Updated at 9:01 a.m., Monday, August 6, 2007
Colleges: Spurrier blasts school after recruits rejected
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier blasted the school's admissions process, apologizing to two recruits who signed with the Gamecocks last winter and were denied academic entry this summer."In my opinion, I still believe we made a mistake," Spurrier said yesterday.
Spurrier had spoken with university president Andrew Sorensen and the two agreed, the coach said, that things needed to change.
Spurrier was angered that receiver Michael Bowman of Wadesboro, N.C., and Arkee Smith of Jacksonville, Fla., were cleared by the NCAA to enroll, yet were turned down by the university. The rest of the Gamecocks football team officially reported Friday for preseason camp.
"Hopefully, I truly believe this is the last year this is going to happen, because I can't operate like that," Spurrier said. "I can't operate misleading young men."
Spurrier signed a contract extension, which included a raise of nearly a half-million dollars, that ties him to South Carolina through 2012. Spokesman Russ McKinney said Spurrier has been involved in talks with Sorensen and other administrators about refining the process of athletic admissions.
"I think the university administration understands his frustration," McKinney said.
