Jim McElwain

Last updated

Jim McElwain
Jim McElwain.png
McElwain in 2016
Current position
TitleSpecial assistant to athletic director
Team Central Michigan
Conference MAC
Biographical details
Born (1962-03-01) March 1, 1962 (age 62)
Missoula, Montana, U.S.
Alma mater Eastern Washington (1984)
Playing career
1980–1983 Eastern Washington
Position(s) Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1985–1986 Eastern Washington (GA)
1987–1994Eastern Washington (QB/WR)
1995–1999 Montana State (OC/WR/ST)
2000–2002 Louisville (WR/ST)
2003–2005 Michigan State (AHC/WR/ST)
2006 Oakland Raiders (QB)
2007 Fresno State (OC/QB)
2008–2011 Alabama (OC/QB)
2012–2014 Colorado State
2015–2017 Florida
2018 Michigan (WR)
2019–2024 Central Michigan
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2025- Central Michigan (Special Asst. to AD)
Head coaching record
Overall77–64
Bowls3–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 SEC Eastern Division (2015–2016)
2 MAC West Division (2019, 2021)
Awards
MWC Coach of the Year (2014)
SEC Coach of the Year (2015)
2× AFCA Regional Coach of the Year (2014–2015)
MAC Coach of the Year (2019)

James Frank McElwain [1] (born March 1, 1962) is an former American football coach. He was the head football coach at Central Michigan University, a position he held from 2019 to 2024. He announced his retirement at the end of the 2024 season and remained at CMU within the athletics department. McElwain served as the head football coach at the University of Florida from 2015 to 2017, and Colorado State University from 2012 to 2014, where he was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year in 2014. He was the offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama from 2008 to 2011.

Contents

Early life

McElwain was born in Missoula, Montana in 1962. [2] He played quarterback at Sentinel High School in Missoula where he was chosen as an all-state quarterback. [3] He then went on to play quarterback in college at Eastern Washington from 1980 to 1983, and he earned a degree in education. [3]

Coaching career

Early career

After graduating from Eastern Washington, McElwain stayed there as a graduate assistant and was eventually given the job of quarterbacks and receivers coach. [4] During his stint as a coach there from 1985 to 1994 his team made its way to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs twice and won the Big Sky championship in 1992 under head coach Dick Zornes. [5] From Eastern Washington, McElwain took an offensive coordinator position at Montana State. He enjoyed a successful career with the Bobcats from 1995 to 1999, and coached the offense to the number one scoring offense in the Big Sky Conference in 1998 with 31.6 points per game. [5]

McElwain's first coaching job in Division I-A football was at University of Louisville where he was the receivers and special teams coach from 2000 to 2002. [6] At Louisville, he tutored All-Conference USA receivers Arnold Jackson, Deion Branch, Damien Dorsey and Zek Parker. Also his special teams set a school record of nine blocked kicks in 2000–2001 season. He was then offered the assistant head coaching position at Michigan State when he followed Louisville's head coach John L. Smith there. [7] With the Spartans his coaching of the receivers and special teams helped lead them to the Alamo Bowl in his first season. [5]

Oakland Raiders

McElwain's coaching stint in the National Football League was brief. After his success at Michigan State, he was offered a job to be the quarterback coach for the Oakland Raiders. [8] He was with them for one year in which the Oakland Raiders ended the season 2–14. [7] When head coach Art Shell was dismissed following the season, so were several of the assistant coaches, including McElwain. [7]

Return to college football: Fresno State

In 2007, McElwain accepted a job to become the offensive coordinator at California State University, Fresno (Fresno State). [7] With the Fresno State Bulldogs, he built a powerhouse offense which ranked 38th in the country averaging 419.5 yards a game and 32nd in the nation in points per game with 32.9. [9] He helped lead the 2007 Fresno State team to a 9–4 record on the year including a win over Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl. [10] [11]

University of Alabama

On February 1, 2008, McElwain accepted an offer from Nick Saban to be the offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama. [12] In his first season as offensive coordinator, the Crimson Tide finished the regular season 12–0, before falling to the Florida Gators in the 2008 SEC Championship Game, and the Utah Utes in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

