Spurrier: It's time to delegate

COLUMBIA — When asked Friday afternoon if he felt like a "young" 62-year-old, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier rocked back on his heels and patted at his modest lovehandles a few times.

"Yeah," he said, flashing that trademark wry grin. "I feel about like I did when I was 42, to tell you the truth."

Spurrier then started to sort of hop around and flex his right leg.

"I feel good," Spurrier said. "The only thing ... my damn right knee. I've got an excellent left knee, but my right knee just doesn't have much cartilage left. I've had it operated on four times. But I still can do the bike and the treadmill."

Spurrier needs his legs.

There's still a race to be run for the Ball Coach, 21-15 at USC as he enters his fourth year. Starting 6-1 last fall before a 6-6 finish makes evident that the finish line is still miles away.

And Spurrier intends to finish the race.

Spurrier, who'll turn 63 later this month, said he continually operates under the premise that he'll coach "four or five years." But he joked he's probably been saying that since he was 55.

Spurrier said there's no defined timetable for his retirement, contrary to a report saying he'd step away at age 66.

"Next year, ask me and I may say four more years," he said. "You've got to always operate under four to five years. ... I feel awfully good health-wise. I work out more than when I was in my 40s, I guess. We'll see how it goes."

Despite feeling and looking youthful, Spurrier said he's come to realize it's time to spread out responsibilities more than he has in the past. At least when it comes to his offense.

There was a moment during a meeting last season when Spurrier said he realized he was doing every single thing related to the offensive gameplan. He turned to his staff and asked if that were true. The coaches nodded.

More and more, Spurrier is allowing receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. to call plays.

Spurrier Jr. said he's done it the past three springs, and did a little this past season, but there's a little more emphasis on it this spring. He said running backs coach Robert Gillespie and quarterbacks coach David Reaves will be involved more in the gameplan stage, also.

"We'll see how it goes," the elder Spurrier said. "But it is time to delegate a little bit more than I've done in the past. I don't know how many head coaches are still calling plays."

He looked across the practice field to Tampa Bay's Jon Gruden, in town for USC's coaching clinic.

"There's one," he said. "There's more in the NFL than in college."

Both Spurriers realize, too, that it's good experience if Spurrier Jr. is to one day be a head coach. He said again Friday that he wants to in the future.

"I'll take as much responsibility as I can get," Spurrier Jr. said.

Spurrier pointed out a couple of times that his son has been an assistant under him for 11 years now.

"He's been in a lot of locker rooms and he's watched me call plays and coach and all that kind of stuff," Spurrier said. "Maybe he's ready to do more and maybe it's best to do it that way because you've got to mentally grind that play-calling all week long."

Spurrier made a point several times to say that he is most assuredly still South Carolina's offensive coordinator. They're still, at heart, his "ballplays."

"I'm still overseeing it. Even if he is the play-caller, I'll be right there (saying), 'Let's go with this one, remember this one ...'" Spurrier said. "If the offense goes bad, it'd be my fault. If it goes good we'll give those guys credit."

Then, the conversation got back to Spurrier's knee. Maybe it's all those hits he took as the quarterback of the winless Tampa Bay Bucs in their expansion season?

"Yeah, but they didn't hit me hard," Spurrier said. "They were nice to me. And I knew how to go down lightly at times, too. When it's hopeless, go down lightly."

Extra points

This morning's scheduled scrimmage might be canceled because of severe storms in the area. If the weather's OK, it's scheduled to begin at 10:45 a.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium. It's open to the public. ... Running back Mike Davis (hamstring) returned to practice Friday. He's at about 85-90 percent, Spurrier said. Center Garrett Anderson might need surgery on his injured lower back. Spurrier said he's out for the spring. ... End Clifton Geathers returned Friday to practice. Spurrier said he was tending to an academic matter Wednesday.

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the new South Carolina blog at charleston.net/blogs/gamecocks.

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