<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5accca486898752c008b4e58-1067/tim tebow.jpg" border="0" alt="tim tebow" data-mce-source="Michael Perez/AP" /><p class="source"><span>Michael Perez/AP</span></p><p class="caption">Tim Tebow's last stint in pro football was as a preseason player for the Philadelphia Eagles.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Steve Spurrier says it would be "wonderful" if Tim Tebow wanted to come play for his new pro football team.  </strong></li><li><strong>Spurrier is coaching a team based in Orlando in the Alliance of American Football, a new upstart pro football league aiming to begin play in the winter of 2019. </strong></li><li><strong>Tim Tebow is trying to make it as a professional baseball player at the moment and is currently playing for AA minor league team. </strong></li></ul><hr /><p><br />Tim Tebow is <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tim-tebow-home-run-first-pitch-2018-4">still plying his trade</a> in the Minor Leagues, hoping to make a professional sports career in Major League Baseball happen, but he may soon get a chance to play professional football again, courtesy of an old college nemesis. </p><p>Steve Spurrier, the Head Ball Coach himself, was recently announced as the head coach of the Orlando team in the Alliance of American Football, a newly formed professional football league. </p><p>And <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/139-Open-Mike-26936807/episode/orlando-head-coach-steve-spurrier-29163417/">in a recent interview</a> with Mike Bianchi, Spurrier, when asked about the prospect of Tebow playing football for Orlando, said, "That would be wonderful. <span>I think Tim knows about our league. He knows he's welcome to come down (to Orlando) and play. </span></p><p><span>"Obviously, if his baseball career is going well, he may decide to stick with it, which I would certainly understand. But if it doesn't go to well and he has the urge to play football, we would certainly welcome him in Orlando." </span></p><p><span>Spurrier and Tebow's connections run deep, as both men won Heisman Trophies playing football for the Florida Gators, and Spurrier was the head coach of South Carolina while Tebow was torching the SEC. </span></p><p><span> Tebow is currently playing AA baseball for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, an affiliate of the New York Mets. He last played pro football in 2015, as a preseason player for the Philadelphia Eagles. </span></p><p><span>Spurrier, meanwhile, is the first and so far only head coach to be announced in the AAF, and Orlando the only team. The league aims to begin play in February of 2019 with eight teams playing a ten-game season, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nfl-competitor-alliance-of-american-football-new-football-league-first-team-orlando-steve-spurrier-today/">per CBS.</a> </span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/earth-north-south-poles-flip-magnetic-field-2018-4">What will happen when Earth's north and south poles flip</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/LydlJqph-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

Steve Spurrier is returning to coaching in a new football league, and he wants Tim Tebow to play for him

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/561d2db19dd7cc14008c16fe-914-686/snapshot_20151013_111042.jpg" alt="Steve Spurrier" data-mce-source="ESPN" /><p class="source"><span>ESPN</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>The college football world was stunned when it was learned that Steve Spurrier was stepping down as coach at the University of South Carolina and that the move would happen immediately instead of waiting until the end of the season.</p><p>Prior to Spurrier addressing the media, university president Harris Pastides said he tried to convince Spurrier to stay until the season was over but that the Head Ball Coach, as Spurrier is known, had made up his mind.</p><p>Spurrier addressed the issue with a statement, but not before clarifying that he is resigning, and not retiring, as it was originally reported on Monday.</p><p>"<span>First of all, I'm resigning," Spurrier said. "I'm not retiring. Let's get that part straight. I doubt if I'll ever be a head coach again, but maybe coaching a high school team or something."</span></p><p><span>As for why he is resigning, Spurrier said that he has always been adamant that he would coach as long as things were going well. "But if it starts going south, if it starts going bad, I need to get out," Spurrier said.</span></p><p><span>Spurrier then went on to address criticism of his decision to bail on the team in the middle of a season, a 2-4 season that will go down as just his second losing record in 26 years as a head coach in college football. </span></p><p><span>"When something is inevitable, I believe you do it right then," Spurried told the media. "You don't wait a week. You don't wait two weeks. This has to happen, let's do it and let's get started in a new direction. That's what we hope to do today."</span></p><p><span>Earlier, Spurrier explained in a refreshing candor not often heard from head football coaches, that he was hurting the program and that by going now, the sooner the school could start their next chapter.</span></p><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>"I find that [coaching until the end of the season] doesn't work out a lot. If the players know that you are not going to be the coach after such-and-such a time, you just don't have the accountability, I think. And also, it gives us a chance to hire an interim head coach ... gives him a chance to make his mark for these next six games. And I think the team needs to hear a new message, a new voice, from another coach, and [interim coach Sean Elliot] is going to do that ... it gives us a little time to start rebuilding. Yesterday I was sort of a recruiting liability. It is hard to recruit when your coach has done it a long time and at a certain age the recruits want to know that guy is going to be there 5-10 years from now. With a new coach here, I really think it is going to pick up recruiting ... this is the best thing for South Carolina football, for our university to start another building process."</span></p><p><span>Spurrier later explained that he first thought about resigning when the Gamecocks were 2-2 and struggling against teams they don't typically struggle against. </span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/likelihood-death-extreme-sports-base-jumping-snowboarding-2015-9">These are your chances of dying if you participate in these extreme sports</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pnZzhidzq3FK0DYZtWe_QqHl_tLx28sr" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'pnZzhidzq3FK0DYZtWe_QqHl_tLx28sr',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Steve Spurrier explains why he is resigning in the middle of the season

