Florida Gators football: 5 candidates to replace Jim McElwain

Jim McElwain is gone, so here at five candidates to be the next coach of the Florida Gators.

After a 3-1 start this season, the Florida Gators fell to 3-3 with losses to LSU and Texas A&M by a combined total of three points. But after making unsubstantiated claims of death threats to his family and players, and a 42-7 loss to Georgia on Saturday, head coach Jim McElwain was fired on Sunday.

Two SEC East titles in as many seasons is just fine, as is a 22-12 record over two and-a-half seasons. But more is expected in Gainesville, particularly offensively, and McElwain did not deliver that.

With the draw of the SEC and a pretty football-focused athletic department, the Florida job will be a good one once the coaching carousel really starts to spin.

A solid group of candidates is already starting to emerge, but here are my top five candidates to be the next Florida Gators head football coach.

5. Randy Shannon

Aside from Saturday’s game against Georgia, the Gators have not had too many problems defensively. Even after allowing 42 points and 393 total yards (292 rushing) to the Bulldogs, they are still 40th in the county in total defense and 67th against the run. Shannon, in his first year as defensive coordinator at Florida, is now expected to be elevated to interim head coach.

Shannon has deep ties to the University of Miami, as a player, assistant coach and eventually head coach from 2007-2010 with a 28-22 record. Since then he has been linebackers coach at TCU (2012) and Arkansas (2013-2014) before landing at Florida under McElwain as linebackers coach in 2015.

Shannon may be able to earn a second chance as a head coach now. If that winds up being at Florida is probably out of his control, apart from wins and losses over the rest of the season, as other, bigger-named candidates surface.