Steve Spurrier’s morning appearance at SEC Media Days included a Davy Crockett reference, his opinion on Alabama’s recruiting expertise and a few thoughts on former quarterback Stephen Garcia’s new gig at Saturday Down South.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what Spurrier said:

  • Opened with the Gamecocks’ expectations this season as an Eastern Division favorite: “We have a pretty good team I think. Most of the magazines have us about nine, 10, 11 in the country. Hopefully, we can live up to those predictions.”
  • Touched on his team’s opener at home against Texas A&M and admitted to taking a peek at the Aggies’ recruiting dominance the last several seasons. He even had a moment to discuss Sumlin’s recent six-year contract extension: “He’s a good negotiator, we know that also, so he’s got a good deal (laughter). He’s ready to go. “
  • Spurrier’s not thrilled about the proposed Alamo Trophy given to the winner of the new cross-division rivalry between the Gamecocks and Aggies. He didn’t read the same history book: “I always was taught the hero of the Alamo was Davy Crockett, so this was a new one on me. It’s a good story, I’m sure Bonham did some good things.  I always thought Davie Crockett was the hero of the Alamo, he and those 33 Tennessee guys that came in there and got killed, so forth (laughter). “
  • Earlier this summer, Spurrier said Alabama’s Nick Saban had underachieved in Tuscaloosa despite elite-level recruiting classes. He brought it up again Tuesday, this time saying the Crimson Tide coach was college football’s best recruiter of all-time: “Arguably, they’ve got the greatest collection of football players ever assembled for a college team.  If the recruiting services are correct, and they’re pretty much correct. So they’re the favorites. They’re the favorites. There’s no question about that.  As long as they can recruit like that, they’re always going to be the favorites.”
  • On fifth-year senior Dylan Thompson who is inheriting the offense from Connor Shaw, the school’s all-time wins leader: “It is unusual.  Dylan has been very patient. He and Shaw are best of friends all four years.  Now he’s got it all by himself.  It just worked out that way.  It just happened that day.  Occasionally it does.”
  • One of the final questions was in reference to Garcia, Spurrier’s embattled former quarterback who is now a college football analyst. Garcia was on radio row at the time, but Spurrier tried to find him. The pair would later embrace: “Stephen looked like he’d joined Duck Dynasty. All of his issues were off the field, around campus. That game against Alabama is still the game they all talk about in Columbia.”