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Jim McElwain says he’s happy to see defensive coordinator Geoff Collins take the head coaching job at Temple University.
GAINESVILLE — UF coach Jim McElwain has won back-to-back SEC East titles largely with the help of one of the nation’s top defenses.
McElwain now will have to replace the man who oversaw it, as well as many of the unit’s top players.
Despite the pending overhaul, McElwain said he is happy to see defensive coordinator Geoff Collins land the head coaching job at Temple University.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity for him and his family,” McElwain said. “It’s a place that’s really done a great job, and he’ll carry that on. He’s a guy that’s meant a lot to us — one of the first guys that I hired.”
The Gators have fielded a top-10 defense the past two seasons and enter the Jan. 2 Outback Bowl against Iowa ranked sixth nationally.
But UF will have a hard time continuing the success on defense in 2017. The Gators could lose more than seven starters, including at least three players who are expected to leave early for the NFL draft — cornerbacks Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson and tackle Caleb Brantley. Redshirt junior linebacker Alex Anzalone and junior nickel back Duke Dawson also could opt to bypass their senior seasons.
McElwain said each player has sought feedback from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, which will give the players an idea of where they might be drafted in April
Players then have until Jan. 18 to declare for the draft.
“We’ll sit down and meet with some of them after the bowl game as far as a direction and what they want to do,” McElwain said. “Just getting the information, not talk them in, talk them out — that’s not it. Just make sure they’ll be well informed so their handlers and their families kind of know what at least is out there.”
Another question swirling around McElwain’s defense is who will coach it during the Outback Bowl in Tampa.
The logical replacement is linebackers coach Randy Shannon, who “absolutely” will be considered, McElwain said. Shannon is the former head coach and defensive coordinator at Miami and serves as McElwain’s associate head coach.
McElwain said he would have a better idea by next week who will coach the defense.
Meanwhile, Collins will replace Matt Rhule at Temple. Rhule left last week to become head coach at Baylor.
Collins, who was linked to some head coaching jobs last offseason, received a $300,000 raise from UF. The pay bump made him one of the nation’s top-paid defensive coordinators, with $890,000 in salary.
“The guy’s a heck of a coach,” McElwain said last week. “They’re going to get a guy that motivates players, a guy that really understands the game and understands both sides of the ball — not just the defensive side.
“A relentless, competitive recruiter, and a guy that’s now been around at some places to see how he can establish his own kind of way of doing things.”
Whoever coaches the defense will open practices today without a full complement of players.
Freshman linebacker David Reese is the latest banged-up Gators’ defense. He injured his wrist Dec. 5 during a loss to top-ranked Alabama during the SEC title game.
Reese will be joined on the sideline by fellow linebacker Jarrad Davis (ankle), safety Nick Washington (ankle), end Antonneous Clayton (arm), end Bryan Cox Jr. (ankle) and Dawson (ankle). Left guard Martez Ivey (ankle) also will not be available to practice this week.
McElwain said he hopes some players will be able to recover in time for the Iowa game.
“I’ll know more on Monday,“he said. “It’s hard to say. Some of them are highankles, hopefully they’re shrinking to low ankles, but we’ll see.”