Camp Spurrier in full swing
With temperatures in Columbia soaring into the 90s, Wednesday was a perfect day to become better acquainted with your air conditioning unit.
Or lug a six-pack of Gatorade around the golf course.
Steve Spurrier did neither.
South Carolina’s 63-year-old coach spent much of Wednesday on the practice fields at the Roost at the Gamecocks’ football camp.
This is noteworthy because most established head coaches (including Spurrier’s predecessor at USC) make only bookend appearances at their camps, showing up for drop-off and pick-up to sign a few autographs, take pictures with Mom and Dad and collect their $280 checks for Johnny’s three days of fun in the sun.
But there was Spurrier Wednesday, wearing his trademark visor and working with the older group of quarterbacks. Not barking instructions from a tower, but down at arm’s length of the campers, showing them how to take their dropback steps and where to hold the ball.
Did I mention it was sweat-through-your-shirt hot?
And he did the same thing again today.
“He’s at every session,” USC receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. said.
The point is that Spurrier clearly still enjoys coaching and teaching. And the notion that his decision to make his son the primary play-caller this fall can be viewed as a sign that Spurrier is ready to move into more of a CEO role is off base.
Spurrier is no CEO. And though he saw the need to delegate more of the offensive responsibilities, it will still be his show.
I don’t think Spurrier will be one of these guys who coaches into his 70s as what amounts to a figurehead. When his knees get too creaky that he can’t jump into the quarterback drills, Spurrier will get out.
In the meantime, you can find him on the practice field among the campers. Session II starts Sunday.
USC football beat writer Joe Person has covered the Gamecocks since the start of the 2002 season. He's been on the college football beat since 1993. 
Not surprising he still has the fire! Anyone that follows his career knows he’s still got it. Good article Joe. Recently had dinner w/ x gamecock quarterback that knows him, I get the sense HBC can’t wait for the season to begin. Go Cocks, keep up the good work Joe.
Good to hear a little news about football. I’m sure the HBC has a method to his madness (coaching school-aged kids during a Columbia summer). He’s doing one thing…Looking for a Danny Wuerfel. Spurrier’s success with recruiting QB’s into his fourth season has been below average at best. He probably feels that getting to know the kids from a younger age and making a positive influence early on will pay big dividends on future signing days. Keep up the articles, Joe. Get us through the summer until August…then, let the fun begin!
SOS loves the game of football and teaching what he knows. Teaching, even while a head coach, is reward enough by itself. To think SOS is “only doing one thing…” by attending the daily camps with a hands-on approach, is somewhat small-thinking. SOS realizes he has a larger legacy than just being a head coach for the COCKS!
golf camp…
Your topic Heritage Auction Galleries Signature Auction Ends Today … was interesting when I found it on Saturday searching for golf camp…