Steve Spurrier addresses cause of Florida 'disruptions' in recent seasons

Florida Gators legend Steve Spurrier knows that the expectations are high for the football team in Gainesville. It’s those high standards that seem to be causing what he called ‘disruptions’ within the program.

This comes shortly after Dan Mullen was fired by Florida and is now entirely out of coaching. Mullen, of course, was let go during the 2021 season, a year after winning the SEC East and going to three straight New Year’s Six Bowls.

“Yeah, I guess that did happen pretty quickly,” Steve Spurrier said to Inside the Gators. “Then, of course, before him, Coach [Jim] McElwain won the division two out of three years, and then the fourth year I guess some things happened and he was gone before the season was over.”

Ultimately, Spurrier admitted that he didn’t know what was the cause of those disruptions, other than those in charge wanted to make a change. However, he did also acknowledge how difficult it is to have a long tenure in the SEC.

“So, I don’t know. I don’t know what’s causing all the disruptions because their record on some of these guys is not all that bad, really. You have up and down years a bit. But it seems like the management or the athletic director or the president, whoever’s in charge, thinks it’s time for a change,” Spurrier said.

“So, that’s what’s happened every four years now, since Urban Meyer left. He was here only six. I guess I did 12, longest of anybody. Went by like that, but if you last over five, six years as a coach in the SEC, you’ve done pretty well.”

Now, Florida is Billy Napier‘s program to run. It’s been a rebuild to this point for Napier. Heading into the 2023 season Steve Spurrier has a certain set of expectations for the Gators.

“I’m feeling like a lot of people. I think if we have a winning season and, maybe, go win a bowl game? That’d be a good year,” Spurrier said. “It won’t be one of those great, great years but it’d be a good year.”

Steve Spurrier on conference realignment

Conference realignment has become one of the major talking points in college athletics. For his part, Steve Spurrier thinks that all of this movement is a bad idea.

“I don’t think it’s real smart. It’s all about money and so forth. If they continue to play their in-state rivals and all that, it might make a little more sense,” Spurrier said.

“If Arizona and Arizona State want to go with the Big [12], just go with football. And leave all the other sports to play the people close by. I wish they would do that and that would keep it a little more in the common sense area than traveling across the country for a tennis match or a swim meet.”