Could Loss to Clemson Be the End of Steve Spurrier Era at South Carolina?

On Saturday afternoon, Steve Spurrier sounded like a rather defeated man. Following a 35-17 defeat at Clemson, the Gamecocks’ first loss to their in-state rival since 2008, South Carolina’s charismatic head coach was resigned to a 6-6 season.

"I told the guys, 6-6 might be what we are," he told reporters at a postgame press conference.

Is Saturday the last time we’ll see Spurrier on a college football field? It could be.

Following three consecutive 11-2 seasons, the Gamecocks fell fast and hard in 2014. The departures of key pieces like NFL top overall pick Jadeveon Clowney and gritty, just-win quarterback Connor Shaw, as well as other defensive stalwarts, proved incredibly difficult to replace.

And it might just push Spurrier into retirement.

South Carolina’s struggles have fueled speculation about the 69-year-old Spurrier's future.

Earlier this month, he told The State (via Josh Kendall of GoGamecocks.com) that "the plan is definitely to be back here and so forth."

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You probably have some questions that I’m going to have a tough time answering. If it’s got anything to do with coaches coming back next year, me coming back next year, I am just going to refrain from all of that. Let’s get through this season here and see where we are all at is probably the smartest thing for all of us to do right now.

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He also declined to address speculation about his staff or his future on Saturday.

Spurrier has done an incredible job at South Carolina, taking the formerly middling program to heights it has never reached before.

But 2014 has clearly taken a toll on him. Following a home loss to Missouri, his press conference lasted less than one minute, and he hasn’t taken nearly as many jabs at rival and Clemson coach Dabo Swinney or others.

John Raoux/Associated Press

After all, Spurrier only truly jabs when he feels most comfortable about his own team.

At the very least, South Carolina fans can expect changes on Spurrier’s staff. Speculation centers on defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward, whose unit entered Saturday allowing 30.8 points per game, which ranks No. 93 nationally.

Is Ward concerned about his future? "Not at all," he told Willie T. Smith of The Greenville News.

But he certainly should be.

Will Spurrier walk away? That’s the more interesting question.

He left his previous two college jobs on a high, first leaving Duke for Florida following an 8-4 season and a tie for an ACC title in 1989. He then left Florida for an ill-fated stint with the NFL’s Washington Redskins following a 10-2 season and Orange Bowl win in 2001.

To leave South Carolina wouldn’t fit with his past. It makes sense that a prideful Spurrier would want to go out on a high note, not losing to Swinney on a sunny November day in Clemson.

But if we’ve learned one thing about Spurrier in his career it’s that he is unpredictable. No one but Spurrier really knows what’s next for him, but it wouldn’t be a stunner to see him head for the golf course for good now.