Steve Spurrier will retire as head coach of South Carolina effective immediately.

Spurrier is in his 11th season coaching South Carolina following his return from the NFL.

After South Carolina's decline in 2014, speculation swirled about Spurrier's future. He told The State, “Gimme two or three more [years],” a statement that hurt him in recruiting players who would be in college for up to five years. Spurrier later backtracked and called a press conference in July in which he said he'd stay at South Carolina for “five or six more years.”