He's cocky, stubborn, doesn't have the longest attention span and has been known to revel in getting under his opponent's skin.
One thing he's not is a cheater. Never has been and never will be.
In fact, Spurrier has been known to call out coaches he thinks are cheating in front of his peers at league meetings. Just ask former Alabama coach Mike DuBose.
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Dale Zanine/US PresswireSteve Spurrier says he doesn't believe South Carolina will face serious punishment from the NCAA's allegations regarding his program.So when I hear the Head Ball Coach say that he thinks the Gamecocks aren't in serious trouble with this latest NCAA flap, I tend to believe him. That's not to say that South Carolina's compliance efforts weren't faulty in the whole Whitney Hotel matter or that some mistakes weren't made in relation to the SAM Foundation, which was the organization that landed freshman receiver Damiere Byrd in trouble.
Obviously, mistakes were made, and South Carolina will find out next February after it appears before the NCAA's Committee on Infractions just how heavily it will have to pay for those mistakes.
What I am saying is that Spurrier plays by the rules, and if he knowingly breaks one, he'll be the first to turn himself in.
I've had several past and current coaches in this league complain to me about Spurrier being smug, about his rubbing it in when the cameras are around and about how difficult it is to go against one of his offenses.
Heck, I've even had some of his past assistants complain to me about how disinterested he can be when it comes to recruiting and how unpredictable he can be when it comes to scheduling practices, meetings and just about anything else.
But I've never had any coach complain to me about Spurrier knowingly and willingly cheating.
He hates to lose, and when he does lose, it eats at him.
But even more so than losing, Spurrier hates having any hint of impropriety in his program, and you can bet that having this NCAA baggage hovering on his watch cuts deeply.
He'll have to appear along with several other South Carolina officials in front of the NCAA's Committee on Infractions. The last time he did so came more than 20 years ago when he was just starting out as Florida's head coach. The Gators were being punished for violations that occurred under Spurrier's predecessor at Florida, Galen Hall. Florida won the SEC championship on the field in 1990, but was ineligible to claim the title because of its NCAA issues.
Spurrier was upset by that decision, and he's upset now that South Carolina is facing this current NCAA scrutiny.
It goes against everything he stands for, because in a league that long ago gained a reputation for taking cheating to an art form, Spurrier has been one of the exceptions to the rule.
If you don't think so, just try raking in a 2-foot putt when he's playing in your foursome.
With the Head Ball Coach, you putt 'em all out.
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