The morning after Clemson game, I wrote that we should be seriously questioning Spurrier's tenure here. However, I've softened on the OBC a little bit over the past couple of days, probably because, unlike cocknfire, I wrote my review immediately after the game while I was still pissed when I should have given myself a couple of days to cool off. While I still maintain that this season has been a disappointment because we didn't reach eight wins despite having a good shot because of a down year in the conference, we should all take a step back and realize that this program is a lot further along today than it was ten years ago. When the Gamecocks were 0-11, would you have believed someone that told you that in only a few years we would have five straight years of bowl elibility? Probably not. The truth is, it takes time to build a consistent winner, and there's reason to hope that the recent string of six- and seven-win seasons will blossom into a nine- or ten-win season soon. We should be thankful for that and Spurrier's role in helping us get there.
Moreover, before we blast Spurrier for how he's handled the QB situation over the past few weeks, we should stop and remember that before the Clemson game, there wasn't good reason to believe that Stephen Garcia was the clear-cut choice to be under center. I realize that some people are going to disagree, but I still say that arguments could be made for both sides; as I pointed out in the series on the two QBs, both had similar stats coming into the game and Smelley had played better in the last two. Spurrier made a decision on who to start based on the information he had in front of him. He didn't do it because he hates Garcia or because he wants to validate some bizarre love for Smelley, as some of the wackos on the message boards have said. He did it because he wanted to get us a win. Unfortunately, he made the wrong decision, but that happens sometimes. Hopefully, he now knows that Smelley isn't going to take us very far and that he needs to do what it takes to get Garcia ready for the bowl and next year. What he's said since the game indicates that he does know, and his firing of John Hunt also indicates that he's committed to making smart changes.
So let's hear it Gamecocks fans. Now that you've had a few days to think about it, what sorts of things do you think this team needs to do to move forward into the bowl game and next season? If you want to take a stab at writing a longer piece, post it in the Fan Posts section and I'll move it onto the front page if I think everyone would find it interesting.