In 2009, McElwain's offense helped lead the Crimson Tide to a 12–0 regular season record. [18] The team went on to defeat the top-ranked team in the country, the Florida Gators, in the 2009 SEC Championship Game. [19] There his offense dominated the Gators' number one defense in the country and compiled 490 yards of offense, more than twice the yards the Gators defense had averaged giving up all year. McElwain's offense outrushed the Gators' offense 251 yards to 88 yards, 63 of those yards coming from the 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow. His offense put up 32 points and held on to the ball for 39 minutes and 37 seconds, almost twice the Gators total of 20 minutes and 23 seconds. [20] Alabama went on to beat the Texas Longhorns in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game. [21] In 2011, the Crimson Tide finished the season with a 12–1 record, and beat the LSU Tigers 21–0 in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game. [22] [23]

Colorado State

On December 12, 2011, sources revealed that McElwain had accepted the head coaching position with Colorado State. [24] [25] [26] A press conference was held at the Colorado State University Rams indoor practice facility on December 13, 2011, to officially announce the hiring. [24] [25] [26]

McElwain's tenure, dubbed by the school's athletic department as "A Bold New Era", began on a high note. [27] McElwain's Rams rallied from an 11-point deficit to defeat arch-rival Colorado 22–17 at Sports Authority Field in Denver on September 1. [28] McElwain became the first CSU coach to win his debut since Jerry Wampfler in 1970 and the first ever to win his debut against Colorado. [29] The momentum did not last long though as CSU suffered a 22–7 setback in their home opener one week later to defending FCS National Champion North Dakota State, the start of a six-game losing skid. [30] The program showed improvement towards the end of the season, winning three of their final five games to finish 4–8 in McElwain's first season. [31]

McElwain's second season with CSU was much more successful. CSU began the season losing their first two games against Colorado and Tulsa, both of which they had led in the fourth quarter. [32] [33] However, CSU finished the season winning eight of its next 12 games. [34] McElwain finished his second season with a record of 8–6 after CSU's miraculous comeback win in the New Mexico Bowl against Washington State. [35]

McElwain's third season with CSU led to even greater accomplishments. The Rams defeated Colorado in the first game 31–17. [36] After a Week 2 loss at Boise State, [37] the Rams reeled off nine straight wins, climbing as high as #21 in the national rankings, and being in the conversation for a possible New Year's Day bowl bid. Those hopes were dashed, however, in their final regular season game at Air Force, when the Falcons hit a game-winning field goal as time expired, finishing CSU's regular season at 10–2. [38] [39] Notwithstanding this loss, the Rams were noted for a powerful offense throughout the year. Colorado State averaged 498 yards per game (13th best in the nation), while boasting the nation's second most efficient quarterback in Garrett Grayson and the top receiver by yards per game (149.1) and touchdowns (17) in Rashard Higgins. [40] Under McElwain, the Rams were one of only two "Group of 5" teams with victories in 2014 over two Power 5 conference teams, defeating both Colorado and Boston College. [41]

As a result of the successful transformation of the program, McElwain was named the Mountain West Conference's coach of the year on December 2, 2014. [42]

University of Florida

McElwain was hired as head coach of the University of Florida Gators in December 2014 by athletics director Jeremy Foley. [43]

The Gators won in McElwain's debut on September 5, 2015, against New Mexico State by a score of 61–13. [44] McElwain led the Gators to a 6–0 start, [45] which included a 38–10 upset against No. 3 Ole Miss that moved the Gators to #11 the following week. [46] The Gators' regular season record under McElwain was 10–2. [47] After the suspension of quarterback Will Grier, the Gators lost to LSU 35–28. [48] McElwain led the Gators to their first SEC Eastern Division championship since 2009 with a 9–7 win over Vanderbilt, becoming the first coach to win an SEC Eastern Division championship in his first year. [49] [50] After clinching the SEC Eastern Division championship, the Gators suffered consecutive blowout losses to Florida State in the regular season finale, to Alabama in the SEC Championship, and to Michigan in the Citrus Bowl, by a combined score of 97–22. [51] [52] [53]

McElwain was named the 2015 SEC Coach of the Year in his first season as the head coach of Florida. [54]

