Elliott steps in for Spurrier

Steve Spurrier knew it was time. South Carolina was struggling and the gregarious and once innovative coach believed he needed to step aside.

Spurrier, 70, resigned as Gamecocks coach Tuesday, resisting pleas from the University of South Carolina president to stay through the season.

“You can’t keep a head coach as long as I have [coached] when it’s heading in the wrong direction,” Spurrier said.

The Gamecocks have struggled at 2-4 and are 0-4 in the Southeastern Conference for the first time in Spurrier’s 23 seasons in the league.

Interim Coach Shawn Elliott said his job was to help the team move forward.

“Our team is not in shambles, as some might say,” he said after Spurrier left the podium. “Not sure the change is what they’ve needed, but the change is what they’ve got.”

Athletic Director Ray Tanner said he would form a search committee and hire a firm to help identify candidates going forward. Tanner said Elliott would be a candidate to earn the full-time job.

Strong finish

Chris Stone and Justin Clifton scored defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter and Arkansas State (3-3, 2-0 Sun Belt Conference) had 29 straight points in a 49-31 victory over South Alabama (3-3, 1-1) on Tuesday. Arkansas State trailed, 31-20, early in the fourth before Tres Houston caught a 38-yard pass in the end zone to start the comeback.

On South Alabama’s next offensive play, Cody Brown intercepted Cody Clements’ pass under pressure and Johnston White capped a 43-yard drive with a short touchdown run to give Arkansas State its first lead since early in the second quarter.

Three plays later, Stone recovered a fumble in the end zone and, four plays after that, Clifton returned an interception 37 yards.

Iowa loses a star

Coach Kirk Ferentz of No. 17 Iowa confirmed that star defensive end Drew Ott was lost for the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

“It’s a big void. But this team has done a good job of handling adversity,” Ferentz said.

Iowa (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten Conference) is down five opening-day starters ahead of Saturday’s West Division showdown at No. 20 Northwestern (5-1, 1-1).

Ott is sixth in the Big Ten with 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Parker Hesse ,a 240-pound freshman who was a linebacker as a redshirt last season, will get the start in place of Ott.

Tuttle injured

Tennessee defensive tackle Shy Tuttle will miss the rest of the season with a broken fibula and torn ankle ligament. Tuttle was injured Saturday in a 38-31 victory over Georgia. He played in each of Tennessee’s first six games and had 10 tackles and one fumble recovery.

Coach Butch Jones said the freshman “really had developed into one of our playmakers on defense.”

Tennessee (3-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) has this week off before playing at No. 10 Alabama (5-1, 2-1).