Latest news with #SteveSpurrier
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
SEC Commissioner calls Hugh Freeze golf controversy 'misplaced'
There has been a lot said about Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze and his golf outings. Freeze's golf outings of late have come to light, especially since Alabama has had so much success recently on the recruiting trail. It also doesn't help that two Auburn football players have been arrested on major charges in the past few weeks as well. While the media and fans alike have come for Freeze, he does have his defenders. One of them is SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. Sankey said on an appearance on 'The Opening Kickoff' that criticism of Freeze has been 'misplaced.' 'It's healthy for me to go outside and play golf,' Sankey said. 'I think the criticism (of Freeze) is misplaced.' Sankey recalled a conversation he once had with former Florida and South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier. Spurrier, too, was coming under fire at the time for playing too much golf as well. 'That's overblown,' Sankey said Spurrier told him. 'He said, 'Look, I'm not going to be in the film room, so I can brag how much film I watch. When I have time, I'm going to go play golf. I don't do it during the season.'Years later, Spurrier faced the same criticism again while at South Carolina, and eventually, he quit in the middle of the 2015 season when the Gamecocks were 2-4 at the time. Sankey said that golf is a way for a lot of coaches to relax as they try to find that work/life balance. 'Given the stress of football coaches, I think it's the most healthy thing you can do,' Sankey said.'Every piece of that is balance in your life. ... It doesn't diminish your coaching ability.' But this is the SEC, where there are no vacations in this conference. Freeze is not only bleeding recruits but doesn't appear to bother him, and that's what got fans in an uproar. If Freeze was coming off a College Football Playoff run, or even a victory over Alabama, no one would care, but as they say in the SEC, it just means more.
Axios
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
Tampa Bay Bucs revamp 1976 jersey for 50th season
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are celebrating their 50th season with a revival of the team's inaugural jerseys. State of play: Players will wear the white, orange and red vintage-inspired jerseys during the home opener against the New York Jets on Sept. 21, the team announced Tuesday. They're also available for a limited time to buy online and at the team store at Raymond James Stadium. Zoom in: Stitched on the inside collar is "Hey! Hey! Tampa Bay," a nod to the team's first fight song that debuted in 1979. Flashback: The inaugural roster included Steve Spurrier as quarterback and Lee Roy Selmon on the defensive line.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tampa Bay Buccaneers bringing back original 1976 white road uniforms to celebrate franchise's 50th NFL season
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be bringing back an iconic look for its home opener during Week 3 against the New York Jets, the team announced on Tuesday. To celebrate the franchise's 50th NFL season, the Buccaneers will don their original 1976 uniform, featuring white jerseys, helmets and pants with orange and red stripes. These uniforms were worn for just the Buccaneers' inaugural NFL season in 1976. The full orange Creamsicle design has been used for multiple times since in 2009, but this will be the first time these white uniforms will have been worn in 50 years. Advertisement The 2025 uniforms will have a special Creamsicle 50th season patch as well as "Hey! Hey! Tampa Bay!" stitched inside the jersey collar — a nod to the Buccaneers' 1979 fight song. "The '76 Jersey represents a piece of Buccaneers history and serves as a tribute to the generations of fans and players who shaped this franchise," said Buccaneers Chief Operating Officer Brian Ford in a statement. "As we launch into our 50th season, we're proud to reintroduce The '76 Jersey and the tradition it embodies. It is a reminder that every Buccaneers fan, from the originals to the newest generation, is part of an evolving story that started in 1976 and continues being written today." (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) Tampa started off well as a franchise in 1976 by drafting future Pro Football Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon with the first overall pick. Selmon joined a roster that saw Steve Spurrier start 12 games at quarterback; Louis Carter lead the team in rushing with 521 yards and Morris Owens and J.K McKay were the top two receivers with over 300 receiving yards each. Advertisement While 1976 was memorable as the Buccaneers' first season, it was forgettable on the field. The team went 0-14 and were shutout five times. The winless start was the beginning of an 0-26 run over their first two years in the league. The full Creamsicles won't be locked out of the Buccaneers' 2025 jersey rotation. The team will wear them on Dec. 11 against the Atlanta Falcons during "Thursday Night Football."