McElwain won a second consecutive Eastern Division title in 2016. [55] However, that season saw a second-half collapse against Tennessee and blowout losses to Arkansas, Florida State, and Alabama in the SEC Championship. [56] [57] [58]

Florida started off the 2017 season with a 33–17 loss to Michigan. [59] After a narrow 26–20 victory over Tennessee off of a game-winning Hail Mary throw, [60] Florida defeated Kentucky 28–27 and Vanderbilt 38–24. [61] [62] On October 7, LSU defeated Florida 17–16. In the following game, Texas A&M defeated Florida 19–17. [63] [64]

During an October 23 press conference, McElwain alluded to death threats against himself and his players. Later that day, Florida officials revealed that McElwain offered "no additional details" about those threats. According to ESPN, this led school officials to seriously consider firing McElwain for cause. [65]

On October 28, the Gators played the rival Georgia Bulldogs. Before the game there were rumors that Florida officials were considering firing McElwain for cause, though Athletic Director Scott Stricklin stated there were no such discussions. [66] Florida lost to Georgia 42–7. [67] The next day (October 29), McElwain met with Stricklin and other university officials. At that meeting, school officials told McElwain that they intended to fire him for cause, and contended that they did not owe him a buyout because he failed to tell them about the alleged death threats. [68] Ultimately, Florida and McElwain mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately. [69] Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon served as interim coach for the remainder of the season. [70]

According to a post-mortem by ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Edward Aschoff, relations between McElwain and the administration had been rather strained from the time McElwain arrived on campus. The relationship became even chillier when McElwain frequently criticized the state of the program and the administration's commitment to him. School officials interviewed by ESPN said that McElwain had been "an odd fit" for Florida from the start, and didn't seem to understand "being part of a team." Reportedly, his comments about the supposed threats made it apparent that "this was not going to work." [68] His 34-game tenure in Gainesville was the shortest for a non-interim coach in more than 80 years. [71]

McElwain was also criticized for on-field results that came up well short of what Florida fans had come to expect. He had been hired not just to win games, but to fix an offense that had become among the weakest in the country under his predecessor, Will Muschamp. In Muschamp's final season, the Gators were 96th in the country in total offense. In McElwain's two-plus seasons, the Gators actually regressed, finishing 111th, 116th, and 112th (at the time of his firing). His teams only scored 30 or more points seven times in two-plus years. [71]

University of Michigan

On February 20, 2018, McElwain was named the wide receivers coach for the Michigan Wolverines. [72] On December 2, 2018, it was announced he would be leaving Michigan to become the next head coach at Central Michigan University. [73]

Central Michigan University

McElwain was announced as the 29th head football coach of the Central Michigan Chippewas on December 2, 2018. [74] McElwain took over a CMU program that had gone 1–11 in 2018 with no wins against FBS opponents. [75] [76] In his first season with the Chippewas, McElwain led the team to an 8–4 record, [77] and an appearance in the Mid American Conference Championship Game against the Miami Redhawks at Ford Field in Detroit where they lost 26–21. [78]

McElwain was named the Mid American Conference Coach of the Year. [79] On December 9, Central Michigan accepted an invitation to play in the New Mexico Bowl against the San Diego State Aztecs in which Central Michigan lost by a score of 48–11. [80] [81]

In 2020, the Chippewas played a conference-only schedule due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. [82] CMU finished with a 3–3 record, including a win over rival Eastern Michigan. [83]

McElwain and Central Michigan finished the 2021 season with a 9–4 record. [84] They finished as co-champions of the MAC West division, but would lose the tie breaker to Northern Illinois, who defeated the Chippewas 39–38 earlier in the season. [85] [86] Central Michigan defeated Washington State in the Sun Bowl by a score of 24–21. [87]

In the 2022 season, McElwain coached the team to a 4–8 record. [88] On July 24, 2022, he suffered a seizure, resulting in his few-day hospitalization and missing the MAC Media Day (July 26). [89] After the 2022 season, McElwain agreed to a three-year contract extension. [90] In the 2023 season, McElwain led the team to a 5–7 record. [91] On November 20, 2024, McElwain announced his intention to retire from coaching at the conclusion of the 2024 season. [92]

