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As announced yesterday Jim McElwain will pack up his Colorado State home and head to Florida. The new head coach will be formally introduced to the Gator Nation Saturday at a press conference. McElwain will be paid approximately $3.5 million per season with a six year contract.
With all the talk on settling the $7.5 million buyout— which Florida agreed to pay $3 million over six years to Colorado State as well as a future game with a $2 million guarantee between 2017 and 2020– it might be time to get some insight on what McElwain can bring.
Former Gator and SEC Network analyst Tim Tebow likes the hire.
“I think he’s got a good offensive mind and I think he’s someone that continues to grow. If you look at his offenses and what they do, it’s not just hey this is what we did in 08′, 09′, and 2010 at Bama; it’s continuing to grow and I think you always have to have that mindset to be a successful coach,”Tebow said.
McElwain was previously the offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach at Alabama from 2008-2011, and helped the Tide win two national titles.
McElwain is in his third season with Colorado State leading his team to wins in 16 of their last 20 games. In the three seasons prior to McElwain’s arrival the team had lost 27 of 36.
Former Gator and ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer also likes the hire by Florida.
“Jim McElwain has shown that he’s been a very good coach in a little amount of time at Colorado State. So a guy that’s young, that’s going to be energetic, and that obviously having coached at Alabama– is familiar with recruiting in the SEC–and who’s also an offensive mind, I think Gator fans have a reason to be very hopeful for this hire,” he said.
Despite preparing for an ACC Championship Game Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher took some time to congratulate McElwain.
“Jim’s a great guy… he’s a heck of a football coach so I mean, they weren’t going to get a bad one. So good job, they’re going to have good players, and he’ll do a good job coaching. He’s had a lot of success in his past, and congratulations to him,” said Fisher.
