Spurrier Will Go Back to Florida as the Coach

Steve Spurrier, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1966 as quarterback at the University of Florida, returned Sunday as head coach after a scandal-plagued decade that resulted in the ouster of his two predecessors.

“It’s a job I’ve wanted for a long time,” Spurrier said. “This is the place I want to be. The place I should be.”

Spurrier, who coached at Duke the last three years, agreed to a five-year contract worth an estimated $2 million to take over a program that again is in the middle of an NCAA investigation. Spurrier said the agreement, which is centered on a $180,000 annual salary, would be extended by the length of any NCAA penalty.

“My commitment is to try to make Florida football the best in this state,” he said. “Right now we are No. 3. There is no doubt about it.”

Spurrier also wants Miami back on the Florida schedule as soon as possible.

“We can’t hide, duck or blink,” he said. “We need to play them.”

During his Heisman season in 1966, Spurrier led Florida to a 9-2 record. He passed for 4,848 yards and 36 touchdowns in three years, leading the Southeastern Conference in total offense his last two seasons.

Spurrier is 55-32-1 in his previous head coaching jobs. He was 20-13-1 at Duke the past three years after a 35-19 record in three seasons with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the defunct United States Football League.

“His hiring is another positive sign that our football program is indeed headed in the right direction and the University of Florida will be a program to be reckoned with on the national level during the 1990s,” Athletic Director Bill Arnsparger said in a statement.

Florida offered Spurrier the job Dec. 12, but he waited until both Duke and Florida completed bowl games before accepting.

Amid speculation that Spurrier was Florida-bound, Duke lost to Texas Tech, 49-21, in the All-American Bowl, and Florida lost to Washington, 34-7, in the Freedom Bowl.

“I felt it was best for both teams to give them a chance to compete to the best of their ability with their coaching staffs intact,” he said. “I guess you learn from your mistakes.”

Spurrier, 44, will begin recruiting for Florida while the Gators are under an NCAA investigation that began June 30. His hiring climaxed a tumultuous year at Florida. Former coach Galen Hall resigned in October after admitting he violated NCAA rules. Starting quarterback Kyle Morris was kicked off the team a week later for gambling on other team’s games in violation of NCAA rules.

Defensive coordinator Gary Darnell served as Florida’s interim coach and led the Gators to a 3-4 record after Hall left them at 4-1.

Hall was hired in 1984 after Charley Pell resigned for violations that led to NCAA sanctions.