Personal life

Jim McElwain is married to Karen McElwain, and has two daughters, Johanna and Elizabeth, and one son, Jerrett. [3]

McElwain was radio personality Colin Cowherd's roommate in college at Eastern Washington. [93]

When the McElwains sold their home in Gainesville, Florida, they took a loss of roughly $400,000, which led to media jokes about McElwain taking another loss at Florida. However, this transaction was ultimately a favor to another family. A previous owner of their home had designed it to be accessible to wheelchair users, and the McElwains had converted an eight-car garage into a guest wing. The purchasers, medical equipment company CEO Rick Staab and his wife Michelle, have three children, with the oldest being a wheelchair user due to dystonia, and the second-oldest less seriously affected by the same condition. The Staabs were looking for a larger home, and Rick remembered attending a fundraiser at the McElwain house and realized that it would meet his family's unique needs. The Staabs planned to turn the converted garage, which included a wheelchair lift into the main house, into an apartment for their oldest child, and felt that the home could be a long-term home for the dystonia charity they had founded more than a decade earlier. Before the McElwains had even listed their home, Rick contacted their real estate agent and made an offer. The McElwains initially considered it a lowball offer, but once they learned that it came from the Staabs, they began discussing a sale, and closed on the transaction in early 2018. [94]

The McElwains' living arrangements at Jim's current post at Central Michigan are unique; they live in a barn a few miles from campus. Shortly after McElwain was hired, he attended a party at the home of the athletic director that was attended by many of the program's biggest donors, among them Chuck McGuirk, the namesake of CMU's basketball arena. When McGuirk asked the McElwains where they planned to live, they told him that they would like to live in a barn. Unknown to the McElwains at the time, McGuirk had purchased a farm a few miles from campus several years earlier that included a 6,000-square-foot barn, and he had thought about building living quarters on the lower level. The McElwains envisioned the barn as a meeting space for large groups in addition to a living space. When they visited the barn, they were sold on its potential, and McGuirk spearheaded the conversion of the barn into a combined home and meeting space. [95]

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs Coaches#AP°
Colorado State Rams (Mountain West Conference)(2012–2014)
2012 Colorado State 4–83–5T–6th
2013 Colorado State 8–65–33rd (Mountain) W New Mexico
2014 Colorado State 10–26–2T–2nd (Mountain) Las Vegas [a]
Colorado State:22–1614–10
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference)(2015–2017)
2015 Florida 10–47–21st (Eastern) L Citrus 2525
2016 Florida 9–46–31st (Eastern) W Outback 1314
2017 Florida 3–43–3 (Eastern) [b]
Florida:22–1216–8
Central Michigan Chippewas (Mid-American Conference)(2019–2024)
2019 Central Michigan 8–66–21st (West) L New Mexico
2020 Central Michigan 3–33–34th (West)
2021 Central Michigan 9–46–2T–1st (West) W Sun
2022 Central Michigan 4–83–5T–4th (West)
2023 Central Michigan 5–73–5T–4th (West)
2024 Central Michigan 4–82–6T–9th
Central Michigan:33–3623–23
Total:77–64
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth
  1. ↑ Did not coach bowl game
  2. ↑ McElwain was fired by Florida prior to the Missouri game. Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon served as interim coach for the remainder of the season

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Saban</span> American football coach (born 1951)

Nicholas Lou Saban Jr. is an American sportscaster and former professional and college football coach. He serves as an analyst for ESPN's College GameDay, a television program covering college football. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest football coaches of all time. Saban served as head coach of the National Football League (NFL)'s Miami Dolphins and at four universities: Louisiana State University (LSU), Michigan State University, the University of Toledo and most famously the University of Alabama, where he last coached from 2007 to 2023 and led the team to six national championships in nine championship appearances during that period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Shannon</span> American football player and coach (born 1966)

Randy Leonard Shannon is an American football coach and former player. He is the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for Florida State University, positions he has held since 2022. Shannon was the head coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010 and has served as an assistant coach for the National Football League (NFL)'s Miami Dolphins and several college teams, including stints as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes, the Florida Gators, and the UCF Knights. He won the Frank Broyles Award as the nation's top collegiate assistant coach while at Miami in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Whittingham</span> American football player and coach (born 1959)

