Spurrier, Matthews to be honored at Walter Camp dinner
In preparation for its 57th National Awards Dinner, the Walter Camp Football Foundation has announced its Major Award recipients.
Steve Spurrier will receive the Distinguished American award, Pro Football Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews has been named the recipient of the Man of the Year and former Texas A&M and current Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Jake Matthews is the Alumni Award recipient.
The Major Award winners will be honored, along with the members of the 2023 Walter Camp All-America Team, Player of Year Jayden Daniels (LSU) and Coach of Year Kalen DeBoer (Washington; now at Alabama) at the Foundation’s 57th National Awards Dinner, presented by 777 Partners, on Saturday, March 16 in New Haven. National Awards Dinner tickets are $350.
A native of Miami Beach, Fla., Spurrier became known for his play at quarterback for the University of Florida and earned Walter Camp AllAmerica honors in 1966 after passing for 2,012 yards and 16 touchdowns for the 9-2 Gators. He also earned the Heisman Trophy for his efforts. Spurrier went on to play 10 seasons – as a quarterback and punter — in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He then went into coaching and served as an assistant at his alma mater Florida (1978), Georgia Tech (1979) and Duke (1980-82) before accepting the head coach position in the fledgling United States Football League for the Tampa Bay Bandits in 1983. He led the Bandits to two playoff appearances in three years before the league folded.
Spurrier returned to the collegiate ranks in 1987, serving as the head coach at Duke. He led the Blue Devils to two winning seasons in three years, including a bowl berth in 1989.
In 1990, he was named head coach at Florida and is credited for an innovative, wide-open passing game (known as “Fun-nGun”). Under his leadership, the Gators proceeded to win 122 games in 12 seasons, earned 12 bowl berths, and won six Southeastern Conference titles. Spurrier led Florida to the 1996 National Championship with a 5220 victory over Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
In 2002, he accepted the head coaching position with Washington in the NFL. In 2005, he returned to the collegiate game, assuming the head job at the University of South Carolina. He spent 11 seasons with the Gamecocks, leading them to 86 victories and nine bowl berths, including three straight 11win seasons from 2011 to 2013.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017, making him just one of four members to be inducted as both a player and coach. In 2016, the University of Florida renamed its home field, “Steve Spurrier Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.”
A 1982 Walter Camp All-American, Bruce Matthews was a standout for the USC Trojans, where he was a two-time AllPac-10 selection. He was selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers and proceeded to play 18 seasons before retiring prior to the 2002 season at age 40.
Beginning in 1988 and continuing through his final year, he was selected to the Pro Bowl each and every season. His 14 consecutive Pro Bowls (9 at guard, 5 at center) tied Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen for the most ever.
He is considered one of the most versatile offensive lineman to ever play in the NFL. Matthews was also named first-team AllPro nine times (1988-1993, 1998-2000) and All-AFC 12 seasons (1988-1993, 19952000). He was selected as a guard on the NFL’s All Decade Team of the 1990s.
In 2007, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His number 74 has been retired by the Tennessee franchise. In 2020, Matthews was named to the NFL 100 AllTime Team as one of the top 100 players of the first 100 years of the NFL.
A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Matthews comes from a football family. His father, Clay, played in the NFL in the 1950s. His brother, Clay, Jr., played 19 seasons in the NFL. Bruce and his wife, Carrie, have seven children, including this year’s Walter Camp Alumni Award winner Jake, the current starting left tackle for the Atlanta Falcons.
Born in Houston, Texas Jake Matthews attended Texas A&M University and was a four-year standout for the Aggies. He earned Walter Camp All-America honors in 2013 and was a two-time unanimous All-Southeastern Conference selection.
Selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round (6th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft, Matthews has played all 10 seasons with the Falcons. In 2016, Matthews and the Falcons reached Super Bowl LI, when they faced the New England Patriots. Following the 2018 season, Matthews earned his first Pro Bowl selection for his play at left tackle. Since 2015, Matthews has been a standard of consistency and durability – playing at least 1,000 snaps every season.