The Unexpected Changes in Gator Country

Well Gator fans, somebody should have told you so. Jim McElwain is out as the Gators football coach as of this past Sunday, after a staggering 42-7 loss to the still undefeated Georgia Bulldogs, who now sit as the #1 team in the nation.

The Gators have gone onto a different direction, at least for now it seems like. With a 3-4 record in 2017, a handful of changes are occurring down south. The Gators still believe they are championship contenders, however, they are anything but that notion. Their offense is has been underwhelming to say the least, and their quarterback issue is only part of the problem at hand.

It all started with this past off-season, with the infamous photograph of McElwain allegedly on a shark. The later suspensions to the seven players before Florida’s game against Michigan was also another bump in the road, as things then continued to spiral downwards.

Considering McElwain has outstanding merits as a coach in the NCAA, the results in 2017 are somewhat shocking to an extent. Let’s face it; Florida has had a great run with reeling in superb coaching, and this time around should be no different. Teams joining Florida in the hunt for potential upgrades in the coaching department include the likes of Auburn, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and more are sure to be on the way.

In my perspective, Florida has no excuse to not bring in an elite coach. The SEC East is pretty much out of reach for them in 2017, so their focus should be getting to a Bowl if possible. Randy Shannon will have to right the ship for the rest of the way.

With three more wins, Florida has a shot to get a Bowl bid, but they only have four games remaining in 2017. As for McElwain, he should get another chance to coach in college football. Can Florida change things around in 2017 and aim for a Bowl bid, or are the Gators destined to go back to the drawing board for the 2018 campaign.