Biloxi, Miss. ? He was the big draw for SEC Media Days, the guy everybody wanted to hear.

It almost was a disappointment, however, when Steve Spurrier hedged his bets. He insisted South Carolina had a long way to go. It seemed his wise-cracking ways from his amazing 12-year run at Florida were a thing of the past. Maybe the NFL had humbled him a little, after all.

Then again, maybe not.

Just before Spurrier left the podium that day in Hoover, Ala., he offered a wry grin and gave the 300 or so reporters on hand a history lesson in South Carolina football, not to mention the Chinese Zodiac.

“We were 6-0 in the ACC in 1969, the Year of the Rooster,” Spurrier said. “Anyway, ’05 is the Year of the Rooster. So don’t bet too much against the Gamecocks, even though we’re underdogs … we have the Rooster on our side.”

The Year of the Rooster, if nothing else, has produced the SEC Coach of the Year. It isn’t even close.

Spurrier dominated at Florida with superior talent and a keen intellect to translate that talent into results.

That was impressive. What he’s done in just 11 months at South Carolina is nothing short of astounding.

Spurrier has taken a team with little speed on defense, an improving quarterback in Blake Mitchell and a brilliant freshman in wideout Sidney Rice and made the Gamecocks viable again.

South Carolina pretty much completed the transformation Saturday, when the Gamecocks stunned Florida, 30-22, at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Florida had more speed, more depth and a lot more to lose.

South Carolina had pluck, and Spurrier.

The Gators’ comeback hopes were dashed when they had 12 men on the field in a punting situation. The penalty allowed South Carolina to retain possession and run out the clock.

South Carolina actually still is in the hunt for the SEC championship game, although it would take something approaching a natural disaster – namely, a Georgia loss to Kentucky – for that to happen. Doesn’t matter.

The Gamecocks were embarrassed in the third week of the season, losing, 37-14, to Alabama at home, and when they got buried by Auburn two weeks later, they were 0-3 in the SEC.

Beware the wounded rooster.

South Carolina had no trouble with Kentucky, and outlasted Vanderbilt and Jay Cutler (hope he gets to play with a real team in the NFL) before slipping past Phil Fulmer and Tennessee, 16-15, in Knoxville.

The Gamecocks knocked off Arkansas on the road, then handled Florida, which prompted Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel to chide Urban Meyer, the Gators’ first-year coach. Among others.

Penned Bianchi: “How does it feel, Gators? How does it feel to be Ray Goff … How does it feel to be Curly Hallman, Bill Curry, Brad Scott and Gerry DiNardo?

“Now the Florida Gators are just like every other coach, player and program that has felt the guile and style of Stephen Orr Spurrier.

“This one hurts most of all because it was Spurrier, the ultimate Gator, tearing apart the very program he put together. This was college football fratricide … Daddy just burned down the family house.”

Next thing I did – besides look up fratricide in the dictionary, that is – was scan the latest line for Saturday’s grudge match between South Carolina and Clemson, which also will be played on the Gamecocks’ home turf.

Vegas made Clemson a slight favorite.

Me, I’m following Spurrier’s advice, albeit 3 1â2 months later.

They’ve got the Year of the Rooster on their side. And the best college football coach of this generation, too.