Steve Spurrier is a former American football player and coach who had a successful career in both college and professional football. He played quarterback for the University of Florida from 1964 to 1966, where he set numerous school records and was named an All-American. He was then drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 1967 NFL Draft, but he struggled to find success at the professional level and retired after just nine seasons.
After retiring from playing, Spurrier began his coaching career as an assistant at Florida and then Georgia Tech. He then became the head coach at Duke University in 1987, where he led the Blue Devils to their first winning season in 18 years. In 1990, he was hired as the head coach at the University of Florida, where he would have his greatest success.
During his 12 seasons at Florida, Spurrier led the Gators to six SEC championships and a national championship in 1996. He also coached Heisman Trophy winners Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow. Spurrier's innovative offensive schemes and aggressive play-calling earned him the nickname "The Head Ball Coach" and made him one of the most successful coaches in college football history.
After leaving Florida in 2001, Spurrier spent two seasons coaching the Washington Redskins in the NFL, but he was unable to replicate his college success at the professional level. He then returned to college football as the head coach at the University of South Carolina, where he led the Gamecocks to three straight 11-win seasons from 2011 to 2013.
Spurrier retired from coaching in 2015 with a career record of 228-89-2. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest offensive minds in football history and is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.
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