Former Florida Gators Head Coach Jim McElwain to Retire

The former Florida Gators head coach is calling it a career after six seasons at Central Michigan

The former Florida Gators head coach is hanging up the headset / Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Former Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain is reportedly retiring. Sources told CBS Sports that he is retiring on his own accord. 

Breaking: Jim McElwain is retiring at Central Michigan, sources tell CBS Sports. https://t.co/W5BEtfduKc

— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) November 20, 2024

CBS Sports also mentioned that McElwain recently became the subject of an NCAA investigation regarding Connor Stalions' perceived presence on the sidelines at last year's CMU opener against Michigan State. Stalions is known for his involvement in Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal. 

During his 12 seasons as a head coach in college football, about two and a half of them were spent leading the Florida Gators. 

His first two seasons were respectable. 

In year one, the Gators went 10-2 in the regular season and appeared in the SEC Championship Game (losing to Alabama 29-15) and the Citrus Bowl (losing to Michigan 41-7). Factor in the loss to Florida State, and they dropped their final three games to finish 10-4 on the year. They still finished 25th in the final AP Poll. 

Year two was similar with an 8-3 regular season - one game was canceled due to Hurricane Matthew. The Gators once again reached the SEC Championship Game, getting crushed by Alabama 54-16. They did win the Outback Bowl, stomping Iowa, 30-3 to finish 9-4 and 14th in the AP Poll that year. 

It all unraveled in 2017 when the Gators’ 3-1 start turned into an out-of-control slide. Following a three-game losing streak to fall to 3-4, McElwain was fired. 

But it was more than that that led to his ousting. Players had been suspended at the start of the year due to a misuse of funds at the school’s bookstore. Then came the alleged death threats that McElwain could not substantiate. They mutually agreed to part ways after the university informed him they were ready to terminate him for cause after not reporting the alleged death threats. 

We’re not getting into the shark thing. Feel free to google that on your own time, though. 

McElwain finished 22-12 overall in what was a rather strange tenure at the University of Florida. His 34-game stay at Florida was the shortest for a non-interim coach in 80 years.  

He has been the head coach at Central Michigan since 2019. At the time of this story’s publishing, he’s 33-35 overall as the head coach of the Chippewas with one bowl win coming in 2021 against Washington State in the Sun Bowl.