The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 29, 2004, Page 11, Image 11
GAME SCHEDULE
, WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m. Tuesday
rage 11 , MEN’S BASKETBALL vs. App. State, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Monday, November 29, 2004 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs. Clemson, 7 p.m. Friday
f '
USC football program goes
through 48-hour makeover
KATIE KIRKLAND/THE GAMECOCK
Steve Spurrier speaks to the media after being named as the new head football coach at USC during a news conference Tuesday.
BY STEPHEN DEMEDIS
STAFF WRITER
In a news conference on Tuesday,
USC President Andrew Sorensen said
that this was the first time in his career
he had ever spoken at three football
related press conferences in 48 hours.
It would probably be a first for most
university officials as few schools have
retired a coaching legend, hired another
coach with six conference championships
and a national championship and turned
down a bowl game invitation, all within a
28-hour span.
On the previous day, Sorensen and
Athletic Director Mike McGee gathered
with media from across the nation to
accept the retirement of USC head
coach Lou Holtz. The 67-year-old
legend compiled 249 career victories
and one national championship in his
33-year career.
Holtz addressed the media at the
press conference, expressing his love for
his devoted wife, Beth, and the teams he
has coached at USC. The coach
answered questions about his past with
responses both comical and sentimental.
But his most stirring comment came
regarding the immediate future of USC
football.
“I know I shouldn’t say anything
about this, and whatever the university
does, but it is my hope that the
university will go to a bowl and have the
new coach coach in it,” Holtz said.
That was the very issue addressed in
the second press conference held that
same day.
Six hours after bidding farewell to
Holtz, McGee and Sorensen announced
that they would decline the bowl
invitation that Holtz had worked so
hard for because of the sideline-clearing
brawl in the fourth quarter of the
Clemson game.
President Sorensen announced that
USC worked in collaboration with
Clemson in coming to a consensus
action.
After citing sections of the Carolina
Creed, Sorensen said, “I want every
member of the Gamecock family to
understand that we will not support
hooliganism at any point or any time.”
After the media was briefed on the
school’s decisions, the team was
assembled so that they could be told of
the news. By declining the invitation,
the school will forfeit a month of
practice time under their new coach and
nearly $2 million in profits.
On Tuesday, Sorensen and McGee
started a new chapter in the Carolina
football saga by announcing Steve
Spurrier as Holtz’s replacement. The
Ol’ Ball Coach will bring his resume,
including 142 wins and six SEC
Championships, to a school that has
never won their conference.
McGee said that Spurrier was the
school’s first choice to fill the coaching
void.
USC signed Spurrier to a seven-year
deal worth $ 1.25 million in guaranteed
compensation per season. The contract
could include more than $2 million
dollars in incentives.
While he could not offer a reason
why the program had not achieved vast
success in recent years, Spurrier seemed
confident that he could build on the
foundation that Holtz had laid in his
tenure with the Gamecocks.
“We’re close. We certainly needed a
spark. If we do, we have a chance to take
it to the next level,” Spurrier said.
Spurrier hinted that he would
assemble a staff of personnel currently
v^brking at the pro and collegiate levels.
That means that a complete staff might
not be assembled until January.
A day later, Spurrier announced that
he would be retaining assistant coaches
Rick Stockstill, Ron Cooper and David
Reaves from last season’s staff.
The three coaches might not have
the same responsibilities as they did
under Holtz. Reaves’s father was a
quarterback at Florida and served under
Spurrier in Gainesville.
These four days before the
Thanksgiving Break were a rollercoaster
of emotion and changes for USC football.
While the remaining months leading
up to next season will not be as drastic
and hectic, they should still be as
exciting and captivating.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
Carolina’s weeklong roller coaster
Nov. 20: USC and Nov. 22: Announcement Nov. 22: USC and Clemson Nov. 22: Players notified Nov. 23: Spurrier
Clemson brawl— __ef Holtz's retirement— announce plans to decline they will not participate innamed new head
• 2:30 p.m 11a.m. bowl bids—5 p.m. a bowl game—5:30 coach—lp.m.
Carolina boosts record
to 3-0 after 2-game
home winning streak
PERRY BAKER/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
USC forward Renaldo Balkman dunks in Carolina’s win.
■ Powell guides
USC to wins over
Winthrop, Temple
BY ALEX RILEY
THE GAMECOCK
The men’s basketball squad
stayed at work during the holiday
break and it paid off, as USC took
care of in-state rival Winthrop 62
52 and basketball powerhouse
Temple 60-46.
