is not necessarily so. Speed is everywhere, just not in the south.”

(On the quarterbacks)
“Yea, we try to figure to go with one and hopefully (Stephen Garcia) can go the distance. That has been the plan. We wish that we had one that was clearly our best player and let him go play; I think all coaches would love to have that. When they are pretty even talent-wise, you have to keep trying new guys just like you try a new left guard, receiver, you try new guys (at times).”

“Stephen, we are going to give him every opportunity to play as long as he can. He might sprain his ankle, so Chris Smelley is ready also. A lot can happen out there so you always have to have two ready to play. We’ll let him go.”

“(Stephen) does seem to appear to know a lot more of what we are trying to do. He looks if he is capable but when the live action starts, that is when we will find out. To have three weeks taking a whole bunch of snaps has to help anybody, I think.”

(On playing in Tampa)
“It helps our school, just to show hey, we can play in a January 1st game on New Year’s Day.”