STATEMENT BY COACH STEVE SPURRIER
Friday, January 4, 2002 | Football
Spurrier Bio Updated through 2002 FedEx Orange Bowl (PDF 620k)
University of Florida head football coach Steve Spurrier retired on Friday after a 12-year career in Gainesville during which he complied a 122-27-1 record and won the 1996 National Championship. Athletics Director Jeremy Foley will address the media at 5:00 pm today about this matter. The following is coach Spurrier's statement. Followed by a statement by University of Florida President Charles E. Young.
I'm announcing my retirement today, Jan. 4, 2002 as Head Football Coach at the University of Florida. I simply believe that 12 years as head coach at a major university in the SEC is long enough.
I thank all the players, assistant coaches, support staff people and the greatest football fans in the world for the success we have shared the last 12 years.
I also personally thank all the Gators that went to the Orange Bowl to support our team last Wednesday night in my final game.
I believe Jeremy Foley, who has a reputation of hiring outstanding coaches, will bring a coach to Florida that will do just as well or better in the years to come. I believe I'm certainly not the only coach to be able to win consistently at Florida.
Our football program is in excellent shape and the next coach will inherit a very talented team, just like I did from Galen Hall's program in l990.
I've had a wonderful working relationship with all my bosses over the past 12 years. I thank Bob Bryan for hiring me, and I thank Bill Arnsparger, Jeremy Foley, President John Lombardi and President Chuck Young for allowing me to run the football program.
I'm not burned out, stressed out or mentally fatigued from coaching. I just feel my career as a college head coach after 15 years is complete, and if the opportunity and challenge of coaching a NFL team happens it is something I would like to pursue.
I believe that the University of Florida is the best place for a high school football player to get an education and play football in the best stadium, 'The Swamp', before the best football fans in the world.
Again, I thank the 'Gator Nation' for the overwhelming support of our teams for 12 years. The seven SEC championships and the l996 National Championship are memories of a lifetime that we will all share together.
I'm a Gator and will be for the rest of my life.
The following is a statement issued by University of Florida President Charles E. Young regarding the announcement of head football coach Steve Spurrier's retirement...
On behalf of the University of Florida family of students, faculty, administrators and alumni, I want to express our sadness with the announcement by head football coach Steve Spurrier of his decision to retire, and our respect, gratitude and happiness for him and his family.
Coach Spurrier has elevated the gator football program to unparalleled heights in his 12 years as head coach, and at the same time elevated the entire university's image in the national arena. We can never thank him enough for his commitment to excellence and leadership, and for the prestige he has bestowed upon his alma mater, the University of Florida.
We wish him and his wife Jerri the absolute very best and look forward to their continued involvement in the life of the University of Florida.
University of Florida head football coach Steve Spurrier retired on Friday after a 12-year career in Gainesville during which he complied a 122-27-1 record and won the 1996 National Championship. Athletics Director Jeremy Foley will address the media at 5:00 pm today about this matter. The following is coach Spurrier's statement. Followed by a statement by University of Florida President Charles E. Young.
I'm announcing my retirement today, Jan. 4, 2002 as Head Football Coach at the University of Florida. I simply believe that 12 years as head coach at a major university in the SEC is long enough.
I thank all the players, assistant coaches, support staff people and the greatest football fans in the world for the success we have shared the last 12 years.
I also personally thank all the Gators that went to the Orange Bowl to support our team last Wednesday night in my final game.
I believe Jeremy Foley, who has a reputation of hiring outstanding coaches, will bring a coach to Florida that will do just as well or better in the years to come. I believe I'm certainly not the only coach to be able to win consistently at Florida.
Our football program is in excellent shape and the next coach will inherit a very talented team, just like I did from Galen Hall's program in l990.
I've had a wonderful working relationship with all my bosses over the past 12 years. I thank Bob Bryan for hiring me, and I thank Bill Arnsparger, Jeremy Foley, President John Lombardi and President Chuck Young for allowing me to run the football program.
I'm not burned out, stressed out or mentally fatigued from coaching. I just feel my career as a college head coach after 15 years is complete, and if the opportunity and challenge of coaching a NFL team happens it is something I would like to pursue.
I believe that the University of Florida is the best place for a high school football player to get an education and play football in the best stadium, 'The Swamp', before the best football fans in the world.
Again, I thank the 'Gator Nation' for the overwhelming support of our teams for 12 years. The seven SEC championships and the l996 National Championship are memories of a lifetime that we will all share together.
I'm a Gator and will be for the rest of my life.
The following is a statement issued by University of Florida President Charles E. Young regarding the announcement of head football coach Steve Spurrier's retirement...
On behalf of the University of Florida family of students, faculty, administrators and alumni, I want to express our sadness with the announcement by head football coach Steve Spurrier of his decision to retire, and our respect, gratitude and happiness for him and his family.
Coach Spurrier has elevated the gator football program to unparalleled heights in his 12 years as head coach, and at the same time elevated the entire university's image in the national arena. We can never thank him enough for his commitment to excellence and leadership, and for the prestige he has bestowed upon his alma mater, the University of Florida.
We wish him and his wife Jerri the absolute very best and look forward to their continued involvement in the life of the University of Florida.
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