USC struggled with a scrappy
Winthrop team that last season
missed the NCAA Tournament for
the first time in five years. Carolina
fell behind 0-5 early and stayed
behind the Eagles until the 8:24
mark of the first half when they tied
things up at 19.
The Gamecocks went into the
locker room with a 34-25 lead at
the break. Carlos Powell was
already in double digits at halftime
with 12 points on five-of-seven
shooting.
Winthrop would not go quietly
into the night, as the Eagles rallied
with 10:07 left in the second period
and trailed Carolina by one at 44
43- Powell connected on two
baskets during an almost four
minute stretch starting at 10:07 to
keep Carolina ahead by the
slimmest of margins.
Winthrop pulled the game
within one three more times in the
half (46-45, 48-47, 50-49), before
a Tarence Kinsey three and a
Brandon Wallace rebound and
dunk put USC on a 12-1 run to
close out the game.
“It was a lot more difficult than
it might have been,” USC head
coach Dave Odom said. “They
played with a lot of confidence.
They certainly didn’t disappoint
us.”
“Our guys got a little tired, they
lost their focus,” added senior
Carlos Powell, who finished with
20 points. “We’re a tough, hard
nosed team.”
That toughness would be tested
the following game, as the Temple
Owls rolled into Columbia.
“Absolute quality
win. I can’t say
enough about our
team when they
give their all. It
was a good win. “
DAVE ODOM
USC HEAD BASKETBALL COACH
Legendary coach John Chaney led
the Owls into the Colonial Center,
fresh off a huge win against
Georgetown. Chaney, who has 709
career wins, 16 th on the all time
list, has not had a team miss a
postseason tournament in 21
seasons.
♦ Please see MEN, page 12
THE HOLTZ ERA
■ HOLTZ
Continued from page 1
season with a loss to archrival Clemson
when a win would have meant bowl
eligibility.
As much as the back-to-back bowl
wins counted toward Holtz legacy, his
record in big games detracted from it.
Holtz was just 2-16 against SEC East
foes Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee in
his tenure. Against Clemson, Holtz was
1-5.
This past season, the 67-year-old saw
his team become bowl eligible for the
first time in three years with a win over
Arkansas. What happened following
that game might be the lasting memory
many have of Holtz. The Gamecocks
dropped their final two games to Florida
and Clemson by a combined score of
77-21 and ended the season with a late
game brawl with the Tigers. The fight
cost both teams their bowl games, a
decision made by the presidents of both
schools.
No matter how Holtz is
remembered at USC, his coaching
record speaks for itself. During an 11
year stint at Notre Dame, iHoltz led the
Irish to nine bowl games and a national
championship in 1988. Notre Dame
finished in the top 10 five times during
Holtz’s tenure and finished in the top
20 nine times.
One of Holtz’s infamous traits is
his ceaseless wit. During his time away
from coaching before Holtz took the
USC job, he traveled the country as a
motivational speaker. Holtz has also
published a book full of motivational
material. Among Holtz s famous one
liners, his last stood out among the
rest. In wrapping up the news
conference announcing his retirement
as USC head coach, Holtz made
reference to longtime mentor Woody
Hayes, who was fired as head coach at
Ohio State following his punching of
a Clemson player.
“Isn’t it a heck of a note,” Holtz said.
HOLTZ’S RESUME
*33 years as head coach
*Led 4 different programs to top 20 finishes
*249 career wins
*23 bowl games
*1 national championship
*1 national coach of the year award
*8th alf-time winningest coach in Div. I-A
* *33-37 record at USC
“Lou Holtz is going to be remembered
along with Woody Hayes for having a
fight at the Clemson game.”
Among Holtz’s other memorable
quotes was one he delivered after his
team started 5-0 in 2001.
“What you try to do is get into a
rhythm,” Holtz said. “Win on
Saturday. Celebrate Sunday night ...
moderately. Enjoy it Sunday. Teach on
Monday. Practice Tuesday. Execute
Wednesday. Perfect Thursday. Get
right mentally on Friday. Win on
Saturday.”
Holtz never closed the door on a
return to coaching saying only that he
was just fit to “carry the cord.” Few
would put it past Holtz to make a
comeback, after wearing out sidelines
with his relentless pacing for the past 33
years. For now, though, Holtz is
content to spend more time with his
family. Holtz’s wife, Beth, was once
diagnosed with cancer but is now in
remission.
“I don’t know what’s going to
happen,” Holtz said. “But when my wife
puts me on suicide watch, then watch
out for a challenge.”
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu
flflj KATIE KIRKLAND
B /THE GAMECOCK
flp Former USC
head football
W coach Lou Holtz
W before the
Clemson game
pr on Nov. 20.