Spurrier’s Return No Fun

The visor finally went flying to the ground, along with everything else Steve Spurrier could grab, early in the fourth quarter when yet another Washington Redskins’ play fizzled.

Spurrier is no stranger to frustration in his first season as an NFL coach. He’s just not used to it at Alltel Stadium.

Returning to the stadium where he routinely won as coach of the Florida Gators with his Fun ‘n Gun offense, Spurrier endured a harsh homecoming Sunday as the Redskins went their final 11 drives without a point in a 26-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Welcome Back, Spurrier,” said a banner in packed (66,665) stadium that is the site of Florida’s annual game with Georgia. “This has been a good stadium for most of the teams I’ve coached,” Spurrier said. “You’re only as good as your last game. I’m not very good right now.”

Spurrier was 9-1 against Georgia. He also won a Gator Bowl at Alltel, and had two victories in the stadium as coach of the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits.

Sunday, it looked like the Spurrier of old, the coach whose emotions are always on display.

The visor came off for the first time with 10:30 left in the first half when Bryan Barker shanked a punt. When a failed screen pass bounced to him, Spurrier kicked it back onto the field.

He finally lost it in the fourth quarter, when Shane Matthews threw incomplete on third and five, tossing everything to the ground -- visor, headsets, play chart.

“It didn’t work out for the Redskins tonight,” Spurrier said.

Washington and Jacksonville both have 4-5 records.