Kyle David Whittingham is an American college football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at the University of Utah, a position he has held since 2005, and is the all-time leader in wins at Utah. Prior to becoming the head coach at Utah, Whittingham served as Utah's defensive coordinator for ten seasons. He was named head coach of Utah after Urban Meyer left for the University of Florida in 2004. He won AFCA Coach of the Year and the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award in 2008 after leading the 2008 Utah Utes football team to an undefeated season and a win in the 2009 Sugar Bowl over the 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football team. He and Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy are the second longest tenured FBS coaches, trailing only Kirk Ferentz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Nussmeier</span> American football player and coach (born 1970)

Douglas Keith Nussmeier is an American football coach and former player who is the quarterbacks coach for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played professionally as a quarterback in the NFL and Canadian Football League (CFL). Nussmeier played college football for the Idaho Vandals football, winning the Walter Payton Award as the most outstanding offensive player in NCAA Division I-AA. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 1994 NFL draft. He finished his playing career with the CFL's BC Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado State Rams</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Colorado State University

The Colorado State Rams are the athletic teams that represent Colorado State University (CSU). Colorado State's athletic teams compete along with 8 other institutions in the Mountain West Conference, which is an NCAA Division I conference and sponsors Division I FBS football. The Conference was formed in 1999, splitting from the former 16-member Western Athletic Conference. CSU has won nine MWC tournament championships and won or shared 11 regular season titles. Rams football teams won or shared the Mountain West title in 1999, 2000 and 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Kelly (American football coach)</span> American football coach (born 1961)

Brian Keith Kelly is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach at Louisiana State University (LSU), a position he has held since the 2022 season. Kelly served as the head football coach at Grand Valley State University from 1991 to 2003, Central Michigan University from 2004 to 2006, the University of Cincinnati from 2006 to 2009, and the University of Notre Dame from 2010 to 2021. He led the Grand Valley State Lakers to consecutive NCAA Division II Football Championships in 2002 and 2003. Kelly's 2012 Notre Dame team reached the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, while his 2018 and 2020 Fighting Irish teams made appearances in the College Football Playoff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimbo Fisher</span> American football coach (born 1965)

John James "Jimbo" Fisher Jr. is a former American college football coach who was most recently the head coach at Texas A&M from 2018 until 2023. Prior to that, he led Florida State to a BCS National Championship victory in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Mullen</span> American football coach (born 1972)

Daniel Mullen is an American former college football player and coach, and current television analyst with ABC and ESPN. He served as the head football coach at Mississippi State University from 2009 to 2017 and the University of Florida from 2018 until 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butch Jones</span> American football coach (born 1968)

Lyle Allen "Butch" Jones Jr. is an American football coach who is currently the head coach at Arkansas State University. Jones previously served as a special assistant to the head coach and offensive analyst at the University of Alabama from 2018 to 2020, the head coach at the University of Tennessee from 2013 to 2017, the University of Cincinnati from 2010 to 2012 and Central Michigan University from 2007 to 2009. A Michigan native, he played college football at Ferris State University as a running back and wide receiver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Bobo</span> American football player and coach (born 1974)

Robert Michael Bobo is an American college football coach who is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Georgia, his alma mater. He was the head coach at Colorado State from 2015 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado State Rams football</span> American college football team

The Colorado State Rams football program represents Colorado State University and is a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference. The Rams have long-standing rivalries with Colorado, Wyoming, and Air Force. The team is currently led by head coach Jay Norvell, who was hired in December 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Fickell</span> American football player and coach (born 1973)

Luke Joseph Fickell is an American football coach and former player. He is the current head coach at the University of Wisconsin. Previously he was the head coach at the University of Cincinnati, a position he held from 2016 through 2022. Fickell played college football as a nose guard at Ohio State University from 1993 to 1996 and then was an assistant coach for the Buckeyes. He was interim head coach at Ohio State for the entire 2011 season.

