Former UF football coach Steve Spurrier signs books Saturday

Chris Yanes was 8 years old when he met Steve Spurrier for the first time.

On Saturday, he waited more than an hour to meet Spurrier again at the UF Bookstore in the Reitz Union, a copy of Spurrier’s book in hand. The 23-year-old said he was excited to see Spurrier back at UF.

“It’s the best thing to happen since the national championship in ’08,” the UF second-year architecture graduate student said. “He’s back home where he belongs.”

Spurrier signed copies of his new book, “Head Ball Coach: My Life in Football, Doing it Differently — and winning,” at the bookstore Saturday, where more than 800 people waited in line to take a picture with the former UF football coach and leave with his autograph.

Yanes, who pre-ordered the book, said he was already halfway through reading it.

“It’s one of the best reads I’ve seen in awhile,” he said.

A month’s worth of work went into putting together the event, said Bob Blake, the district director for UF bookstores. Out of the 1,000 copies the store ordered, 800 were sold that day.

“I think that proves what a successful event this has been,” he said.

Nathan Santa, 18, said the book signing would be his first time meeting Spurrier.

The UF finance freshman, who bought the $28 book specifically for Spurrier to sign, said the signed copy would be priceless.

“I would never even think of selling it,” Santa said. “It’s something I want to show my kids one day.”