American · Miami, Florida, USA · Born 20 April 1945Florida quarterback who won the Gators' first Heisman Trophy in 1966 with a dramatic game-winning field goal against Auburn, before returning as head coach to deliver Florida's first national championship.
Stephen Orr Spurrier was born on 20 April 1945 and starred at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee, before choosing Florida over Tennessee, whose run-heavy offense didn't suit his passing ability. He became the Gators' starting quarterback in 1964 and developed into one of the finest passers in SEC history, setting the conference's career passing yardage record. Spurrier's defining moment came in a November 1966 game against Auburn: with Florida trailing in the final minutes, he led a two-minute drill downfield, then waved off the team's regular placekicker to boot a 40-yard field goal himself, securing a 30-27 win and, in the eyes of many, the Heisman Trophy. He finished his senior season with 2,012 passing yards and 16 touchdowns, earning unanimous All-American honors, the Walter Camp Award, and the Heisman - Florida's first - beating out Purdue's Bob Griese by a wide margin. Across his three-year, 31-game career, Spurrier passed for 4,848 yards and 37 touchdowns. Selected third overall in the 1967 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers, Spurrier played nine NFL seasons before turning to coaching in 1978. He returned to Florida as head coach in 1990 and transformed the program with his innovative 'Fun 'n' Gun' passing offense, winning six SEC championships and the Gators' first-ever national title in 1996. That year, his former backup and pupil Danny Wuerffel won the Heisman, making Spurrier the first Heisman winner ever to coach another Heisman winner. He later coached the Washington Redskins and South Carolina, becoming one of only two coaches in history (alongside Bear Bryant) to have the most wins at two different SEC schools, before retiring from coaching in 2015.
Winning Florida's first Heisman Trophy in 1966 with a self-executed game-winning field goal, before returning as head coach to deliver the Gators' first national championship
How They Played
Confident, clutch-performing quarterback known for accurate passing and a fearless approach in high-pressure moments, exemplified by his willingness to kick his own game-winning field goal
Lasting Impact
Regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern college football, having transformed SEC offensive philosophy as a coach after a Heisman-winning playing career, becoming the only Heisman winner to coach another Heisman winner
Career Honours
- 1966 Heisman Trophy - Florida's first
- 1966 Walter Camp Award
- 2x Unanimous All-American (1965, 1966)
- 1996 National Championship as Florida head coach
American Athletes