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56216706bd86ef195c8b7793-3270-2453/ap_895292746021.jpg" alt="Steve Spurrier" data-mce-source="Chris O'Meara/AP" /><p class="source"><span>Chris O'Meara/AP</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Steve Spurrier shocked the college football world this week when he announced that he was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/report-steve-spurrier-retire-2015-10">stepping down as the head football coach at the University of South Carolina</a>, effective immediately.</p><p>While the football world lost one of their great coaches, we all lost one of the sports' more entertaining personalities, unless of course your school was on the receiving end of one of his sarcastic jabs.</p><p>Through the years, it seemed like none of his schools' rivals were safe from Spurrier's comments. Here ten of the best, as collected by <a href="read.bi/1OyQaAf pic.twitter.com/JIUkFvij2x">the Denver Post</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/10/18/4852572/steve-spurrier-quotes-georgia-tennessee-fsu-clemson">SB Nation</a>, and <a href="read.bi/1OyQaAf pic.twitter.com/JIUkFvij2x">Lost Letterman</a>.</p>

The 11 most memorable quotes from Steve Spurrier trolling other schools

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/561c62449dd7cc1a008c12dc-2661-1996/gettyimages-454824056.jpg" alt="Steve Spurrier" data-mce-source="Grant Halverson/Getty Images" /><p class="source"><span>Grant Halverson/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Steve Spurrier is retiring as coach of the University of South Carolina football team and the move is effective immediately, <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/653744446039789568">according to ESPN</a>.</p><p>Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated was the <a href="http://www.si.com/college-football/2015/10/12/south-carolina-head-coach-steve-spurrier-retire">first to report that Spurrier was to retire</a>.</p><p>The move comes in his 26th season as a college football head coach. He won a championship with the University of Florida in 1996. </p><p> </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/likelihood-death-extreme-sports-base-jumping-snowboarding-2015-9">These are your chances of dying if you participate in these extreme sports</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pnZzhidzq3FK0DYZtWe_QqHl_tLx28sr" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'pnZzhidzq3FK0DYZtWe_QqHl_tLx28sr',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Report: Steve Spurrier to step down immediately as South Carolina football coach

<p>After <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130716/sec-steve-spurrier-media-days/index.html">stealing the show at SEC Media Day</a>, South Carolina coach <keyword id="1746520" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Steve-Spurrier">Steve Spurrier</keyword> appeared in this tremendous photo at a nameless fast food restaurant.</p>
<p><keyword id="1743649" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jadeveon-Clowney">Jadeveon Clowney</keyword> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jadeveon-clowney-sec-media-day-2013-7">(South Carolina's phenom defensive end)</a> took the picture and put it on Instagram last night.</p>
<p>The best parts about the photo: Thumbs up, untied tie, indoor sunglasses, not even looking at the fountain soda he's pouring, the dad in the background.</p>
<p>The Ol' Ball Coach never looked so good.</p>
<p><iframe width="612" height="710" frameborder="0" src="//instagram.com/p/b7lG4fDyuX/embed/"></iframe></p>

