South Carolina does not have the material of Florida, Georgia and Tennessee — yet.

Its quarterback, junior Blake Mitchell, is a decent player and should benefit from another season in the Spurrier system (though some wonder if freshman Cade Thompson will be ready sooner than later). There’s a clear SEC superstar in sophomore wide receiver Sidney Rice, but the Gamecocks haven’t yet surrounded him with talent of a similar caliber.

Give Spurrier time. He won the ACC championship — at Duke!

He transformed Florida’s underachieving, scandal-ridding program into an SEC machine that could stand toe-to-toe with Bear Bryant’s best offerings at Alabama.

“Coach Spurrier thinks differently and is more aggressive than any other coach I’ve been around,” Wuerffel said. “He has a brilliant offensive mind. He has a combination of incredible mechanical precision and sandlot mentality, like combining two totally different aspects in one package.”

At Florida, a plodding offense suddenly hit overdrive. Receivers got open — constantly. Spurrier demanded excellence with visor-tossing frenzy, and the Gators generally delivered.

Can similar things happen at South Carolina?

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“He’s got half the talent than at some of these other places, but he’ll continue to grow,” said former Gators linebacker James Bates, a member of the 1996 championship team. “That mind is always working, always churning. If he can get the right guy to take it on the field, and they can really understand him, that’s what makes it dangerous.

“At times, it almost did take on a schoolyard or sandlot tone because he’s literally at times drawing up ballplays while he’s at practice.”

Mark my words, Spurrier is going to make it work at South Carolina.

Spurrier was so successful at Florida, Gator fans actually took SEC championships for granted. In a way, he was consumed by the monster he created. Anything less than No. 1 was never enough. He had the NFL itch. So he left on top.

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And now he has landed in a perfect spot, a program with great fan support, a large stadium and a trophy case with plenty of empty space.

Yes, Steve Spurrier still matters.

It will never be more evident than this weekend. Undoubtedly, he will hear some love in Gainesville, a fitting gesture because he left in hasty fashion. Fans were too stunned. Now, with a full understanding of the post-Spurrier life at Florida, they can give one final salute to the Head Ball Coach.

He’ll be back in November, a potentially haunting prospect. And if he’s on the mark, he’ll be back for 10 more seasons.

Meyer never will admit it, but the Spurrier shadow is considerable.

“I guess since I’ve left, [Florida] has never won the SEC,” Spurrier said. “When they win one or two, that coach will replace me.”

Florida fans are in the unique positive of hearing such words from their former coach. Regardless of where you sit, it’s great theatre. Another decade of Spurrier in the SEC? What fun.