South Carolina Football: How Many Years Does Steve Spurrier Have Left?

There's no way around it: South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier is getting old.

But how old is too old for the old ball coach? When will he step down from coaching the Gamecocks and enter into his retirement of golf outings and watching college football from his couch? 

Fear not, South Carolina fans.

Spurrier has years left in the tank, and he is not backing down from South Carolina until he accomplishes some big goals for the program.

Spurrier, 68, is no spring chicken, but this old ball coach still has a huge passion for the game of football and some unfinished business with his Gamecocks. He has taken South Carolina from a subpar SEC scrub of a program to a borderline powerhouse in the nation's deepest conference where success can be mighty difficult to achieve. 

Whether it is 11-win seasons, elite talents, strong in-state recruiting or bowl-game success, Spurrier knows how to get the job done, and it is paying its dividends with today's South Carolina football program. 

While Spurrier has achieved great things during his tenure with the Gamecocks, two accolades continue to elude him and his program: an SEC championship and a national title. 

The SEC championship could be within reach this season, so if Spurrier can land one this season, check that off the bucket list.

But a national title is what every coach wants.

The national title hopes will always remain, yet I don't know how likely it is that South Carolina can hit that goal while Spurrier is still around. Despite Spurrier already owning SEC championships and a national title while coaching the Florida Gators, the old ball coach wants to do something that no one has done at South Carolina. 

After all, South Carolina only has one division title in the Spurrier era. Even with all of the success, Spurrier has established a program that should be able to haul in the big-time awards. 

So for Spurrier, it's all about winning the big games. He will stick around until South Carolina gets over the hump and accomplishes its biggest goals. Next year's team will be more experienced and should show some promise to once again do some great things, so expect Spurrier to be very excited about the team in 2014.

Spurrier may be 68 years old, but age is nothing more than a number. With visor spikes, screaming fits and his slick interviewing skills, Spurrier still has it, and he is not backing down in the near future.

I'd give the old ball coach another three years because football is his passion and he loves his job at South Carolina.