In a sudden turn of events on Monday, legendary college football coach Steve Spurrier has told his South Carolina players that he will be retiring effective immediately. 

The decision to retire comes on the heels of a 45-24 loss to the LSU Tigers. According to reports, an interim head coach will be named Wednesday.  

Spurrier, who has spent the last decade at South Carolina, is one of the most decorated and highly regarded football coaches in the history of the game. Over his coaching career that has spanded five decades, Spurrier made eight different stops including two stops in the ranks of professional football.

Spurrier broke into the coaching ranks in 1978 as the quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, the University of Florida. In 1979, Spurrier moved onto Georgia Tech taking over the same posistion before coming Duke's offensive coordinator from 1980-82.  In 1983, Spurrier made his first stop in the professional ranks as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. He would spend three seasons with the Bandits as the USFL folded prior to the 1986 season.

Spurrier would return to the college ranks in 1986, as he returned to Durham to become the Blue Devils head coach, a posistion he would hold until 1989.

In 1990, Spurrier would return to Gainesville to become the Gators head coach. Over his eleven seasons as the head coach of the Gators, Spurrier played in two National Championships, winning one in the 1996-97 season. The Gators also won six SEC championships under Spurrier and was named SEC Coach of the Year five times.

After his eleven successful years in Florida, Spurrier decided it was time to take a shot at the NFL with the Washington Redskins. Unfortunately, his time in the NFL was unsuccessful as the Redskins went just 12-20 over his first two years after signing a five-year, $25 million contract with the Redskins. 

In 2005, he returned to college football and the SEC as he became the South Carolina Gamecocks head coach. Over his first 10-years in Columbia, the Gamecocks never finished with a losing record and won one SEC East championship. Over his time the Gamecocks became a SEC and national power but were never able to get over the hill that the Florida Gators, Alabama Crimson Tide, and LSU Tigers were able to during his time at South Carolina. 

We will keep you updated on the story at USC.