South Carolina Football: Steve Spurrier Is Retiring, According to At Least Two Sources

Multiple media reports say that Steve Spurrier, who led Florida to a national title and a half-dozen SEC championships before taking South Carolina to its first SEC title game appearance and all three of its 11-win seasons, will retire. Spurrier retires as the best coach in the history of two separate conference teams.

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is retiring per source.

— Thayer Evans (@ThayerEvansSI) October 13, 2015

Per @WesMitchellGC and I, we have confirmed that Steve Spurrier plans to retire. No timeline immediately known. He informed team tonight.

— Chris Clark (@GCChrisClark) October 13, 2015

There are also reports that the retirement will be effective immediately.

Spurrier is the winningest coach at both Florida and South Carolina, but his team has slumped to a 2-4 record so far this year and an 0-4 record in the SEC. It is a near-certainty that the Gamecocks will miss a bowl and end below .500 for the first time since Spurrier took over the program before the 2005 season.

The retirement will allow South Carolina to get a jump on what could be a crowded field in the coaching carousel this year. Southern Cal is already searching for a replacement for Steve Sarkisian, who was fired Monday, and Miami could soon starting looking for a new head coach if Al Golden is fired. The Gamecocks can't compete head-to-head with those programs, but they don't want to fall too far behind in the second tier.

We'll have much more on this situation as it develops.