Eric Wolford was introduced Tuesday as Youngstown State’s new head coach, ending his brief one-year tenure as Steve Spurrier‘s offensive line coach.
And, from the sound of it, the South Carolina head coach was not exactly pleased that the 38-year-old coach decided to leave the Gamecocks for the Penguins. In fact, the Ol’ Ball Coach came right out and said it was a mistake.
“If it’s a good decision, time will tell. I didn’t think it was the right decision for him right now,” Spurrier said. “But we all have choices to make, and that’s what he wanted to do. He wanted to go back to his hometown and be a head coach.”
[Stay classy, Coach Spurrier.]
According to Spurrier, a replacement for Wolford likely won’t be hired until after the Gamecocks’ Jan. 2 bowl game. In the practices leading up to the bowl, graduate assistant Andy Boyd will take over Wolford’s responsibilities.
Even though it’s a 1-AA program, how can you blame the guy for leaving his position as a line coach at a mediocre 1-A program to be a head coach???
Spurrier was not being rude IMO. He was being realistic. Maybe Spurrier does not think he has what it takes at this moment to be a head man. And maybe Spurrier feels the job security would be more secure at USC as OL coach than at YSU as the head man. Like Spurrier said, “time will tell”.
Yes, time will tell, but how many times do you think this guy will get an opportunity to return to his hometown as the head coach? And at the young age of 38…. perhaps he isn’t ready… but the worst that can happen is that he isn’t, and he’s fired after 2-3 seasons and he goes back to being an OL coach and a slightly above average school (plus he’s likely getting a significant raise)?
In response to: “Spurrier was not being rude IMO. He was being realistic. Maybe Spurrier does not think he has what it takes at this moment to be a head man. And maybe Spurrier feels the job security would be more secure at USC as OL coach than at YSU as the head man. Like Spurrier said, time will tell”.
EVEN IF that is really the case–that Spurrier was simply being realistic–you don’t go and make a statement like that to the news media!!! If his motivation was truly concern about that other coach, he would have said those words to him in private and left it at that.
The only reason to say something like that to the news media is because you’re in a pissy mood and feel like taking a swing at the guy on his way out.
I think Spurrier was in a pissy mood. He lost another coach that had finally been able to help him in an area where that he has been unable to address. I think the guy was right to leave. How many times do you get a chance to coach your hometown university? He would have left anyway just like Charlie Strong. He would have seen the light and gone to something more than a mediocre college program. Five years of top 20 recruiting classes and still only mediocre results. The Ol’ Ball Coach is just and old football coach now on his way toward retirement. The extension is only because they know no one major wants to come there to die as a coach. Woolford was smart. Get out before you get a permanent legacy with Spurrier.