The 2015 Birmingham Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 3, 2015 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States. The ninth annual Birmingham Bowl saw the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference defeat the East Carolina Pirates of the American Athletic Conference by a score of 28–20. The game started at 11:00 a.m. CST and aired on ESPN. It was one of the 2014–15 bowl games that concluded the 2014 FBS football season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Florida Gators football team</span> American college football season

The 2015 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gators competed in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the university's campus in Gainesville, Florida. The 2015 season was their first under head coach Jim McElwain. The Gators finished a surprising 7–1 in the SEC regular season, earning a berth in the 2015 SEC Championship Game, but ended the season with an overall record of 10–4 after losses in the SEC championship and Citrus Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Florida Gators football team</span> American college football season

The 2016 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Gators played their home games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by second-year head coach Jim McElwain. They finished the season 9–4, 6–2 in SEC regular season play to represent the Eastern Division in the SEC Championship Game where they lost to Alabama. They were invited to the Outback Bowl where they defeated Iowa.

The history of Florida Gators football began in 1906, when the newly established "University of the State of Florida" fielded a football team during its first full academic year of existence. The school's name was shortened to the University of Florida in 1908, and the football team gained the nickname "Gators" in 1911. The program started small, usually playing six to eight games per season against small colleges and local athletic club teams in north Florida and south Georgia. The Orange and Blue developed early rivalries with the Stetson Hatters from nearby Deland and Mercer Bears from Macon. During the 1910s, Florida began playing a wider range of opponents from more established football programs across the southeastern United States and faced off against several future rivals - such as Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, and Auburn - for the first time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 149th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The regular season began on August 25, 2018, and ended on December 8, 2018. The postseason began on December 15, and aside from any all-star games that were scheduled, concluded on January 7, 2019, with the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The Clemson Tigers won the title game over the Alabama Crimson Tide, the school's third national title and second in three years, and also becoming the first team since the 1897 Penn Quakers to have a perfect 15-0 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Napier</span> American football coach (born 1979)

William Hall Napier is an American football coach currently serving as head coach at the University of Florida. From 2017 until 2021, he was head coach at the University of Louisiana, amassing a 40–12 record in four seasons with three consecutive 10+ win seasons and two seasons finishing in the AP Poll, both firsts in the program's history. Prior to Louisiana, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arizona State University in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Central Michigan Chippewas football team</span> American college football season

The 2019 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Jim McElwain and played their home games at Kelly/Shorts Stadium as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Central Michigan Chippewas football team</span> American college football season

The 2023 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Jim McElwain and played their home games at Kelly/Shorts Stadium as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). They finished the season 5–7 and 3–5 in conference play