Here's An Epic Photo Of Steve Spurrier At A Fast Food Restaurant

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56af7f2bc08a80d7118be08b-1299-649/steve spurrier.jpg" alt="steve spurrier" data-mce-source="Stacy Revere/Getty" /><p class="source"><span>Stacy Revere/Getty</span></p><p class="caption">Steve Spurrier thought Cam Newton would be great at another position.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Coming off the best season of his career, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cam-newton-greatest-football-player-in-the-world-2016-1">Cam Newton now sits atop the NFL world</a>.</p><p>Former University of South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier is blown away with Newton's play as a quarterback in the NFL, but he wasn't always positive that it was Newton's position.</p><p>Spurrier, who coached against Cam's Auburn teams, said he met Cam and his father nearly a decade ago and had a funky piece of advice for Cam, <a href="http://gridironnow.com/steve-spurrier-cam-newton-now-the-prototype-quarterback/">according to Buddy Martin of Gridiron Now</a>.</p><p>Spurrier was impressed with Cam's size, already 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, and told Cam, "If you can't make it at quarterback, you could be a heck of a tight end."</p><p>While tight end was clearly never Newton's calling, imagining a player with his size and athleticism running routes is a scary thought - almost Rob Gronkowski-esque. </p><p>Instead, Newton tore up Spurrier's South Carolina teams, including a 56-17 romping in the 2010 SEC Championship game, and is now tearing the NFL up en route to his first Super Bowl appearance.</p><p>"Fantastic athlete. He's the quarterback of the future," Spurrier said of Newton's play now. "Every team in America would like to have somebody who is big and strong and can run like him. It really puts a lot of pressure on the defenses. So he's the prototype quarterback now."</p><p>Luckily for the NFL, Cam did make it as a quarterback and didn't follow Spurrier's suggestion.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-wonderlic-test-questions-iq-football-intelligence-2016-1">Take the IQ test that every NFL rookie has to take</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5pdXczdzqV5h2Rd6lL3YL_t_8z97IAi1" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '5pdXczdzqV5h2Rd6lL3YL_t_8z97IAi1',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

One of the top coaches in college football once suggested to Cam Newton that he should switch positions