The Herald Scotland
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
SEC football stadiums rankings: Swamp at Florida bests Tiger Stadium
Amen. Come holy day, tens of thousands of believers gather at SEC cathedrals far and wide - a hundred-thousand strong at some venues - and they'll scream bloody murder when the opposing quarterback goes behind center. They'll scream other things, too, that aren't fit to print. Some of those stadiums will even tremble amid the roar and the vigor. If an official's call goes against the home team, boos will rain down, and maybe some water bottles and beer cans, too. Just after the dawn of the 20th century, a record-breaking crowd at a Tennessee-Alabama game turned so rowdy that police halted the game prematurely, and a Birmingham city official predicted college football wouldn't last in the South. If he could only see what it's become. I've covered games at every SEC stadium, and I've been to nearly all of them more than once. With one exception, each is worth visiting. Pack your drinkin' shoes - and your ear plugs. Here's how I rank the SEC's toughest stadiums: 1. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida Combine gator chomps with the din of noise and Gainesville's humidity, and Steve Spurrier aptly said "only Gators get out alive" from The Swamp. Florida fans belt Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" before the fourth quarter to create one of college football's most memorable scenes. Florida boasts a .714 home winning percentage against SEC opponents the past 10 years, compared to .486 on the road in conference games. That's the definition of home-field advantage. 2. Tiger Stadium, LSU Former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden once said of Death Valley: "The fans are relentless." That's especially true for night games. After LSU fans spend the day sucking down hooch, they're in no mood to take prisoners. QUARTERBACK RANKINGS: Big Ten | SEC | ACC | Big 12 UNDER RADAR: Five sleeper candidates for Heisman Trophy 3. Neyland Stadium, Tennessee Tennessee fans are ruthless. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield described experiencing "a different type of loud" while playing as an opponent in Neyland. And when "Rocky Top" plays on a loop, it's psychological torture. 4. Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama Alabama fans, spoiled by the Nick Saban era, don't always roar as fiercely as others listed above, but last season's game against Georgia served a reminder that Tide fans can bring the noise when they feel they must. Alabama is nearly unbeatable at home the past 20 years. 5. Sanford Stadium, Georgia Kirby Smart almost never loses at home. That's partially a credit to the environment "Between the Hedges." Georgia fans literally bark their way into the stadium. Sometimes, the stadium noise isn't quite elite, but, when challenged, this venue can rumble. 6. Williams-Brice Stadium, South Carolina The Gamecocks peck above their weight at home, playing in one of the SEC's most underrated venues. The stadium comes alive when Darude's "Sandstorm" plays, and fans wave white towels chanting "U-S-C! U-S-C!" 7. Kyle Field, Texas A&M Kyle Field towers like no other, and it literally shakes when the noise swells. Love or mock the Aggie Yell Leaders, you can't deny they create a unique scene, and the Aggies entering to "POWER" is one of college football's best intros. 8. Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn Some say Jordan-Hare uncorks a strange voodoo magic on opponents. Or, perhaps Auburn fans just create a tough environment. Find someone who loves you the way Auburn fans love to "Swag Surf." 9. Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Oklahoma Oklahoma's stadium fits neatly into the SEC tapestry, and the Sooner Schooner cruising the field paints a scene fit for the nation's premier football conference. With a capacity of 80,126, the "Palace on the Prairie" doesn't match the SEC's top colossuses, but it holds its own. 10. Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas Texas earns its reputation for having a bit of a "wine and cheese crowd" amid its 100,119 capacity, but Longhorns fans still can turn it up for big games. Texas has won 14 of its last 15 at home, resulting in triumphant renditions of "The Eyes of Texas." 11. Faurot Field, Missouri Several years ago, then-Missouri coach Barry Odom bought thousands of tickets and gave them away free to coax fans into the stadium. Fans will buy their own tickets, and Faurot perks up - if the Tigers are good. Missouri has won nearly 60% of its home conference games since joining the SEC. 12. Davis Wade Stadium, Mississippi State When Mississippi State fans get their cowbells clanging at full force, it sounds like a swarm of locusts has descended upon the stadium, allowing a venue with a capacity of 60,311 to buzz beyond its size. 13. Razorback Stadium, Arkansas No school ever embraced being the "Pigs" quite like Arkansas, and the "Calling of the Hogs" ranks among the SEC's neater traditions. Fans consistently turn out, and yet Arkansas' SEC home record remains too bleak. 14. Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Mississippi No SEC tour can be deemed complete without sipping a tailgate drink in The Grove. As for the stadium environment, coach Lane Kiffin once compared it to a high school venue. As the Rebels climbed these past few years, though, the vibe in the stadium improved, too. 15. Kroger Field, Kentucky Kentucky became a tricky road trip at the height of the Mark Stoops era, and a basketball-leaning fan base would show up. Although it lacks the viciousness of many SEC venues, the conference's most modern stadium is a decent place to take in a game. 16. FirstBank Stadium, Vanderbilt Vanderbilt sprints away with the cellar spot. No other SEC school would play a season with a scoreboard held up by a crane. If you want to know which SEC foe Vanderbilt is hosting, peep the stands. They'll be tinted with the opponents' colors, as road fans visit Nashville to get a taste of the honky-tonks and take over Vanderbilt's small stadium. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Is the Swamp the best football venue in the SEC? Check out USA TODAY Sports' rankings
The Southeastern Conference is the home of some of the best college football stadiums in the country, with venues that have been fixtures on member schools' campuses for nearly a century in many cases. Among them is the University of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, which was given the nickname "The Swamp" when Steve Spurrier arrived in Gainesville to take over as head coach. The original structure was first completed in October 1930, and since then has been improved into the world-class facility that it is in 2025. The atmosphere in the crowd as well as on the field is legendary, as many rank it among the toughest places to play as an opponent. But as noted earlier, the SEC has several heavy hitters that give the Swamp a run for its money. So, where does Ben Hill Griffin Stadium stand among the 16 conference member schools? USA TODAY Sports college football columnist Blake Toppmeyer recently published his rankings of SEC stadiums from top to bottom, with the home of the Orange and Blue landing in the top spot. "Combine gator chomps with the din of noise and Gainesville's humidity, and Steve Spurrier aptly said, 'Only Gators get out alive' from The Swamp," Toppmeyer begins. "Florida fans belt Tom Petty's 'I Won't Back Down' before the fourth quarter to create one of college football's most memorable scenes. Florida boasts a .714 home winning percentage against SEC opponents the past 10 years, compared to .486 on the road in conference games. That's the definition of home-field advantage." Take a look below for the rest of the rankings. USA TODAY Sports SEC stadium rankings Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
