Spurrier Is Ready for His Return

Steve Spurrier returns to a college sideline tonight at Columbia, S.C., for the first time in four seasons when he leads South Carolina against Central Florida, loser of 15 consecutive games.

When Spurrier last coached a college game, his Florida Gators routed Maryland, 56-23, in the 2002 Orange Bowl. Then it was off to the NFL for two disappointing seasons with the Washington Redskins.

Tonight’s game isn’t much of matchup on paper, but Spurrier’s return has turned Gamecocks versus Golden Knights into an event, complete with national television coverage.

“As a coach, you always have a little concern about what possibly could go bad and this, that and the other, and you do all you can do to prevent it,” he said. “But at some point, you say, ‘Hey, we’ve done all we can.’ ”

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Sam Keller already has won over his Arizona State teammates. His most-valuable-player performance in last year’s Sun Bowl took care of that, providing a jump-start for him as successor to record-setting quarterback Andrew Walter.

So expect the 6-foot-4 junior to come out throwing when the 20th-ranked Sun Devils unleash their passing game against the inexperienced secondary of Temple in their opener tonight at Tempe, Ariz.

When Walter went down because of a shoulder injury in last year’s regular-season finale against Arizona, Keller got his first collegiate start in the Sun Bowl against Purdue.

He completed 25 of 45 passes for 370 yards and three touchdowns and directed the late scoring drive that gave the Sun Devils a 27-23 victory.

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Oregon debuts a new spread-option offense tonight when the Ducks play Houston at Reliant Stadium. The system is under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, former coach at Brigham Young.

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Redshirt freshman Drew Weatherford will start at quarterback for No. 14 Florida State in the opener Monday against No. 9 Miami. He beat out fellow redshirt freshman Xavier Lee.

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Recently retired Marshall coach Bob Pruett, former Georgia coach Ray Goff and four others were chosen to vote in the Harris Interactive College Football Poll, replacing the six panelists who withdrew last week.

Former players Jim Mandich and Joe Jacoby and former college assistant coaches Denny Aldridge and Frank Sadler were also put on the 114-member panel of former players, coaches and administrators, plus some media members.

The Harris poll lost four voters -- John Congemi, Gerry DiNardo, Lou Holtz and Sam Smith -- because they work for ESPN and it does not allow its employees to take part in polls used by the bowl championship series to determine which teams play for a national title.

The Harris poll replaces the Associated Press top 25 media poll as one of three components in the BCS standings.