Steve Spurrier urges removal of Confederate flag from statehouse

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier joined the chorus of state figures supporting the removal of the Confederate flag from the Capitol grounds in Columbia on Tuesday.

Spurrier, who has been the head coach of the Gamecocks since late in 2004, is just the latest leader of the University to join the call to action, following the lead of South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner and basketball coach Frank Martin, who each tweeted their opposition to the flag following the death of nine African-Americans in a historically black church in Charleston on Thursday.

The alleged gunman, Dylann Roof, posted pictures of himself with the Confederate flag online.

But Spurrier's thoughts regarding the flag's placement at the state Capitol aren't a newfound opinion. In 2007, he said, "I don't really know anybody that wants it there, but I guess there are a lot of South Carolinians that do."

"I realize I'm not supposed to get in the political arena as a football coach," he said in a video that was featured on ESPN, "but if anybody were ever to ask me about that damn Confederate flag, I would say we need to get rid of it. I've been told not to talk about that. But if anyone were ever to ask me about it, I certainly wish we could get rid of it."

The Ole Miss athletic director also weighed in Tuesday via Twitter.