Steve Spurrier put Florida football on the map.
As a player, he was a two-time All-American quarterback and the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner.
As a coach, he led the Gators to six Southeastern Conference titles and the program’s first national title in 1996.
Without him, The Swamp would not have become The Swamp.
And on Saturday night, The Swamp will be his again when the 25th-ranked Gators run out of the tunnel onto Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Spurrier himself will serve as the honorary Mr. Two Bits, hyping the 90,000 fans who fill the stadium just three hours after he wraps up a book signing on campus.
“That’s something special and obviously for him, I think, what a fitting tribute,” coach Jim McElwain said.
“And to have him back and be a part of that is something that’s pretty neat.”
And with Spurrier back in Gainesville, Florida’s offense has no choice but to step up.
That seems to be easier said than done as of late.
Over the last five years, the Gators have finished no better than 96th in total offense.
McElwain seemed to have the problem solved early last year, with Florida storming to a 6-0 record before quarterback Will Grier was slapped with a year-long suspension for violating the NCAA’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
It went downhill from there.
UF went 4-4 to close out the year under Treon Harris and scored just two offensive touchdowns in the final three games — losses to Florida State, Alabama and Michigan.
“I’m still hurting,” McElwain said.
“That’s all I can say. That was miserable.”
Saturday marks the chance to start anew, and the pieces are there.
He has a traditional dropback passer in Luke Del Rio, a competent offensive line and dynamic wide receivers.
“We’ve just gotta play fast,” receiver Brandon Powell said. “That’s really it. When we play fast, it’s hard to stop us.”
During the 12 years with Spurrier at the helm, the Gators never finished with less than nine wins or below second in the SEC East.
He brought excitement to UF football with the revolutionary Fun ‘n’ Gun offense.
He also coached some of the top quarterbacks to play at UF in Danny Wuerffel and Rex Grossman along with a litany of other talent such as tailbacks Fred Taylor and Errict Rhett and receivers Ike Hilliard and Reidel Anthony.
Florida is by no means at the point where it’s going to be pouring on 50 points every game this season.
But with the return of Steve Spurrier, the one who started it all in Gainesville, McElwain needs to make a statement on Saturday.
Jordan McPherson is a sports writer. Contact him at jmcpherson@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @J_McPherson112.
FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2000, file photo, Florida head coach Steve Spurrier is carried off the field by Mike Pearson (71), Kenyatta Walker (78) and Gerard Warren (61) after the Gators downed Auburn 28-6 in the SEC Championship NCAA college football game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Florida is renaming its football field after former coach Steve Spurrier. The university's board of trustees approved the change Thursday, June 9,2016, making it Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
