Columbia, SC (WLTX) --- When USC kicks it off against Vanderbilt, it will mark the beginning of Steve Spurrier's eighth year at Carolina.
With 65 career victories at USC, Spurrier needs 10 wins to surpass Rex Enright as the program's all-time winningest coach. But Spurrier says it would mean more to watch his team capture the first SEC Championship in Atlanta.
"Our team, we talk mostly about team goals, team victories and to me it's okay if our players want to be all SEC All-American," Spurrier. "If Marcus Lattimore wants to win the Heisman it's understandable, but we don't go around talking about individual goals. We still hope to win the SEC. That would be a lot bigger to me than the all-time winningest coach."
It's no secret Spurrier was frustrated with his early years at USC. But with 20 wins over the last two seasons, a team that seems to have the leadership needed to be successful, and players who are trying to get it done in the classroom, the coach admits it's a lot easier coming to the office these days.
"It's a lot more fun where your players try to play like you coach them, and that's what you have to have. you have to have your players That hasn't always been exact around here as much as we'd like but we've got a good group of guys now that have sort of learned players play, coaches coach and away we go, and we all pull for each other."
Another important factor is Spurrier's staff, which is considered one of the best in the country.
"I think we've got a really outstanding staff and I've said many times all these guys they could coach the position, they can recruit, they can get guys committed and signed and we all get along. We're all pulling in the same direction."
Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Nashville. News19 will have coverage here on WLTX.com, on News19 at 11, and on Facebook and Twitter @WLTX.