References

  1. ↑ Hall, Graham (September 4, 2015). "Expecting Perfection: Jim McElwain prepared for his first season at UF | Sports | alligator.org". Alligator.org. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018.
  2. ↑ Gogola, Frank (July 2, 2020). "Where Are They Now: Jim McElwain carries lessons from Missoula, Big Sky Conference on winding journey as football coach". 406 MT SPORTS. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "McElwain Joins NFL coaching ranks". MSUSpartans.com. March 2, 2006. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  4. ↑ George, Dave (December 3, 2014). "Who is new Florida football coach Jim McElwain?". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Player bio: Jim McElwain". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  6. ↑ Smits, Garry (October 27, 2015). "First taste of game for McElwain". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Kusek, Joe (May 16, 2007). "Montana native Jim McElwain at Fresno State after year in NFL". Billings Gazette. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  8. ↑ Frei, Terry (November 10, 2014). "CSU Rams coach Jim McElwain has fond memories of year with NFL Raiders". The Denver Post. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  9. ↑ "2007 Fresno State Bulldogs Stats". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  10. ↑ "2007 Fresno State Bulldogs Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Humanitarian Bowl – Georgia Tech vs Fresno State Box Score, December 31, 2007". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kusek, Joe (March 11, 2008). "McElwain's nomadic life finds him in Alabama". Billings Gazette. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  13. ↑ Varney, James (March 11, 2008). "Alabama Coach Nick Saban still displeased with conclusion of 2008 season". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans: NOLA.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  14. ↑ "2008 Alabama Crimson Tide Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  15. ↑ "2008 Southeastern Conference Year Summary". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Florida vs Alabama Box Score, December 6, 2008". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Sugar Bowl – Utah vs Alabama Box Score, January 2, 2009". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  18. ↑ "2009 Alabama Crimson Tide Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Florida vs Alabama Box Score, December 5, 2009". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  20. ↑ Estes, Gentry (December 6, 2009). "It wasn't close: Tide wins SEC Championship to secure team's shot at national title". Press-Register. Mobile, AL. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  21. ↑ Thamel, Pete (January 8, 2010). "Alabama Returns to the Top". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  22. ↑ "2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  23. ↑ Thamel, Pete (January 10, 2012). "Taking the Rematch, and the Title". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  24. 1 2 Dempsey, Chris (December 12, 2011). "CSU to name Alabama's Jim McElwain new head football coach, sources say". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  25. 1 2 Schlabach, Mark (December 12, 2011). "Jim McElwain in as CSU coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  26. 1 2 Gould, Izzy (December 12, 2011). "Jim McElwain to be named head coach at Colorado State". AL.com. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  27. ↑ Ramsey, David (September 28, 2012). "McElwain hopes to deliver new era at CSU". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  28. ↑ Benton, Jim (September 6, 2012). "CSU starts McElwain era with big win". Arvada Press. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Jim McElwain wins coaching debut for Colorado St". ESPN.com. Associated Press. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  30. ↑ "North Dakota State at Colorado State Box Score, September 8, 2012". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  31. ↑ "2012 Colorado State Rams Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Colorado vs Colorado State Box Score, September 1, 2013". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Colorado State at Tulsa Box Score, September 7, 2013". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  34. ↑ "2013 Colorado State Rams Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  35. ↑ "New Mexico Bowl – Washington State vs Colorado State Box Score, December 21, 2013". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Colorado State vs Colorado Box Score, August 29, 2014". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  37. ↑ "Colorado State at Boise State Box Score, September 6, 2014". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Colorado State at Air Force Box Score, November 28, 2014". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  39. ↑ "2014 Colorado State Rams Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  40. ↑ McMurphy, Brett; Reiss, Mike (December 2, 2014). "Florida AD talks to Jim McElwain". ESPN.com. Associated Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  41. ↑ "Colorado State rallies for 24–21 win over BC". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 27, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  42. ↑ "MWC Coach of the Year Winners". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  43. ↑ Low, Chris (December 4, 2014). "Florida hires CSU's McElwain as new coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  44. ↑ "Florida opens McElwain era with 61–13 rout of New Mexico St". USA TODAY. Associated Press. September 5, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  45. ↑ Dodd, Dennis (July 12, 2016). "Florida looks to take next step after feeling need to apologize for a 10-win season". CBSSports.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  46. ↑ "No. 23 Florida upsets No. 5 Ole Miss 38–10". USA TODAY. Associated Press. October 3, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  47. ↑ "2015 Florida Gators Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  48. ↑ Aschoff, Edward (October 12, 2015). "Florida QB Grier suspended 1 year after PED test". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  49. ↑ Hutchins, Andy (November 7, 2015). "Florida 9, Vanderbilt 7: The beautiful struggle". Alligator Army. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  50. ↑ Hutchins, Andy (November 7, 2015). "McElwain is first rookie coach to win SEC East". Alligator Army. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  51. ↑ "Florida State at Florida Box Score, November 28, 2015". