Spurrier rooting for the rooster

It's a new era for University of South Carolina football and the new coach says any poultry-related omens portend good times rather than bad.

"It's 2005, the year of the rooster,'' Steve Spurrier proclaimed Wednesday in his return to SEC media days.

Three years removed from his glory days at Florida, Spurrier is back in his beloved conference, although not at his alma mater.

In his year away from coaching since departing the NFL's Washington Redskins, Spurrier apparently had time to research both the Gamecocks and the Chinese calendar.

"2005 is the year of the rooster, so don't bet too much against the Gamecocks, even though we'll be the underdogs,'' Spurrier said with a grin.

"Every 12 years is the year of the rooster. In 1969 it

was the rooster year and we won our only championship. We went 6-0 in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference).

"I'm just saying we've got the rooster on our side. That's all we've got really going for us right now.''

Tight Lips: Either lack of success in the NFL or South Carolina's lack of success in football — or perhaps both — curtailed Spurrier's normally tart tongue on the summer booster circuit.

"Those guys (the South Carolina press corps) followed me to 15 Gamecock Clubs thinking I was going to say something cute about Clemson or Tennessee or Georgia, but I don't think I ever did,'' Spurrier said.

Welcome Back: Spurrier said he has been received "OK'' by the league's coaches.

Chief rival Phillip Fulmer of Tennessee was asked Wednesday his first impression when he heard Spurrier was back in the SEC.

Fulmer's response: "Ah, crap. Something like that.''

Gator Girls: New Florida coach Urban Meyer has played one game in The Swamp. In 1984, he was a sophomore on a Cincinnati team that got drilled 48-17 by the Gators.

Asked what he remembered about playing at Florida Field, Meyer's answer was surprising.

"There were really pretty girls in the stands,'' he said. "I was 19 years old. That tells you where my mind was.''

Newcomer Day: Three of the four coaches at Wednesday's session were new — Spurrier at South Carolina, Meyer at Florida and Ed Orgeron at Ole Miss.

Les Miles, the new LSU coach, appears Friday.

Orgeron said moving to Oxford, Miss., after four years at Southern Cal in Los Angeles, was a piece of cake. He's from Louisiana and his wife is from Arkansas.

"My boys love it,'' Orgeron said. "They go frogging at 6 o'clock in the morning.''

Try that in Beverly Hills.

Oher On Fast Track: Orgeron counts on freshman lineman Michael Oher of Memphis to be an impact addition.

Oher, the state's top prospect, picked the Rebels over the Vols.

"I expect him to contribute early,'' Orgeron said. "We may play him at guard. It's a little easier position to learn.''

Replay Limits: The SEC's move to instant replay would not have corrected the clock error that benefited Tennessee late in last year's win over Florida at Neyland Stadium.

Bobby Gaston, chief of SEC officials, said clock errors will not be subject to review. "We don't want them (replay officials) having to officiate the game,'' Gaston said.

Penalties, such as holding or pass interference, will also not be reviewable.

Fumbles and sideline and goal line questions are reviewable.

Gaston said the SEC tested its equipment in Kentucky's spring game and came away pleased that the process worked without holding up the flow of the game.

"Amazingly, we were able to review far more plays and players than we thought we could,'' Gaston said.

More Rules: New rules to watch for this year include two to promote safety.

There will be an emphasis on spearing. Also, the so-called legal clipping zone near the line of scrimmage is eliminated. It will no longer be allowable to block from the knees down anywhere.

A list of 13 specific actions (such as throat-slashing) will help define an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.