Florida has changed the name of its football stadium to Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the school announced Thursday.
The stadium’s name change was voted on and approved by the university’s Board of Trustees, and was originally called Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
“I consider this to be the biggest, most special honor I have ever received,” Spurrier said in a release.
Spurrier played at Florida from 1963-66 where he started at quarterback, eventually becoming head coach from 1990-2001.
In 12 seasons as coach, Spurrier led the Gators to six Southeastern Conference Championships, a national championship in 1996 and was named the SEC Coach of the Year five times.
His 122-27-1 record at Florida ranks as the most wins of any coach in Florida’s history.
“We feel this was an appropriate way to commemorate one of the most legendary figures in Gator athletics history,” athletic director Jeremy Foley said in a release.
Contact Ian Cohen at icohen@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @icohenb
FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2000, file photo, Florida head coach Steve Spurrier is carried off the field by Mike Pearson (71), Kenyatta Walker (78) and Gerard Warren (61) after the Gators downed Auburn 28-6 in the SEC Championship NCAA college football game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Florida is renaming its football field after former coach Steve Spurrier. The university's board of trustees approved the change Thursday, June 9,2016, making it Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