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  52. ↑ Glier, Ray (December 6, 2015). "Alabama, Led by Jake Coker, Claws to Verge of College Football Playoff". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  53. ↑ "Michigan Pounds Florida in Citrus Bowl; Tennessee Routs Northwestern in Outback". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 2, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  54. ↑ Goldkamp, Thomas (December 9, 2015). "Jim McElwain Named 2015 SEC Coach of the Year". 247Sports. Archived from the original on May 19, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  55. ↑ Johnson, Richard (November 19, 2016). "Florida beats LSU on this goal-line stand and wins the SEC East again". SBNation.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  56. ↑ Lay, Ken (September 22, 2022). "A look at Tennessee's 2016 win against Florida". Vols Wire. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  57. ↑ "2016 Florida Gators Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  58. ↑ Tracy, Marc (December 5, 2016). "In College Football Playoff, Towering Antihero Is Joined by a Steadfast Supporting Cast". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  59. ↑ "Florida vs Michigan Box Score, September 2, 2017". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  60. ↑ Rutherford, Nathanael (September 16, 2017). "Vols Lose on Hail Mary Revenge, Florida Wins 26–20". Rocky Top Insider. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  61. ↑ "Florida at Kentucky Box Score, September 23, 2017". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  62. ↑ "Vanderbilt at Florida Box Score, September 30, 2017". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  63. ↑ "LSU at Florida Box Score, October 7, 2017". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  64. ↑ Roberts, Rush (October 14, 2017). "Texas A&M 19, Florida 17: The Beautiful Ugly Win". Good Bull Hunting. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  65. ↑ Aschoff, Edward; Schlabach, Mark (October 28, 2017). "Sources: Florida discussing McElwain buyout". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  66. ↑ Barnett, Zach (October 28, 2017). "Report: Florida looking to fire Jim McElwain for cause". Footballscoop. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  67. ↑ Baker, Matt (October 28, 2017). "A 42–7 loss to No. 3 Georgia caps brutal week for Florida". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  68. 1 2 Aschoff, Edward; Schlabach, Mark (November 7, 2017). "Inside Jim McElwain's final days at Florida". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  69. ↑ "McElwain, UAA Mutually Agree to Part Ways". Florida Gators Athletics. October 29, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  70. ↑ Bieler, Des (October 29, 2017). "Florida decides to 'part ways' with coach Jim McElwain; Randy Shannon promoted". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  71. 1 2 Bianchi, Mike (October 30, 2017). "Gators, Jim McElwain part ways because coach couldn't do what Scott Frost has done at UCF". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  72. ↑ Ablauf, Dave; Shepard, Chad (February 20, 2018). "McElwain Joins Michigan Football Staff as Wide Receivers Coach". University of Michigan Athletics. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  73. ↑ Baumgardner, Nick (December 2, 2018). "Michigan football assistant Jim McElwain hired to coach Central Michigan". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  74. ↑ "McElwain Named 29th CMU Head Football Coach". Central Michigan University Athletics. December 2, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  75. ↑ "2018 Central Michigan Chippewas Stats". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  76. ↑ "2018 Central Michigan Chippewas Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  77. ↑ "2019 Central Michigan Chippewas Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  78. ↑ "Miami (OH) vs Central Michigan Box Score, December 7, 2019". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  79. ↑ "MAC Coach of the Year Winners". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  80. ↑ "New Mexico Bowl – Central Michigan vs San Diego State Box Score, December 21, 2019". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  81. ↑ Jimenez, James H. (December 8, 2019). "CMU to play SDSU in 2019 New Mexico Bowl". HustleBelt.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  82. ↑ Kercheval, Ben (September 25, 2020). "MAC votes to play college football this fall with a six-game season starting Nov. 4". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  83. ↑ "2020 Central Michigan Chippewas Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  84. ↑ "2021 Central Michigan Chippewas Stats". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  85. ↑ "Northern Illinois at Central Michigan Box Score, October 23, 2021". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  86. ↑ "2021 Mid-American Conference Year Summary". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  87. ↑ "Sun Bowl – Washington State vs Central Michigan Box Score, December 31, 2021". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  88. ↑ "2022 Central Michigan Chippewas Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  89. ↑ Hutchinson, Derick (July 26, 2022). "Central Michigan football coach Jim McElwain announces he had seizure over weekend". WDIV-TV . Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  90. ↑ Colores, Ryan (February 2, 2023). "CMU head football coach Jim McElwain agrees to three-year contract extension". Central Michigan Life. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  91. ↑ "2023 Central Michigan Chippewas Schedule and Results". Sports Reference.com. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  92. ↑ Dodd, Dennis (November 20, 2024). "Jim McElwain retires: Central Michigan coach's 40-year career included stops at Florida, Colorado State". CBS Sports . Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  93. ↑ Litman, Laken (December 4, 2014). "5 things to know about Florida's new coach Jim McElwain". For The Win. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  94. ↑ Baker, Matt (April 6, 2018). "The real reason ex-Gators coach Jim McElwain took a loss on his Florida home isn't so funny". Tampa Bay Times . Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  95. ↑ Rittenberg, Adam (May 21, 2019). "'Our head coach lives in a barn': Why Jim McElwain fits right in at CMU". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.