Spurrier’s Mega-Deal Now Official
College football
Steve Spurrier, paid $1 million after leading Florida to its first national championship, will get twice that much if he can do it again.
Under his new contract that was finalized Monday, Spurrier becomes the first $2 million coach in college football, with a six-year deal for $11.8 million.
“It’s a reflection of the times,” Spurrier said. “The money is bigger in everything we do now.”
Spurrier, who made about $940,000 last year, will make more than $1.9 million this year from such things as his base salary, clothing contracts, television shows, speeches and a $275,000 signing bonus.
And that doesn’t include two cars - for him and his wife - 24 prime tickets to the Gators’ home football games or the $99,000 bonus he would get this year if Florida wins another championship.
“People are going to talk about the amount of money he’s making, but he has tremendous value to this university,” said athletic director Jeremy Foley.
Dayne cleared to play
Ron Dayne’s stint on the sidelines is over, Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez said.
The Badgers’ star sophomore tailback will play Saturday at San Jose State.
Dayne pinched a nerve in his right shoulder and neck during a preseason practice Aug. 11. The stinger hampered him in the Badgers’ 34-0 loss to Syracuse in the season opener Aug. 24.
Alvarez said he didn’t hesitate when team physicians recommended keeping Dayne out of last Saturday’s 28-24 win over Boise State to avoid a possible setback.
Without Dayne, “we did win the game, the hard way,” Alvarez said.
Longhorns’ Brown questionable
Texas coach John Mackovic says this week’s game against UCLA is important. It’s just not important enough to aggravate quarterback James Brown’s severely bruised left ankle.
“This game, as big as it is, and as much meaning as it has, it’s not the end of the road,” Mackovic said Monday, when asked if Brown would be encouraged to play if still hampered by the injury.
Brown twisted his ankle late in the second quarter of Texas’ 48-14 victory over Rutgers on Saturday when he was sacked for a 24-yard loss.
It’s the same ankle he sprained in late 1995, when he was forced to sit out a game and then played with extreme pain and a noticeable limp in a 16-6 victory over Texas A&M.
“I’ve never had a quarterback as courageous as James in terms of playing hurt,” Mackovic said. “His performance against A&M was as courageous a performance as I’ve seen from a quarterback.
“But that game was the last one of the season, winner take all. UCLA is big, but we have many more battles this season.”
Mackovic said if Brown misses significant practice time this week, the likely starter will be Richard Walton, who subbed well for Brown against Rutgers, leading the team to 28 third-quarter points after Texas clung to a 13-7 lead at halftime.
Players of week
Two Oregon players, Peter Sirmon and Saladin McCullough, were named Pac-10 Conference players of the week for their roles in the Ducks’ season-opening 16-9 victory over Arizona.
Sirmon, a sophomore linebacker, was named defensive player of the week. He led the Oregon defense with 15 tackles and two quarterback sacks. He also recovered a fumble on the Ducks’ 2 yard line and returned it 34 yards.
McCullough, who returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, was named the conference’s special teams player of the week.
California receiver Bobby Shaw was named offensive player of the week. He caught 11 passes, including touchdowns of 30 and 50 yards, to lead California to a 35-3 victory at Houston. His 204 receiving yards was the third best in California history.
Cal State Northridge quarterback Aaron Flowers, who has thrown eight TD passes in the Matadors’ first two games, was named the Big Sky Conference offensive player of the week.
Sharing the 1997 season’s first defensive honor were Trevor Bell of Idaho State, Walter Jefferson of Northern Arizona and Scott Shields of Weber State.
Shields was also the special teams award winner, the conference announced on Monday.