<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5255c798eab8eaee348b4589-1200-900/jadeveon-clowney-10.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="jadeveon clowney" width="480" /><p class="source">Streeter Lecka/Getty Images</p></div><p></p></div><keyword id="1743649" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jadeveon-Clowney">Jadeveon Clowney</keyword>, the <keyword id="52532" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="south-carolina">South Carolina</keyword> defensive end who's expected to go first-overall in the 2014 <keyword id="1608031" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL-Draft">NFL Draft</keyword>, is in the middle of a big, dumb controversy.</span></p>
<p>And it's all because of one reckless quote from his coach Steve Spurrier.</p>
<p>Clowney missed Saturday's game against Kentucky because of strained ribs.</p>
<p>Since he's also dealing with bone spurs in his foot (<a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9686546/jadeveon-clowney-chaz-sutton-south-carolina-gamecocks-day-day-foot-injuries">an ailment that will require surgery after the season</a>), the decision to sit out against one of the SEC's worst teams didn't seem all that controversial.</p>
<p>But after the game, <a href="http://m.si.com/3446519/b6608411/">an irked Spurrier told the media</a> that he didn't know Clowney was hurt until he came up to him before the game and said he couldn't play. Then he dropped the following quote:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"If he wants to play, we'll welcome him to come play for the team if he wants to. But if he doesn't want to play, he doesn't have to. Simple as that."</p>
<p>Spurrier <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/22785317/sec-media-days-steve-spurrier-on-stipends-notre-dame-more">tends to say whatever pops into his head</a>. It's what makes him such a loveable figure. But this quote about Clowney had consequences. The repeated use of the word "want" implied that Clowney was healthy enough to play, and just didn't feel like putting his draft status at risk.</p>
<p>The college football world flipped out. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Here's a small collection of quotes from earlier this week:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">David Whitley, </span><a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/jadeveon-clowney-should-quit-at-south-carolina-get-ready-for-nfl-draft-100613">Fox Sports</a></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>:</strong> "Clowney is soft. He doesn't love football. He's saving himself for the <keyword id="103436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL">NFL</keyword>. All the hype has gone to his head." </span></li>
<li><strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Paul Finebaum, </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzQWEHXioTw">ESPN</a></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>:</strong> "His demeanor this year starting at North Carolina has been disgraceful. I think he is clearly the biggest joke in college football right now."</span></li>
<li><strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Kirk Herbstreit, </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzQWEHXioTw">ESPN</a></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>:</strong> "If he is healthy and he's healthy enough to play and he chooses not to, then I think a leader in that locker room needs to ask him to leave the locker room and not be a part of it." </span></li>
</ul>
<p>Other ESPN talking heads called him selfish.</p>
<p>But the entire controversy was built on one assumption: Clowney could have played but chose not to.</p>
<p>That was completely false, as it turns out.</p>
<p>Clowney actually has strained ribs that are preventing him from running. In addition, Spurrier said his comments were the result of a pregame mix-up in the protocol <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">for how players report injuries to the team.</span></p>
<p>Here's what <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2QBLrA0OT4#t=70">Spurrier told the media yesterday</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"He was in pain and it was diagnosed later. Obviously we all handled it poorly, all of us did. The proper procedure and protocol when a player's hurt, he tells the trainer or the team doctor, 'Hey, I  can't go.' The trainer tells me, the head coach, 'He's out, he's not playing.' And I say, 'Okay, he's out, he's not playing.' Simple as that. We all didn't do that. It caused some confusion. We didn't know he was suiting up until a little later and this, that, and the other. So we didn't handle it well."</p>
<p>Clowney <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/10/8/4817936/jadeveon-clowney-injury-sitting-out-south-carolina">spoke to the media too</a>. He implied that he didn't tell the right people that he was in pain, resulting in the miscommunication that got Spurrier all fired up:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"It was just really a miscommunication between me, the coaches, and the trainer. I could have handled it different instead of just telling him like that. But, you know, it was a miscommunication."</p>
<p>Basically, Clowney blindsided Spurrier with the news that he couldn't play because he didn't follow protocol. That's his big crime here, not that he refused to play healthy.</p>
<p>As a result of Spurrier cleaning the air, Herbstreit <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/show?showId=mikeandmike">went back on his comments</a> this morning, saying, <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"I responded to Steve Spurrier's quotes after the game. ... That was all of my reaction."</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">It was a firestorm based on one misleading quote from a coach says wacky stuff all the time. And the worst part is, the impression that Clowney is "soft" will likely stick to him long after the controversy disappears.</span></p>

How One Dumb Quote Created A Firestorm Around No. 1 NFL Prospect Jadeveon Clowney

<div style="float: right; margin: 15px 0 20px 20px;"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/category/chart-of-the-day"> <img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/2237544b39b8324a71969a00/button-more-charts.gif" border="0" alt="button more charts" /></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/chart-of-the-day"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/2237544b42b8324a7a969a00/button-chart-prev.gif" border="0" alt="button chart prev" /></a></td><td><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tom-brady-best-season-ever-2015-10"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/2237544b4db8324a85969a00/button-chart-next.gif" border="0" alt="button chart next" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>When <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-spurrier-resigning-retiring-south-carolina-2015-10">Steve Spurrier explained why he was resigning as the football coach</a> at the University of South Carolina, one of the reasons he gave was his age and its impact on recruiting, noting that high school players want to know if the coach is going to be at the school the player's entire collegiate career.</p><p>It turns out, college players playing their entire career under one coach is not nearly as common most of these high school kids realize.</p><p>In order for a player to complete his college career under the same coach that recruited him, the coach needs to stay at the school at least six years, the recruit's senior year of high school (presumably when the player is recruited) and five years of college eligibility. That rarely happens.</p><p>In fact, 72% (92) of the 129 current FBS (formerly Division I-A) coaches have been at their current school less than six years, <a href="http://coachingsearch.com/article?a=List-The-tenure-of-every-FBS-college-football-head-coach">based on data collected by CoachingSearch.com</a>. In other words, at least 72% of 5th-year seniors are playing under a different coach than the one who recruited them, a number that is likely higher due to some recruits committing before their senior year of high school.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/561fefb6bd86ef1b008c22a7-800-600/01.png" alt="College Football Coaches Chart" data-mce-source="Cork Gaines/Business Insider" /><p class="source"><span>Cork Gaines/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>So when a coach promises a recruit that he will be there all five years, it is actually unlikely to be true.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cristiano-ronaldo-buys-trump-tower-home-new-york-city-soccer-2015-8">Cristiano Ronaldo just bought an $18.5 million apartment in Trump Tower - here's how he spends the rest of his money</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="llMjZ5dDqpB7jsQJWbJ6u82dpovJ7vWo" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'llMjZ5dDqpB7jsQJWbJ6u82dpovJ7vWo',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Most college football players will not finish their career with the coach who recruited them

