If Steve Spurrier Had Stayed at Florida, Would Nick Saban Be Big News?

Larry Burton (Panama City Beach, Fla.) Had Steve Spurrier stayed in Florida, it would be easy to imagine what could have been.

They may still have won the two national championships they won with Urban Meyer, and the 2005 team might have won another had not a Spurrier-coached South Carolina beat them that year.

That could put a coach on an SEC sideline with five national championship rings to his credit—one as a player, four as a coach. 

It makes one wonder, if that had happened, would Nick Saban have been such a big story today?

Spurrier left Florida in 2001, long before LSU ever won their first national championship under Nick Saban won his first one in 2003. LSU won that year with one loss—a loss to Florida. 

What if the Spurrier Express had stayed intact and won the SEC that year and kept Nick Saban from winning that first championship. Would he still be at LSU toiling away for that first one?

When LSU won their second BCS crown with a two-loss season, could Spurrier have won that one as well? 

Such scenarios have no correct answer and are only fun to ponder, but it does make people wonder what indeed Spurrier could have accomplished had he stayed at Florida.

Certainly he would have won more national championships. Certainly he would have attained a "Bear Bryant" type stature among Florida's fans, and certainly, he, Joe Paterno, and Bobby Bowden would be mentioned as the greatest living coaches for their schools.

I dare say that he could have gone down in history as one of the all-time greats instead of going out with a whimper at South Carolina.

I wonder, when Spurrier closes his eyes and dreams, does he relive the glory days at Florida?

Florida will always be grateful to Coach Spurrier for building the program up to what it is today—a national power—and unlike LSU burning effigies of Saban for now being at Alabama, Gator fans still cheer him and revere both him and his accomplishments.

And that's how it should be.