After a failed stint in the NFL with the Washington Redskins, Steve Spurrier was courted hard by several schools in hopes of getting the HBC back into the college ranks.
Spurrier eventually took the South Carolina job in 2005, but he admitted earlier this week that he nearly took the head coaching job at North Carolina multiple times throughout his career.
SEC Country was able to add more onto that, with Spurrier showing heavy interest in the job in 2004.
"I'd been wanting to coach again. I was 59 at the time, but figured I had at least five, seven, eight good years. Ended up going ten more," Spurrier said. "What happened, North Carolina, their field goal kicker made a — I want to say a 55-yarder to beat Miami, and North Carolina I think had a winning season, so they kept their coach."
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The Miami win that Spurrier referred to was a UNC 31-28 upset over the then-No.3 Hurricanes. That upset, combined with a 6-6 season that saw UNC get to a bowl game, was apparently enough to allow John Bunting to keep his job with the Tar Heels.
Instead, Spurrier signed with South Carolina after the end of the 2004 season, where the coach then spent 10-plus years as the Gamecocks' head coach.
