July 30, 2009
The South Carolina media relations department hosted its annual athletic department/media golf outing on Thursday morning at Cobblestone Park in Blythewood. The quartet of Steve Spurrier Jr., Travis Haney, Tim Hill and Glenn Synder won the tournament in a three-way tiebreaker with a nine under par score of 62. Following the golf outing, head football coach Steve Spurrier addressed the media:
THE COACHING STAFF
“I really believe I’ve got maybe the best coaching staff I’ve ever had. I’ve watched these guys coach through spring practice, I’ve watched them interact with our players and I’ve watched them recruit. We’ve got coaches that can go recruit guys and get committed and get them signed. We’ve added five new assistant coaches and Craig Fitzgerald, our strength and conditioning coach. Since they’ve been here, academically we had our best semester in the history of Carolina Football – a 2.62 grade point average and our best class attendance. I think a lot of that is contributed to our new coaches – demanding and expecting and making sure the players do what they’re supposed to do.”
ON YEAR FIVE AT SOUTH CAROLINA
“We’re sort of looking forward to a new era of South Carolina Football. We’ve been here four years. We’re trying a new direction. We’ve got some new coaches in place. Our players really seem to have accepted our new coaches and have bought in to the new ideas we’re doing. We elected captains during spring practice, something we have not done before. Eric Norwood and Cliff Matthews are the defensive captains; Patrick DiMarco and Moe Brown are the offensive captains.”
ON THE QUARTERBACK
“Stephen Garcia has gone through his first spring and his first summer. Stephen needs to keep progressing. He does have the ability to play this game. Obviously, we need to keep him healthy this year. Backup players Reid McCollum and Aramis Hillary have not taken a snap. Hopefully they’ll be ready in case we need them. Quarterback play is something that must get better here, as well as offensive line play. We’re going to be very patient with Stephen. I believe he is so much better prepared. He’s our quarterback and baring injury, he’s expected to go the distance.”
ON THE OFFENSE
“We need to run the ball. We’ve got to get ready to run the ball if we’re going to be successful here. I feel like we got some breakaway guys. Hopefully we’re going to get ready to run here at South Carolina.”
ON THE DEFENSE
“Defensively, Cliff Matthews and Eric Norwood and those guys – we’ll have a similar scheme. One player we have to replace is Emanuel Cook. We’ll miss Emanuel back there. We’ve got a lot of good players and good coaches.”
ON THE OVERALL ATTITUDE
“Right now we all like each other. That’s what you’ve got to have. We weren’t as close of team as we needed to be (last year). When players do what they’re expected to do, you don’t have many off field-situations.”
ON THE OPENER AT NC STATE
“NC State is a very good team. They won five of their last six and lost a close bowl game. They feel like they’re much improved. They have a lot of players back. We’re looking forward to the game. It will be a good test.”
