The coach Tennessee fans loved to hate, the coach who beat and bedeviled his home state's highest-profile university for years, will be honored before the Vols spring game as the 2016 recipient of the Neyland Trophy.
Steve Spurrier, who as the coach of the Florida Gators in the 1990s consistently beat the Vols to reign supreme in the SEC East, marked that domination by suggesting once, "You can't spell Citrus without U-T."
The Citrus Bowl being the game Tennessee often ended up in while the Gators played for the SEC title, and more.
Spurrier's storied college football head coaching career included stops at Duke (1987-1989), Florida (1990-2001) and South Carolina (2005-2015), as he amassed an all-time record of 228-89-2, won seven conference championships (6 SEC, 1 ACC) and led the Gators to the 1996 National Championship.
Also to be honored: Brent Musburger, this year's recipient of the Lindsey Nelson Broadcasting Award.
Spurrier was a three-sport star in high school at Science Hill in Johnson City, Tenn.
The award presentation will take place Saturday, April 16, at the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame brunch at The Foundry in Knoxville.
Spurrier and Musburger will also be honored on the field later that afternoon in pregame ceremonies before Tennessee's annual DISH Orange & White Game.
