Alabama had a lot to do with the downfall of so many SEC coaches, their dominance has played havoc with the win/loss records of so many teams. It will be interesting see who the Gators and Tennessee and Arkansas et al might go-after. There are only so many Urban Meyers or Nick Sabans available.
refresh my memory.....what was Mike Debose job before BAMA hired him as head coach?
Florida, Jim McElwain part ways; DC Randy Shannon named interim coach.
GAINESVILLE, Florida -- Gators and Jim McElwain have mutually parted ways after the football coach claimed family members and players received death threats last week, which the school was unable to verify.
McElwain's claims "created a different storyline and caused a lot of distractions," athletic director Scott Stricklin said at Sunday's news conference.
Strickland also added, "This is more than just wins and losses. I'll leave it at that."
Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon will serve as interim head coach. Shannon, who was Miami's head coach from 2007 to '10, was promoted to defensive coordinator in January.
The Gators are 3-4, 3-3 in the SEC and play at Missouri on Saturday (12 p.m. ET; ESPN2). Florida must win three of its last four games to become bowl eligible.
Stricklin said he met with McElwain on Sunday morning, and then UF officials initiated negotiations with McElwain's agent, Jimmy Sexton. The Gators advised Sexton that they intended to fire McElwain with cause and believed they owed him nothing because McElwain failed to alert university officials about the alleged death threats against his family and players, sources familiar with the negotiations told ESPN.
The school owed McElwain a buyout of $12.76 million under the terms of his contract, but it's believed he accepted much less to settle without going to court. Stricklin said the sides had reached an agreement, but it hadn't yet been signed and declined to reveal the settlement amount.
"This is a mutually agreed upon decision," Stricklin said.
Although Stricklin went out of his way to compliment McElwain during the news conference and called him a "great man," it's clear that last week's events were the final straw in a tenure that deteriorated quickly.
After failing to find any evidence to substantiate McElwain's claims of death threats being made, Florida administrators spent much of last week exploring whether they could fire him with cause to avoid paying him the full buyout.
Then the Gators were dismantled 42-7 by then-No. 3 Georgia on Saturday in Jacksonville. It was Florida's third straight loss.
Stricklin said McElwain didn't meet with Florida's players on Sunday.
McElwain, who was hired in December 2014, has a 22-12 record and won the SEC Eastern Division in back-to-back seasons, becoming the first SEC coach to make it to the SEC championship game in each of his first two seasons.
His 19 wins entering the 2017 season were the second most by any SEC coach in 2015 and '16. Those 19 wins tied Steve Spurrier for the second-most victories by a Florida coach in his first two seasons.
But Florida's offense had struggled mightily in each of the past three seasons -- the Gators rank 113th in the FBS in scoring with 21.3 points per game and 111th in passing with 165.7 yards - and it has struggled to develop a quarterback.
Now the Gators are searching for their third head coach since 2011, and they'll be paying off McElwain and his successor, current South Carolina coach Will Muschamp, for a while. The Gators still owe Muschamp, their coach from 2011 to '14, about $1.5 million of a $6.3 million buyout.
"You like paying money to people who are currently working for you, right?" Stricklin said. "What's done is done and what's in the past is in the past."
Stricklin said Florida's search for a new coach would begin immediately, and in a "perfect world" he would have someone in place to have an impact on the Dec. 20-22 early signing period for college football.
Among the candidates who might be considered are former Philadelphia Eagles coach and current ESPN analyst Chip Kelly, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, UCF's Scott Frost, South Florida's Charlie Strong, Oregon's Willie Taggart and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy.
Mullen, 45, worked as Florida's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Urban Meyer from 2005 to '08 and helped the Gators win BCS national championships in 2006 and '08. He coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow at Florida and Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott at Mississippi State. Mullen has a 67-44 record in eight-plus seasons with the Bulldogs and has guided them to seven straight bowl games.
Stricklin was Mississippi State's athletics director from 2010 to '16 before leaving for Florida.
"When Florida has been really good, from a distance it has looked really fun," Stricklin said. "I want it to be really fun."
GAINESVILLE, Florida -- Gators and Jim McElwain have mutually parted ways after the football coach claimed family members and players received death threats last week, which the school was unable to verify.
McElwain's claims "created a different storyline and caused a lot of distractions," athletic director Scott Stricklin said at Sunday's news conference.
Strickland also added, "This is more than just wins and losses. I'll leave it at that."
Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon will serve as interim head coach. Shannon, who was Miami's head coach from 2007 to '10, was promoted to defensive coordinator in January.
The Gators are 3-4, 3-3 in the SEC and play at Missouri on Saturday (12 p.m. ET; ESPN2). Florida must win three of its last four games to become bowl eligible.
Stricklin said he met with McElwain on Sunday morning, and then UF officials initiated negotiations with McElwain's agent, Jimmy Sexton. The Gators advised Sexton that they intended to fire McElwain with cause and believed they owed him nothing because McElwain failed to alert university officials about the alleged death threats against his family and players, sources familiar with the negotiations told ESPN.
The school owed McElwain a buyout of $12.76 million under the terms of his contract, but it's believed he accepted much less to settle without going to court. Stricklin said the sides had reached an agreement, but it hadn't yet been signed and declined to reveal the settlement amount.
"This is a mutually agreed upon decision," Stricklin said.
Although Stricklin went out of his way to compliment McElwain during the news conference and called him a "great man," it's clear that last week's events were the final straw in a tenure that deteriorated quickly.
After failing to find any evidence to substantiate McElwain's claims of death threats being made, Florida administrators spent much of last week exploring whether they could fire him with cause to avoid paying him the full buyout.