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52a71c5669bedd262d8e91b0-1200-924/alshon-jeffrey.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Alshon Jeffrey" width="480" /><p class="source">Getty Images</p></div><p></p></div><keyword id="1969807" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Alshon-Jeffery">Alshon Jeffery</keyword> of the Chicago Bears made yet another highlight reel touchdown on Monday night (see GIF below) and is quickly developing into one of the <keyword id="103436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="NFL">NFL</keyword>'s best wide receivers in his second season. But at least one college coach didn't see this coming.</p>
<p>In 2009, Jeffery was a high school football player and was in the middle of a fierce recruiting battle that involved three of the biggest coaches in college football at the time, Steve Spurrier of the University of South Carolina, Pete Carroll of Southern Cal, and <keyword id="1885275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lane-Kiffin">Lane Kiffin</keyword> at Tennessee.</p>
<p>On the eve before Jeffery announced his decision to stay close to home and attend South Carolina, the coaches made their final pleas. When it became apparent that Jeffery would not attend Tennessee, Kiffin changed his tone as <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/1490/a-peek-into-recruiting-with-south-carolina-s-jeffery">told by Chris Low for <em>ESPN.com</em> in 2009</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"Kiffin was equally dogged. But when it was obvious that Jeffery wasn't going to Tennessee, Kiffin took off the gloves...According to Jeffery and [Jeffery's high school coach Walter] Wilson, Kiffin told Jeffery that if he chose the Gamecocks, he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like all the other players from that state who had gone to South Carolina."</p>
<p>Of course, Kiffin wouldn't have been recruiting Jeffery if he didn't think he was a good football player. But it says something that Kiffin had little confidence in Jeffery to make it no matter which school he chose and it says something that Kiffin was so quick to turn nasty.</p>
<p>Meanwhile Kiffin was recently fired from USC and Jeffery is now one of the best wide receivers in the NFL making catches like this.</p>
<center><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5548/11302573343_a3ccc82be2_o.gif" border="0" style="width: 618px;" /></center>

Fired USC Coach Told One Of The NFL's Best Receivers That He Would End Up Pumping Gas

