Coach attributes jokes to USC’s recent success
During his weekly press conference on Monday afternoon, the coach said his sometimes funny, sometimes controversial comments come with the territory of a more successful team.
"Any coach that wins a lot — we won a lot last year — talks a little more freely than when they lose a lot. That's just human nature," Spurrier said. "Coaches that go 7-6 or 6-7 usually don't have too much to say. ... That's probably the only thing I've done a little differently."
Spurrier scattered comical comments throughout the press conference, especially when he unveiled South Carolina's plan to have both punters wear No. 13, an idea he attributed to special teams coordinator Joe Robinson. He explained that such an arrangement is not against the rules as long as they are not on the field at the same time.
"We don't want the other team to know which one is in there," Spurrier said. Asked why, he said, "One kicks a little higher than the other."
Spurrier went on to joke that USC's quarterbacks should wear the same number and suggest that other teams should copy the idea.
"We have 105 guys. Someone's got to double up and you can only have one punter out there at a time," Spurrier said. "This may start a new trend around the country. You may see five punters all wearing the same number."
The laughs Spurrier drew weren't limited to his comments about the new numbering scheme. While commenting on the progress junior guard Ronald Patrick has made since his eye surgery, he said, "If someone's not yelling at him for messing up, you know he must be doing his job pretty well."
Asked whether he expected a difficult game against Vanderbilt, he said, "We have a difficult game with Wofford every time we play them ... We have a lot of difficult games."
Instead of talking about which receivers were best at particular skills, he refused to answer the question. "You ain't gonna get me to talk about that," he said.
The coach's comments bring back echoes of his days as the head coach of Florida, when he famously remarked that "You can't spell citrus without UT," in reference to the Volunteers' appearance in the Citrus Bowl, and referred to Florida State as Free Shoes University.
Spurrier said his preseason quips were harmless but that they would be toned down after the first game. "During the regular season I try not to be very funny about anything," he said.
But every time a punter takes the field, Gamecock fans will be reminded otherwise.
Notes: Junior tailback Marcus Lattimore will not have a lightened load in Thursday's opener despite the season-ending injury that cost him the final six games of his sophomore season.
"We're going to try to win the game whatever it takes," Spurrier said. "Marcus is ready to carry 25 or 30 times ... Marcus could carry 30 to 40 if we needed to. Hopefully we'll have more balance and not quite get to that. Again we have to wait and see how the game progresses."
Spurrier said that Lattimore will wear a brace but that it will not hamper him.
Captains named: USC has named four seniors as captains for Thursday's game against Vanderbilt. Free safety D.J. Swearinger and linebacker Shaq Wilson will represent the defense, center T.J. Johnson and tight end Justice Cunningham will represent the offense.
Spurrier said the team will elect captains later in the season.
"I remember one time at Florida we [elected captains] right before the season and one of the captains got benched in the third game and never saw the field again, yet he's going out before the game," Spurrier said. "When you do it in the middle of the year, you know who your true leaders are."