Then the Gators were dismantled 42-7 by then-No. 3 Georgia on Saturday in Jacksonville. It was Florida's third straight loss.
Stricklin said McElwain didn't meet with Florida's players on Sunday.
McElwain, who was hired in December 2014, has a 22-12 record and won the SEC Eastern Division in back-to-back seasons, becoming the first SEC coach to make it to the SEC championship game in each of his first two seasons.
His 19 wins entering the 2017 season were the second most by any SEC coach in 2015 and '16. Those 19 wins tied Steve Spurrier for the second-most victories by a Florida coach in his first two seasons.
But Florida's offense had struggled mightily in each of the past three seasons -- the Gators rank 113th in the FBS in scoring with 21.3 points per game and 111th in passing with 165.7 yards - and it has struggled to develop a quarterback.
Now the Gators are searching for their third head coach since 2011, and they'll be paying off McElwain and his successor, current South Carolina coach Will Muschamp, for a while. The Gators still owe Muschamp, their coach from 2011 to '14, about $1.5 million of a $6.3 million buyout.
"You like paying money to people who are currently working for you, right?" Stricklin said. "What's done is done and what's in the past is in the past."
Stricklin said Florida's search for a new coach would begin immediately, and in a "perfect world" he would have someone in place to have an impact on the Dec. 20-22 early signing period for college football.
Among the candidates who might be considered are former Philadelphia Eagles coach and current ESPN analyst Chip Kelly, Mississippi State's Dan Mullen, UCF's Scott Frost, South Florida's Charlie Strong, Oregon's Willie Taggart and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy.
Mullen, 45, worked as Florida's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Urban Meyer from 2005 to '08 and helped the Gators win BCS national championships in 2006 and '08. He coached Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow at Florida and Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott at Mississippi State. Mullen has a 67-44 record in eight-plus seasons with the Bulldogs and has guided them to seven straight bowl games.
Stricklin was Mississippi State's athletics director from 2010 to '16 before leaving for Florida.
"When Florida has been really good, from a distance it has looked really fun," Stricklin said. "I want it to be really fun."
I agree Saban has set the bar high in the SEC. That's why he's earning $11,132,000 this year.
There could be as many as five head coaches replaced after the season. Some coaches who should get
strong consideration. Jeremy Pruitt, DC, Alabama.....Brent Venables, DC, Clemson.....Scott Satterfield,
HC, App State.....Chad Morris, HC, SMU.....Mike Bobo, HC, Colorado St......Neal Brown, HC, Troy.....
Scott Frost, HC, Central Florida.....Lane Kiffin, HC, Fla-Atlantic.....Bill Clark, HC, UAB
Got to think Florida will go after an offensive minded coach or the fans will go nuts. I've heard a lot of
talk about Kiffin and Ole Miss possibility.
mullen is the obvious, and most desirable candidate, and was the at the top of the wish list before the mcelwang hire. i have to believe that he is still at the top of the list and that stricklin will offer him everything under the sun, including spurrier's old jock strap, to get him to return to gainesville. whether he want to leave his comfort zone at miss st is another question and remains to be seen. as clover stated above, it has to be a successful offensive minded coach or they will literally hang stricklin and the entire admin outside the stadium.
Candy, Mullin makes close to $4.5 million with the Bulldogs. Let Florida throw a
$6-6.5 million contract at him and he would have to give it strong consideration.
Another coach who could get into the mix is VT's Justin Fuente. He did a great job
at Memphis State during his four years there and has the Hokies back in the hunt
in the ACC. The man can coach..............10-4 his first season and 7-1 so far this year.
Fuente makes $3,250,000 with VT.
$6-6.5 million contract at him and he would have to give it strong consideration.
Another coach who could get into the mix is VT's Justin Fuente. He did a great job
at Memphis State during his four years there and has the Hokies back in the hunt
in the ACC. The man can coach..............10-4 his first season and 7-1 so far this year.
Fuente makes $3,250,000 with VT.
i totally agree with you. this man has a proven success record at 2 schools and he is #2 on my wish list. they must choose a coach with a proven win record at a top 5 school and not at a lower tier school or a coordinator. they failed using that approach but, as i have stated before, that was foley who also hired ron zook.
Looking back, how did Florida pull-off the Urban Meyer hire; His roots are upper-Midwest (a Toledo, Ohio boy) and I'm still convinced he didn't fit-in culturally
in the South (i.e. Gainesville, Florida) and that is the underlying reason he left Florida (Health reasons ? Yeah, sure. If so, he made a remarkable recovery; He looked like he was in the best of health while on the sidelines last Saturday).
mack
you hit the nail right on the head and your comment on his recovery is hilarious. i still havent stopped laughing. he came from mormon utah to an area that is laden with talent and convicts. there were many rumors about cover ups and hush ups while he was there but the man is one helluva coach and the only one that i think is in the saban class right now. he is also a lying pos and the reason he left is because of the culture in gainesville with respect to the football program. his bs story about family discussions and his health was just to cover up the realization that he fell into a snake pit and didnt know how to get out of it truthfully. what is more insulting is that he pulled this crap twice while insulting everybody's intelligence.
Only guy in this list that ESPN has been spewing the short list is Frost. For the life of me, I can't imagine Mike Gundy, who is on that list, going to Florida. I'd bet serious money T. Boone would pony up anything a little above an offer, so I'm ruling that one out. They have Charlie Strong on the list also, I can't see that. Can't remember the other 2 or 3 names...check that, Mullen from Miss State was on their list. THAT one I could see. I'm not one to go back in history on this forum, but I know damn good and well I posted McElwain was not a good fit and I got lambasted for the post.
~T~