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540088186bb3f745140258de-1200-816/kenny-hill-texas-a-m-quarterback.jpg" border="0" alt="kenny hill texas a m quarterback"><p class="source"><span>Grant Halverson/Getty Images</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Texas A&amp;M destroyed South Carolina 52-28 on Thursday night, shocking the ninth-ranked team in the country on the road in the first game of the post-Johnny Manziel era.<br><br /></br></p>
<p>The blowout introduced the nation to sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill, who played so well he was anointed "Kenny Football" by the man himself.</p>
<div><biembeddedobject id="7570fbfb-848e-4436-ce9c-0dc22fcaa4e4"></biembeddedobject></div>
<p>In his first college start, Hill did things Johnny Manziel never did.</p>
<p>Hill threw for 511 yards and three touchdowns on 44-for-60 passing against South Carolina. Manziel threw for 400 yards five times in his A&amp;M career, but never eclipsed 500 yards. Hill's 44 completions are 12 more than Manziel ever completed in a single game. Hill also did it against a South Carolina defense that was expected to be among the best in the country.</p>
<p>Hill isn't the creator that Manziel is. He's not going to scramble for eight seconds or run for 150 yards. But on Thursday he looked like a polished, accurate passer who's in complete command of Kevin Sumlin's offense.</p>
<p>His third touchdown throw was a thing of beauty:</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540084d0ecad04bf1b34bd29/kenny-hill-touchdown-gif.gif" border="0" alt="kenny hill touchdown gif"><p class="source"><span>ESPN</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>He elicited a headgear toss out of Steve Spurrier before halftime, a rare feat:</p>
<div><biembeddedobject id="0073da69-44f2-4210-fd15-b8ef14a86574"></biembeddedobject></div>
<p class="embed-spacer">"When I was getting recruited that's what coach Sumlin and [offensive coordinator Jake Spavital] and them told me. I could be the guy who comes in after Johnny. That's what I've been working for my whole life. I don't even know what to say I'm so excited," <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioRZJrIZJQw">he said after the game.</a></p>
<p class="embed-spacer">He was very excited:</p>
<p class="embed-spacer"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/540084aeeab8eaa24766901c-849-450/screen shot 2014-08-29 at 9.46.05 am.png" border="0" alt="kenny hill"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioRZJrIZJQw">YouTube</a></span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>As <a href="http://www.aggiesports.com/football/texas-a-m-quarterback-battle-a-dead-heat-so-far/article_132eb14e-1f87-11e4-a5fd-0019bb2963f4.html">recently at three weeks ago</a>, it was unclear if Hill would even start for Texas A&amp;M. Kyle Allen, a true freshman who was the 2nd-ranked quarterback prospect of the 2014 recruiting class, nearly won the quarterback battle.</p>
<p>During Thursday's broadcast, SEC Network commentator Jesse Palmer said he believed Allen would have started over Hill if Texas A&amp;M hadn't been playing a top-10 team on the road - a environment deemed too intense for a true freshman.</p>
<p>It's fair to say Hill's job is safe now.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54008845eab8ea2352669025-1200-800/454310528.jpg" border="0" alt="kenny hill texas a&amp;m"><p class="source"><span>Grant Halverson/Getty Images</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>Texas A&amp;M's next four opponents are Lamar, Rice, SMU, and Arkansas. If Hill dropped 511 yards on South Carolina, what's he going to do to those teams?</p>
<p>He's already the sixth-favorite to win the Heisman:</p>
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<p class="embed-spacer"></p>

Meet 'Kenny Football,' The New Texas A&M Quarterback Who Did Something Johnny Manziel Never Did In Week 1

