Football
Associated Press 18y

Spurrier hires two assistants, waits on Thompson

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier filled
two openings on his staff Friday, but he may have another vacancy
before too long.

Spurrier hired longtime Duke assistant Fred Chatham as tight
ends coach and promoted graduate assistant Robert Gillespie to
running backs coach. Spurrier also said co-defensive coordinator
John Thompson was on a leave of absence and would not be with South
Carolina (7-4) for its Independence Bowl matchup with Missouri on
Dec. 30.

"He's still officially listed as one of our coaches," Spurrier
said. "We're not looking for a replacement right now."

Thompson, the former East Carolina coach, was among the first
staffers hired after Spurrier took the South Carolina job last
year. Thompson shared the coordinator's title with Tyrone Nix, but
it was Thompson who called defensive signals for the first several
games.

As the Gamecocks' defense lagged, Spurrier turned defensive play
calling over to Nix. South Carolina won five straight, including
landmark wins over Tennessee and Florida, after the move was made.
Nix was recently promoted to assistant head coach.

Spurrier didn't discuss details of Thompson's time away. "We'll
see where it leads into January and go from there," Spurrier said.

Thompson also coached inside linebackers, a task that will go to
outside linebackers coach Ron Cooper.

The Gamecocks open bowl practice on Saturday.

Chatham spent 17 seasons at Duke, surviving four coaching
changes. Spurrier, then Duke coach, brought Chatham to the Blue
Devils in 1989 in time for the team's last Atlantic Coast
Conference title. Since then, Duke has made only one bowl
appearance (1994) and endured three 0-11 seasons.

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