South Carolina players take stock of Spurrier's words

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) In between signing posters, coloring books and footballs for gleeful children Thursday, senior center Fran Person says he clearly understood the point of coach Steve Spurrier&#39;s critical words about the Gamecocks&#39; commitment.<br> <br> ``I think he&#39;s challenging the guys,&#39;&#39; Person said. ``Look, he knows what it takes to win. Everybody&#39;s got to buy into that, everybody&#39;s got to go 100 percent. Until we buy in and go 100 percent, we won&#39;t win.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Spurrier has been largely positive about the program since he was hired in November. However, on Wednesday he said he was disappointed by the poor attendance at voluntary summer workouts. If the Gamecocks hoped to compete with Florida, Tennessee and Georgia, Spurrier said they would have to give more of themselves than the coach has seen thus far.<br> <br> ``So, I can&#39;t sit here and brag about what our guys have done this summer. Most have done well, but as an entire team, it&#39;s not good enough,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said after a golf outing.<br> <br> Person, listed as a backup center, has seen teammates working hard and committed to winning with upperclassmen like himself showing the younger players how important total commitment is.<br> <br> ``You can talk as much as you want, you&#39;ve got to lead by example,&#39;&#39; Person said. ``I&#39;ve been there every day, most of the guys see that. &#39;Pops&#39; (Frisby) is 40 years old, he hasn&#39;t missed a day.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Person, Frisby and 19 other Gamecocks visited the main branch of the Richland County Public Library for a ``Pigskin Poets&#39;&#39; event designed to encourage children to read. Little boys dressed in Gamecocks shirts and little girls in cheerleader outfits swarmed the players, asking for autographs and wishing them well in Spurrier&#39;s first season.<br> <br> Freshman running back Albert Ashcraft says the players are excited about what&#39;s ahead even though Spurrier&#39;s comments hit them ``like a slap in the face.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> ``Great teams work out, even though it&#39;s voluntary,&#39;&#39; Ashcraft said. ``I took that to heart.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Ashcraft said family problems kept him from a few workouts this summer. But he expected underclassmen like himself to follow Spurrier&#39;s directions and commit themselves even deeper than before.<br> <br> The team&#39;s camp opens Aug. 1. All but one of the 27 signees in Spurrier&#39;s first class are on campus, although the coaches cannot work with them.<br> <br> Spurrier said he assumed when he took the job that the Gamecocks would do as much as they could to succeed. ``But I found out that wasn&#39;t the case,&#39;&#39; he said. ``We obviously have a few guys that can&#39;t quite get with the program, but we have too many like that. Guys who we were counting on to play for us, starters, who should be there a little more regularly than what they&#39;ve been.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Spurrier said in The (Anderson) Independent-Mail that he recently asked Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops Spurrier&#39;s former defensive coordinator at Florida how many Sooners missed voluntary workouts. None, Spurrier was told, with Stoops adding that his players know if they want to see time on the field, they have to attend.<br> <br> ``Our guys don&#39;t know that yet,&#39;&#39; Spurrier said.<br> <br> Last week, one of the 10 NCAA violations South Carolina admitted to concerned players who considered the summer workout program from 1999 to 2002 mandatory.<br> <br> Spurrier said his workouts are voluntary and no one&#39;s going to get run off because they missed time in the weight room during the summer. ``But it&#39;s disappointing in the attitudes in the players we think are going to play.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Senior kicker Josh Brown, named third-team preseason all-Southeastern Conference this week, says he wasn&#39;t sure if Spurrier&#39;s words were meant to motivate or just a direct assessment of the program. ``For the most part, the guys that have been here working are ready to go,&#39;&#39; he said.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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