Jim McElwain out as Florida Gators football coach

With a three-game losing streak and questions about an off-field claim, Jim McElwain is out as head coach of the Florida Gators.

After a 3-1 start this season, the Florida Gators have lost three in a row to drop to 3-4. An uncompetitive 42-7 loss to Georgia on Saturday looked like a last straw for head coach Jim McElwain, amid talks of firing him with cause, and Zach Barnett of Football Scoop was first to report on Sunday that McElwain has been fired.

McElwain has made claims of death threats to his family and players, which have not yet been substantiated. Hence the talk of a firing with cause and Florida being able to avoid paying the full $12.76 million buyout to McElwain.

McElwain led the Gators to an SEC East title in each of his first two seasons, with a 22-12 record  including this year. But he has not delivered a turnaround offensively, due mostly to not finding a consistent quarterback. Of course Will Grier was essentially told to leave by McElwain after a performance-enhancing drug suspension, and he’s having a pretty good season at West Virginia.

Though it’s being offered with the relative nicety attached to a “parting of ways”, rest assured McElwain was on his way to being fired and the move was made now instead of at the end of the season.

Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon has been mentioned as the likely choice to take over as interim head coach for the Gators. Shannon was head coach at Miami from 2007-10 and has strong ties to “The U”

Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier may be an option too, but his closer association to McElwain and Florida’s offensive struggles could be factors that eliminate him.

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McElwain is probably leaving Gainesville with a solid portion of his buyout, with or without being officially dismissed for cause. So there will be no crying for him here or anywhere.