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New fun league

In Washington, Steve Spurrier is the season's big story for bringing his Fun 'n' Gun offense to the pros, who aren't entirely happy to see it.

By DARRELL FRY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 22, 2002

[AP photo] Former Florida coach Steve Spurrier has ruffled some feathers during his first season as an NFL coach. "They think we're trying to score a whole bunch in exhibition, but that's just the way we play," Spurrier explained.

LAKE BUENA VISTA -- Technically, he hasn't done squat.

Redskins coach Steve Spurrier hasn't won a game of any consequence, or pulled off a major free-agent signing, or changed the NFL in any shape or form.

Yet, a little more than two weeks before the regular season, the former Gators coach already has become the talk of the league, the biggest story in a sport with no shortage of headline makers.

Perhaps the only personality generating as much intrigue as Spurrier is new Bucs coach Jon Gruden, which makes Saturday night's Redskins-Bucs matchup one of the most anticipated preseason games in recent memory.

"You know, this is not Super Bowl XXXVIII or whatever," Gruden said about all the hype. "The guy is coming back, and he's a legend as far as I'm concerned. I expect everybody in Tampa, certainly Gator fans, to be excited to see him. They darn sure should be.

"But at the same time, this is the third preseason game for the Buccaneers and that's how we're looking at it."

The Bucs are the only ones looking at it that way. Without trying, Spurrier has seen to that.

After unexpectedly resigning as Gators coach in January and signing a reported five-year, $25-million contract with the Redskins, he has impressed many observers with the pro version of the Fun 'n' Gun offense he made famous with the Gators.

He also has ruffled a few league feathers along the way.

Weeks after taking the Redskins job, he took a shot at the rival Cowboys, saying he hoped to make them into an NFL version of the Georgia Bulldogs, whom Spurrier's Gators beat regularly.

Then the Redskins beat the 49ers 38-7 in their preseason opener, prompting run-up-the-score talk. Ahead in the fourth quarter, Spurrier still was calling passes downfield, and went for it on fourth down.

Spurrier's response was basically this: Blow it out your ear, pal.

"They think we're trying to score a whole bunch in exhibition, but that's just the way we play," Spurrier said during a conference call with reporters Wednesday. "We try to score, and I'm not apologizing for trying to score throughout the game. We don't call timeout at the end and chuck it at the end zone. ... We don't do those kinds of things."

Then, last week after the Redskins' come-from-behind win against the Steelers, Spurrier exchanged barbs through the media with Steelers safety Lee Flowers, who said the Redskins' inability to score with their starters was proof Spurrier's offense won't work in the NFL.

"At some point I've got to take up for my players here. ... At some point it wears on you and you have to bark back a little bit," Spurrier said. "I know the critics are always going to be there, which is fine. That's part of the game. And I probably shouldn't respond to them."

Regardless, Spurrier has the Redskins undefeated in three preseason games, and they're averaging 36 points a game -- easily the highest average in the league and near double what the high-powered Rams (21.5 ppg) are averaging.

Against the Steelers, they threw for 405 yards (although, as Flowers pointed out, most of it was produced by second- and third-stringers), which pushed their preseason passing total to 1,203 yards.

"Obviously we've scored a lot of points and if you want to avoid attention, don't score a lot of points," Spurrier said. "Wherever you are, if you score a lot of points, they're going to talk about you -- good or bad. Some people talk good, some talk bad."

It's not just what Spurrier is doing, but how he's doing it that has Washington and the rest of the league buzzing. He has dotted his roster with former Gators, which initially drew widespread criticism because many of those ex-Gators had been labeled NFL duds by other teams.

Yet, Spurrier seems to be capable of getting the same productivity out of them he did in Gainesville. Quarterback Danny Wuerffel, for instance, couldn't cut it with several NFL teams (he hasn't played since 1999 with New Orleans) but is in the running to be the Redskins' regular-season starter after going 24-for-36 for 371 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in three preseason games.

"With Spurrier's offense, I know those boys are having fun and are excited," said Bucs offensive tackle Kenyatta Walker, who played for Spurrier with the Gators. "That's what he brings. That excitement. That (attitude that) it's fourth-and-whatever, and we can still get it. That cockiness that you need for an offense in this league."

Now that excitement and cockiness is coming Saturday night to Tampa, where Spurrier has history, mostly as the coach of the Tampa Bay Bandits. It remains to be seen whether any of it will carry into the regular season.

But, for now, no one seems to care.

"I'm looking forward to the game and seeing a lot of old pals down there," Spurrier said. "We're 3-0, so the pressure is off as far as exhibition season. We're just going to try to play well."

Then, he added: "And we're going to try to win, obviously."

Obviously.

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