SEC Media Days, Spurrier edition

HOOVER, Ala. – A few nuggets from Steve Spurrier’s first few stops at SEC Media Days (coaches are shuttled from various meeting rooms to take questions from radio/Internet reporters, TV, print, etc.):

–Spurrier confirmed that reserve offensive lineman Nick Allison has left the team to get closer to his Asheville, N.C., home. Spurrier said a hometown girlfriend might have played a party in his decision.

–He said he’s not sure how the NCAA investigation of Gamecocks TE Weslye Saunders, UNC DT Marvin Austin, et al, will play out:

“All I know is that he and some other players from around the country went to something in Miami. I don’t know if it was a party, or whatever they went to. The question is who paid for the trip for all these guys?”

Spurrier on Saunders: “I talked to him briefly and he said he did nothing wrong. So we’ll see how it plays out.”

–But Spurrier said he did not come to Hoover to get “on a big bandwagon” and rail against the practices of shady agents. Alabama’s Nick Saban had some pointed words for agents during the first day of Media Days.

–Spurrier poked a little fun at himself when asked about his choice as first-team quarterback on his preseason ballot.

“I voted for Jevan Snead. Where’s Jevan?” said Spurrier.

Spurrier, you’ll remember, created a bit of a controversy last year by voting Snead ahead of Tim Tebow on his original ballot. He later changed the ballot, and initially blamed director of football operations Jamie Speronis for the mix-up.

Spurrier said Speronis “got a raise” out of the flap – “a couple hundred bucks.”

–On using CB Stephon Gilmore more in the WildCock package: “My defensive coaches cringe when I say we’ve got to get him over and use him on offense today.”

–Spurrier said he’s heard QB Stephen Garcia has been attending all the summer conditioning workouts and passing drills, as have nearly 100 percent of the players.

“If we’re going to compliment (Garcia) on that, we’ve got to compliment all of them.”

–Like SEC commissioner Mike Slive, Spurrier also refuses to refer to Lane Kiffin by name: “The former Tennessee coach — I didn’t pay a lot of attention to.”

–About the upcoming seson: “I’m pumped up about this year. I like our team. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I like our players.”

–He reiterated that freshman OL Ronald Patrick, Trammel Williams and A.J. Cann could play this year.

–Spurrier on season-opener opponent Southern Miss: “The’re already talking about coming in and talking about beating us on national TV in front of the entire nation.”

–On APR: “I never thought I’d get a bigger bonus for our players graduating than for the bowl game. But that’s what happened this year.”