Steve Spurrier thought he could get one more good season out of this South Carolina team, one more season when the Gamecocks could compete for a division title. However, after a 2-4 start, he realized it wasn’t meant to be. It was time to step down and let somebody else take over.
So, Spurrier did. He announced his retirement midway through the season, giving way to interim coach Shawn Elliott. The Gamecocks competed for Elliott, but wins were hard to come by down the stretch. They finished 3-9 and missed the postseason for the first time since 2007.