Florida Gators football: 5 candidates to replace Jim McElwain

GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 30: Florida Gators tight end C'yontai Lewis (80) celebrates a touchdown with fans during the game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Florida Gators on September 30, 2017 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field in Gainesville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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2. Bob Stoops

After a great run at Oklahoma (190-48 from 1999-2016), Stoops came out of nowhere to announce his retirement from coaching in June. That hasn’t stopped rumors attaching him to jobs though, including with the NFL’s Chicago Bears since he owns a home there, and Stoops is relatively young at 57 years old.

It would take a very unique situation to pull Stoops out of coaching retirement, and away from whatever ceremonial role he is maintaining at Oklahoma. But Florida might be just that situation, since Stoops was defensive coordinator under Steve Spurrier there from 1996-1998 before moving on to Oklahoma.

Stoops showed he knows how to cultivate offensive minds during his time at Oklahoma. Lincoln Riley of course stepped in as head coach there this year, but Mike Leach, Kevin Sumlin, Kevin Wilson and Jay Norvell also worked under Stoops in Norman and have gone on to become head coaches.

Besides his own willingness to take the job, which will be unclear unless or until he speaks either way about it, an offensive coordinator hire will definitely be the biggest key for Stoops at Florida. But finding a qualified man for that job should not be tough for someone of Stoops’ stature, and his own presence would set the Gators up for success on the level that became a custom when Spurrier was the head coach.

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