Spurrier faces another QB controversy

Aug 29, 2008 - 3:51 PM By Jim Ralabate PA SportsTicker College Football Editor

Surprise, surprise - Steve Spurrier has a quarterback controversy on his hands.

One of the most celebrated quarterback shufflers in college football history, Spurrier faces yet another unstable situation under center only one game into his fourth season at South Carolina.

This time, the Ol' Ball Coach's final decision just might determine his job status.

Although his Gamecocks opened the 2008 season with a 34-0 rout of North Carolina State on Thursday night, Spurrier was anything but pleased with the performance of quarterback Tommy Beecher, who threw four interceptions in a disastrous starting debut.

To make matters more interesting, backup Chris Smelley looked terrific in tossing two touchdowns and orchestrating three fourth-quarter scoring drives that helped South Carolina pull away.

"Smelley did come in and play very well." Spurrier said. "We'll have to watch the tape, analyze it to see what in the world happened to Tommy."

What happened was this: South Carolina's offensive line did an awful job early, and Beecher compounded the problem by forcing passes instead of taking sacks or throwing away the ball.

In Spurrier's days at Florida, Beecher would not even have made it through the first quarter.

But Spurrier, now 63 years old and perhaps - gasp - more patient with his quarterbacks, stuck with Beecher, who was anointed as the starter months before the season started.

Spurrier's patience, or maybe it was his pride, clearly did not help the Gamecocks, who managed just 10 points - and seven of those came courtesy of a 9-yard TD drive - over the first 44 minutes of the game.

And for all of his ineptitude, there was Beecher still taking the snaps. The situation obviously irked television analyst Jesse Palmer, the former Florida quarterback who constantly was yo-yoed in and out the huddle during his four-year stint under Spurrier.

"He would have pulled me after one quarter if I had played like this," Palmer remarked during ESPN's telecast of the game.

At least Spurrier, who threw his visor and headset in disgust following one of Beecher's interceptions, admitted that he may have made a mistake starting the redshirt junior.

"It is up for debate," he said. "We're going to try to put the best guy out there to win the ballgame. If we think Chris Smelley's the best guy, we'll put him out there."

Smelley certainly looked like the guy. The sophomore completed all five of his passes for 92 yards and, more importantly, was much more efficient behind an offensive line that played only slightly better down the stretch.

"I gave it everything I had," said Smelley, who started six games last season. "I don't know if I'll be playing next week - that's whatever Coach decided to do. But I want to play."

Smelley should play - heck, he should start - if Spurrier wants the Gamecocks to beat Vanderbilt in Nashville next Thursday night. A road win in its SEC opener would be a huge boost to a South Carolina team that plays one of the toughest schedules in the country this season.

And for all of his achievements at Florida, Spurrier hasn't exactly been a savior for the Gamecocks, who are just 22-16 under the former Heisman winner. South Carolina lost its final five games last season, the longest losing streak in Spurrier's fabled collegiate coaching career.

Let's face it - mediocrity is unacceptable in SEC football, and Spurrier likely will find himself on the hot seat if South Carolina turns in another six-win season.

But Spurrier can erase last season if the Gamecocks can win eight games this year. And for that to happen, Spurrier should just stick with Smelley as his starter.

After all, his job could depend on it.