“They do not want to pay (Helfrich’s) buyout if they don’t have someone to make a splash,” another said.
Whether it’s a homerun or a cannonball can be debated, but the name that suddenly everyone — industry sources and media members, alike — seems to be talking about is Florida coach Jim McElwain.
A general rule this time of year: If everyoneÂ’s talking about the same person, itÂ’s either imminent - or itÂ’s B.S., likely an attempt to leverage an extension and raise.
Lean toward the latter, but the possibility remains that McElwain and UF are not a snug fit, a relationship perhaps made more complicated by the arrival of a new athletic director.
McElwain is 18-7 with two SEC East titles in his first two seasons in Gainesville. Florida plays No. 1 Alabama this week in Atlanta. Florida’s defenses have been outstanding, and the team’s offenses have proven so far to be as stagnant as Will Muschamp’s were — despite that McElwain, formerly Nick Saban’s OC at Alabama, has had offensive success wherever he’s been. Forecasting toward 2017, a perceived talent drain on the defensive side could theoretically make this a good time for a move.
Plus, those industry sources remind us that McElwain is a West Coast guy. The 54-year-old grew up in Montana and played quarterback at Eastern Washington. He won 22 games in three seasons at Colorado State before being lured away by then-Florida AD Jeremy Foley. Foley retired and was replaced earlier in the month by Scott Stricklin, formerly at Mississippi State.
