Spurrier enters Hall of Fame

He is 4th elected as coach, player

Steve Spurrier’s success as both a player and coach for the Florida Gators never will be duplicated.

Monday, the College Football Hall of Fame recognized Spurrier’s singular achievement at the school by making him just the fourth person elected to the Hall as both a player and coach.

Spurrier, the 1966 Heisman winner, was inducted as a player in 1986 and now will headline the 2017 class for his accomplishments on the sideline.

Spurrier was a remarkable 122-27-1 during 12 seasons with the Gators (1990-2001) and 228-89-2 overall in 26 seasons as a head coach at the college level. This included three seasons at Duke (1987-89) and 11 at South Carolina (2005-15).

“To get inducted into the Hall of Fame is about as good as it gets,” Spurrier said on ESPN Monday morning.

Former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning will join Spurrier in the 2017 Hall of Fame, 20 years after the two squared off during some memorable Gators-Vols games.

The other 2017 inductees include San Diego State running back Marshall

Faulk, New Mexico linebacker Brian Urlacher, USC quarterback Matt

Leinart, Notre Dame linebacker Bob Crable, Michigan State receiver Kirk

Gibson, Texas offensive lineman Bob McKay, Texas A&M linebacker Dat

Nguyen, Georgia Southern running back Adrian

Peterson and Boston College defensive lineman Mike Ruth. Former Clemson coach Danny Ford and Mount Union’s Larry Kehres

were inducted as coaches. Spurrier will join Amos

Stagg, Bobby Dodd and Bowden Wyatt as the only men inducted as players and coaches. Spurrier is the first of the modern era, which began in 1960.

The honor continues quite a stretch for the 71-year-old Spurrier since he stepped down amid his 11th season at South Carolina in October 2015.

In June, UF renamed the field Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Spurrier’s teams were 68-5 on the field he nicknamed The Swamp.

Last summer, the school hired Spurrier to serve as an ambassador and consultant for the Gators athletic department.

Spurrier first arrived at UF in 1963 as a freshman quarterback from Johnson City, Tenn. More than 50 years later, he remains the face of Florida Gators football.

QB exits

Quarterback Mitch

Trubisky says he’s leaving North Carolina early to enter the NFL draft.

Trubisky announced his decision Monday in a story posted to The Players Tribune, saying it was “the most difficult decision of my life.”

In his only season as the Tar Heels’ starter, the junior ranked second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a school-record 3,748 yards passing while completing a league-best 68 percent of his passes and setting a program record by throwing for 30 touchdowns. He has been projected as a possible firstround pick.

The Tar Heels will lose their starting quarterback, their top three rushers and five of their top six receivers from 2016. Junior running back Elijah Hood also entered the draft pool last week.

The ACC Coastal Division will have numerous new quarterbacks leading offenses next season. Miami’s Brad Kaaya is among the other notable signal callers who won’t return next season.

JOHN RAOUX/AP Spurrier was a remarkable 122-27-1 during 12 seasons with the Gators (1990-2001) and 228-89-2 overall in 26 seasons as a head coach at the college level.