Duke to honor Spurrier during home game against Pitt on Saturday

Steve Spurrier said he wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to guide the University of Florida football program to national prominence if Duke hadn’t give him his first college coaching job.

The feelings are mutual. Duke will honor Spurrier during Saturday’s home game against Pittsburgh for his upcoming induction into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach. Spurrier already is in the Hall as a player.

“If I had not gotten hired at Duke University I wouldn’t have had a coaching career,” Spurrier told The Chronicle, Duke’s student newspaper. “Everything that’s happened to me in coaching is because of Duke.”

Spurrier coached the Blue Devils from 1987-1989, He was 20-13-1 and the school earned its first bowl invitation in 29 years in 1989 when Duke shared the ACC title with Virginia. In the three years previous to Spurrier’s arrival, Duke was 10-20 and had not won seven or more games in a season since 1962.

He was hired by Florida and went onto lead the Gators to the program’s first six SEC championships, the 1996 national championship and a 122-27-1 record — 52 more victories than the next coach on the school’s all-time list, Ray Graves.

Duke went to only one bowl game and had only one winning season over the next 23 years until David Cutcliffe was hired.

“He influenced a lot of us who are my age — and I’m not much younger than him,” Cutcliffe said earlier this week. “He’s always been very, very fond of Duke. I’m proud that Duke is taking the step to honor him.”

Spurrier also said he always will have another sentimental attachment to Duke because his son Steve Jr., played for the Blue Devils from 1990-93.

“My son went there … he loves Duke,” Spurrier said. “We all love Duke University.”