The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, July 13, 2005, Page 11, Image 11
SEC better get ready
for wild ride in 2005
As reporters, my colleagues and I
love nothing more than a good
story. It doesn’t
matter if it’s
good or bad,
scandalous or
inspirational. A
good story is a
good ’ story.
Needless to say, J0NATHAN
reporters all over HILLYARD
the country are Second-year
drooling over electronic
journalism
what will be ^ent
SEC football in
2005.
The buzz in Columbia is louder
than ever before. With the return
of coaching legend Steve Spurrier
to the college game to coach USC,
almost every weekend will provide
a great story.
Week one is no exception as a
national television audience will
watch the ol’ ball coach and
Carolina play host to Notre Dame
reject George O’Leary and the
Central Florida Knights. All eyes
will be on Columbia to see if
Spurrier’s cock ’n’ fire offense is
indeed firing on all cylinders.
Week two provides even more
drama as Spurrier and the boys
travel to Athens to take on the
Georgia. In his only game as coach
for Florida in Sanford Stadium, the
fun ’n’ gun offense embarrassed the
home team to the tune of 54-17.
1 /•« pi i ii* r
1VIIIVC JIUUd dllU llld utw uum
Tuscaloosa, Ala., will invade
Columbia in week three, as the son
of a coaching legend will meet a
living legend. Both coaches
recruited well and both teams have
high expectations for the season.
After a week off from the
national spotlight, the Gamecocks
will go down to the plains of
Auburn, Ala., for a showdown with
Tommy Tubberville’s Tigers, who
coincidently went 13-0 in 2004.
The last time Spurrier was in
Auburn, the Tigers defeated the
then third-ranked Gators, possibly
costing them a shot at the 2001
national championship.
After home contests with
Vanderbilt and Kentucky, teams
Spurrier never lost to at Florida,
Carolina will travel to face its
toughest test of the season, the
Tennessee Volunteers. Besides his
famous quote of “You can’t spell
Citrus without UT,” there is
definitely no love lost between the
ol’ ball coach and UT head man
Phillip Fulmer. In addition, the
game could set a record for most
players facing criminal charges on
one field in the history of college
football.
On Nov. 12, again all eyes will
turn to Columbia. ESPN
GameDay, no need to look for any
other games. Sportscenter, go
ahead and mark this one on your
calendar. For the first time in his
1 • C r. -ill .1 i
U1V) upuuivi Will L/V tliv- t-UdUl Ull
the opposite side of the field from
his beloved Florida Gators. And if
that wasn’t enough of a story, you
can throw in Urban Meyer,
Florida’s new coach who Gator
fans are calling the “next Steve
Spurrier.” Add Chris Leak, who
could be a Heisman candidate, and
you’ve got a media juggernaut of a
college football game.
Finally, the one USC fans have
been waiting for since Nov. 20,
2004 — Clemson will travel to
Columbia to wrap up the regular
season. It’s the same Clemson team
that cost them a trip to a bowl game
last season. It’s the same Clemson
team led by a Bowden, archrival of
Spurrier.
Whew. I’m getting worked up
just thinking about it. Whether it’s
good or bad for the folks wearing
garnet and black, you can’t say it
won’t be interesting. I can see the
writers licking their chops as we
speak.
■ GREATS
Continued from page 9
freshman year on. Our goal was
to go to a bowl game. We had
just missed that my sophomore
year at 7-4. Our senior year
with a new coach, we didn’t
really have any idea what would
happen with that. But
everything fell into place. It was
just a great culmination to my
career.”
USC was matched up with a
Miami of Ohio team that
featured a handful of players
that would later play in the
NFL. The RedHawks won the
game 20-7, ending Grantz’s
football career as a Gamecock.
t t : - _ _ _ ^.1__ _ 11_
± 1IO JUVWVOO V/ll U1V WllV^V
gridiron didn’t go unnoticed, as
Grantz was selected a Second
Team All-American in 1975,
and earned spots on the East
West Shrine Game, Japan Bowl
and Hula Bowl rosters.
The NFL seemed not to
take notice of Grantz’s
abilities, as the Miami
Dolphins drafted him in the
17th round. After rookie mini
camp, he returned to
Columbia where he became a
graduate assistant for coach
Jim Carlen for two years before
getting into the business.
“At that time when I was
drafted as an athlete, Bob Griese
was (the Dolphins) starter, Earl
Morall was their backup and
Don Strock was their number
three,” Grantz said. “When I
went to the three day rookie
camp, I was put in as a receiver
some and really didn’t feel
comfortable. “
While his success was unlike
any other at USC, Grantz
received one of the most
prestigious awards ever given
out, being named to the USC
All-Century team as the
quarterback in 1992 when
Carolina celebrated its 100th
football anniversary.
Grantz will be imortalized as
a quarterback, but also had a
successful run as a shortstop for
the baseball team, making a trip
to the championship game of
the College World Series.
Still living in the Columbia,
Grantz works for Capital Wine
as one of the best known
salesmen in the Southeast.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gum.sc. edu
Briefs
USC football team
to join with Reebok „
USC and Reebok have agreed to
a multi-year contract in which the
company will be the exclusive
provider of the Gamecock football
team’s footwear.
Based out of Canton, Mass^,
•
Reebok is the official outfitter of
the NFL, making all the league’s
products from jerseys to baseball
caps.
Brown to serve SEC
as SAAC delegate
Offensive lineman William
Brown has been selected to
represent the SEC in the NCAA’s
National Student-Athlete
Advisory Committee. Brown with
serve a two-year post with 12
other student-athletes, one
representing each Division 1-A
conference.
“It is an honor and a privilege
to serve on this committee,”
Brown said. “I hope to learn more
about how college athletics
works. “
TH#§SAMECOCK
COUNTDOWN
TO KICKOFF:
{501
% DAYS
Solving Problems Including:
DUI, Criminal Defense,
Auto Accidents
2910 Devine Street
254-7900
CROMER LAW OFFICES
A General Practice of
Law
J.L. "Bubba" Cromer, Jr.
Former S. C. State Representative
FREE Seminars
Learn inside tips on business or law school
admissions and how to succeed while you’re there,
gain score-raising GMAT or LSAT' strategies, and learn
about career opportunities from a panel of experts.
Business School Event - July 20th, 6:30pm, USC Campus
Scott Kaplan, Assoc. Director of Grad Admissions -
Moore School of Business, among the panel.
Law School Event - July 25th, 6:30pm, USC Campus
Paul Rollins, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs - USC Law School
Eileen Korpita, Director of Pre-Professional Advising, among the panel.
Get the edge on business or law school admissions.
Register for a free event today!
/ffTVTr| 1 -800-KAP-TEST
kaptest.com/edgeevents
Test Prep and Admissions |
‘Test names are registered trademarks of their respective owners. ^