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56213b3ebd86efed5b8b767b-1741-1306/rtssd0.jpg" alt="Jim Harbaugh" data-mce-source="Rick Osentoski-USA Today Sports" /><p class="source"><span>Rick Osentoski-USA Today Sports</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>The college football season is starting to heat up as teams get deeper into their conference schedules, but figuring out which of the dozens of games to watch on Saturday is still tedious.</p><p>We've got you covered.</p><p>We are still three weeks away from the first meaningful ranking of the season, when the College Football Playoff committee will release their first top-25 of the season. But now is the time when teams can really start to put on a show and impress the committee members.</p><p>Here are the most important games to watch and where they can be found, starting with the earlier games.</p><p> </p><p>12:00-3:30 WINDOW</p><p><strong>No. 17 Iowa @ No. 20 Northwestern, noon, ABC or ESPN2 (regional coverage) - </strong>Iowa has quietly put together a strong 6-0 start and this is one of the only tough games remaining on a schedule that could see the Hawkeyes go 12-0 in the regular season. A spot in the Big Ten Championship game could also be on the line in this game as the winner will have a leg up on the Big Ten West.</p><p><strong>West Virginia @ No. 2 Baylor, noon, FOX -</strong> Ohio State is still the top-ranked team in the AP Top 25, but that position is precarious at best. Ohio State has been tied or trailing in the second half of four of their six wins. The result is that six different teams received first-place votes this week, including Baylor. Two years ago, these two teams combined to score 115 points in a 73-42 Baylor win. Last year, West Virginia exacted revenge, accounting for Baylor's only regular season loss.</p><p><strong>No. 13 Ole Miss @ Memphis, noon, ABC or ESPN2 (regional coverage) - </strong>As recently as three weeks ago, many thought Ole Miss was the best team in the country. But then they got blown out by a Florida team that turns out to be pretty good. Ole Miss can still get in the playoff with one loss, but they can't afford to slip up on the road against a Memphis bunch that is 5-0.</p><p> <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/562142ccbd86ef335d8b7656-3301-1651/gettyimages-180543437.jpg" alt="Kevin Sumlin and Nick Saban" data-mce-source="Scott Halleran/Getty Images" /><p class="source"><span>Scott Halleran/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>3:30-7:00 WINDOW</p><p><strong>No. 10 Alabama @ No. 9 Texas A&amp;M, 3:30, CBS -</strong> This could be a College Football Playoff elimination game. Alabama already has one loss and cannot afford another and nobody outside of College Station is a big believer in A&amp;M yet. On the other hand, A&amp;M, who was embarrassed by Alabama 59-0 last year, could impress the committee with a win here.</p><p><strong>No. 7 Michigan State @ No. 12 Michigan, 3:30, ESPN -<span> </span></strong>This game also has the feel of a Playoff elimination game, although more so for the Wolverines, and that is just the undercard for one of the bigger rivalries in college football. After stumbling to an underrated (at the time) Utah team in their season-opener, Michigan has rattled off five straight wins including shutouts in their last three. Meanwhile, Michigan State's signature 3-point win over Oregon at home looks less impressive now that the Ducks are 3-3.</p><p><strong>Vanderbilt @ South Carolina, 4:00, SEC Network -<span> </span></strong>Two unranked teams going nowhere, but this is also South Carolina's first game since the surprising resignation of Steve Spurrier. There are better games in this time slot, but it will be worth keeping an eye on this one to see how the team responds.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5621431abd86eff45b8b76c9-4058-2029/gettyimages-492177334.jpg" alt="Jim McElwain" data-mce-source="Ed Zurga/Getty Images" /><p class="source"><span>Ed Zurga/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>7:00-10:30 WINDOW</p><p><strong>No. 7 Florida @ No. 6 Louisiana State, 7:00, ESPN -<span> </span></strong><span>It has been a rough week for the Gators. They lost their starting quarterback after he <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/florida-quarterback-will-grier-suspended-2015-10">tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug</a> and another player was suspended indefinitely after <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/13885459/florida-defensive-back-deiondre-porter-suspended-indefinitely-arrest">allegedly firing a gun in the direction of his pregnant girlfriend</a>. But the Gators are still 6-0 and the winner of this game will be a near-lock to be in the top-4 of the first Playoff ranking.</span></p><p><strong>No. 3 Texas Christian @ Iowa State, 7:00, ESPN2 -</strong> TCU has <em>averaged </em>56.6 points per game in their last five games. Iowa State gave up 66 points last weekend to Texas Tech. This game is interesting just to see how many point TCU can score. Is 70 out of the question?</p><p><strong>Southern Cal @ No. 14 Notre Dame, 7:30, NBC <strong>-</strong><span> </span></strong>Notre Dame got some playoff buzz early on with what appeared to be an impressive win over Georgia Tech before we realized Tech wasn't that good. The Irish then lost to Clemson. Beating USC isn't going to do much to impress the committee, but it is still a good rivalry and a game Notre Dame can't afford to lose.</p><p><strong>Penn State @ No. 1 Ohio State, 8:00, ABC</strong> - This is a game Ohio State can very easily lose, but probably won't, just like most of their games this season. However, it is still feels like a loss is coming and this could be the one.</p><p> </p><p>10:00 WINDOW</p><p><strong>Arizona State @ No. 4 Utah, 10:00, ESPN</strong> - After Ohio State, no team received more first-place votes this week than Utah, suggesting that some look at Utah as the real thing while others are still not even convinced they are a top-5 team. Utah is one team that that will probably be eliminated from the playoff with a single loss. But until that happens, they are very much in.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-secrets-history-national-football-league-2015-9">Surprising NFL secrets that even the biggest fans don't know</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="QzMDdodzoeMezISt_IhrCIpG5TFSePKp" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'QzMDdodzoeMezISt_IhrCIpG5TFSePKp',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

You Searched For "Steve Spurrier" and got 11 results

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