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Friday, March 8
 
Spurrier could swamp Washington

By Tom Oates
Special to ESPN.com

Pssssst.

Hey, Steve.

Yeah, you, Steve Spurrier. I've got some information to pass along that could help you out.

Uh, Steve, I know this is a delicate subject, but those aren't the Tennessee Volunteers on your schedule, those are the Tennessee Titans. And this isn't college football anymore, it's the NFL. Just thought you'd like to know.

Steve Spurrier posted a 122-27-1 record in 12 season at Florida.
Because Spurrier won a national championhip at the University of Florida and is universally recognized as a passing-game guru, it might be wise to give the Redskins' new coach the benefit of the doubt this season. But Spurrier has been so busy collecting his former Florida players that he apparently hasn't had time to realize he has changed leagues.

In the past week, Spurrier worked out a trade with the Texans for quarterback Danny Wuerffel, signed out-of-work wide receiver Chris Doering and signed unrestricted free agent wide receiver Reidel Anthony. All have two things in common: They starred for Spurrier at Florida and they flopped in the NFL.

Spurrier is also close to completing a trade with the Bears for quarterback Shane Matthews, a career journeyman. Plus, he has shown interest in unrestricted free agents Willie Jackson and Jacquez Green. All three are -- you guessed it -- former Gators.

Because Spurrier hasn't been involved with the NFL for 25 years, his fascination with his former players should be as scary to Redskins fans as owner Daniel Snyder's cap-busting spending spree two years ago. Like Spurrier, Snyder was an NFL neophyte who jumped in with both feet when he should have been sticking only his toe in the water. The capped-out Redskins paid for Snyder's rookie mistakes last season.

Although Spurrier isn't paying a huge price in terms of dollars or draft picks, his statements indicate that he believes he can win with his former players even though most of them have failed to make any kind of mark in the NFL. Spurrier's legendary ego appears to be clouding his judgement on what it takes to win in the NFL.

"Right now I don't see us spending a lot of money on a veteran quarterback," he said. "Why would I? Check the quarterbacks I've been coaching the last 22 years. They've generally played pretty good."

If Spurrier is hell-bent on proving that his coaching can make any quarterback into a winner in the NFL, then his trademark visor is going to be flying all over FedEx Field this fall. Not every great college quarterback, even one who wins the Heisman Trophy, has the size, athleticism and arm strength to compete successfully in the NFL.

Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman winner at Florida, lost the starting job with the Saints after six games and hasn't thrown an NFL pass since 1999. Yet, with second-year man Sage Rosenfels the only other signed quarterback on the roster, Spurrier said his quarterback pursuit would be over if he can land Matthews, who has bounced from team to team and lost his starting job to Jim Miller last year.

"If Shane came, and (we have) Danny and a young guy and Sage, we'd be as close to well off as anybody around," Spurrier said.

As well off as the Rams? The Packers? The 49ers? The Patriots? The Titans? Is this some kind of joke?

Pssssst.

Hey, Redskins fans, listen up.

Either Spurrier is really, really good at what he does or your team will end up in the swamp this season.

Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal writes an NFC column every week for ESPN.com.








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