Spurrier says flap with writer is 'history'

South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier will allow Ron Morris to attend his weekly news conference Tuesday and for the rest of the season after refusing to answer questions with the Columbia newspaper columnist present two weeks ago.

"I'm speaking to whoever shows up from the media from here on out," Spurrier said Sunday. "That's history."

Spurrier accused Morris of inaccurate reporting within a March column about Berkeley High School graduate Bruce Ellington joining the USC football team after playing point guard on the Gamecocks' basketball team. Just hours before chastising Morris prior to the Oct. 11 news conference, USC kicked fifth-year quarterback Stephen Garcia off the team for disciplinary reasons. USC announced the Garcia dismissal later the same day.

Morris again declined comment, except to say he continues to "stand by" his story.

Spurrier held a news conference last week but Morris was not there, instead attending Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney's news conference. Morris was present for Spurrier's post-game news conference in Starkville, Miss., on Oct. 15 after the Gamecocks' victory over Mississippi State.

Bill Hawkins, president of the S.C. Press Association and editor and publisher of The Post and Courier, formally asked USC president Dr. Harris Pastides to intervene in the situation after Spurrier excluded Morris from Oct. 11 meetings with small groups of reporters in his Williams-Brice Stadium office.

Spurrier originally objected to Morris' column seven months ago, The Post and Courier reported in March.

USC, 6-1 and ranked No. 14 in this week's AP Top 25 poll, plays Saturday at Tennessee.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at 937-5593 or Twitter.com/Sapakoff.