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Florida parts ways with coach Jim McElwain in middle of third season

McElwain's third year at Florida, however, has been filled with turmoil both on and off the field. The Gators are in the midst of a three-game losing streak after Saturday's loss to the rival Bulldogs, and several players are facing felony charges for fraud.
Oct 28, 2017; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain reacts during the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Florida announced Sunday evening that it has parted ways with Jim McElwain in the middle of his third season at the school.

The university said in a press release that it has "mutually agreed" to part ways with the 55-year-old coach.

Florida athletics director Scott Stricklin said during a Sunday night press conference that the sides reached an agreement in principle to settle McElwain’s hefty buyout, but he declined to reveal details until the deal is signed.

The move comes one day after the Gators fell to 3-4 after a 42-7 loss to Georgia. Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon will serve as the team's interim coach.

"We want to thank Coach McElwain for his efforts in leading the Gator football program," Stricklin said in a statement announcing the change earlier Sunday. "We are confident Coach Shannon will provide the proper guidance to the players and rest of staff during this time and we will begin a national search for the next head coach."

McElwain's departure caps a rapid descent for a coach who, until recently, wasn't even considered to be on the hot seat. He won 19 games and two SEC East titles in his first two seasons with the Gators after being hired from Colorado State. It took $7 million for Florida to pry McElwain from his former school, including $2 million for the Rams to play a non-conference game in Gainesville in 2018.

McElwain's third year at Florida, however, has been filled with turmoil both on and off the field. The Gators are in the midst of a three-game losing streak after Saturday's loss to the rival Bulldogs, and several players are facing felony charges for fraud.

There are a number of moving pieces still at play as Florida and McElwain discuss the financial terms of his departure.


According to a contract extension announced by the school in June, McElwain is due $2.5 million for every year remaining on his contract if he is fired without cause, which would result in a buyout of more than $13 million.

However, ESPN reported Saturday night that Florida was discussing the possibility of firing McElwain for cause following some of his comments last week. McElwain claimed his family and players had received death threats and, according to ESPN, the university has been unable to substantiate those claims.

“This (decision) is more than just wins and losses,” Stricklin said at his press conference. “I’ll just leave it at that.”

The Gators are also still paying former coach Will Muschamp, who was fired in 2014 and is now the head coach at South Carolina. The two teams will meet Nov. 11 in Columbia.

“I think fans sometimes look at hiring coaches kind of like you or I might look at going down to Best Buy and buying a 50-inch TV,” Stricklin said at his press conference. “You look at the side of the box and read all the specs and you open up the box and that’s what’s going to be in there. Personnel hirings are not quite like that. …

“These are figure-it-out kind of jobs. Every school is different. Every school is unique. Every school has its own set of strengths and challenges. There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to what’s going to be successful at every school. So you have to get somebody who’s smart enough to come in and figure out the puzzle at your particular school.”

“When Florida has been really good, from a distance, it has looked really fun and I want it to be really fun. Our fans, they deserve it to be really fun. I want our players and student-athletes to have a lot of fun, like this is a rewarding experience to come here and get a degree from a top-10 public university and to play at one of the storied football programs in the country.”

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