Former Gators RB Matt Jones was a Will Muschamp guy, which is probably what makes this story sting the most.
Recruited and signed by Florida in 2012 under Muschamp’s watch, Jones played three seasons for the former Gators coach before entering the NFL in 2015.
Now a member of the Washington Redskins, Jones was back in Gainesville on Tuesday to take in Florida’s pro day and practice.
Reporters asked him about second-year Florida coach Jim McElwain, and his response was pretty telling when he tried to compare him to Muschamp:
Matt Jones checked out UF practice: "I love Muschamp too, but I think McElwain is more calm, relaxed. And people respect him a little more."
— Landon Watnick (@LandonWatnick) March 22, 2016
Sorta interesting note from Matt Jones. Said of Jim McElwain: “Guys respect him more” than they did Will Muschamp.
— Phillip Heilman (@phillip_heilman) March 22, 2016
Ouch.
The first part about McElwain being more calm and relaxed is fine, because even Muschamp himself would probably acknowledge that McElwain is the more easy going of the two.
But the part about people respecting McElwain more than Muschamp has to hurt the new Gamecocks coach.
That kind of statement coming from one of his former players in comparison to a coach for which Jones has never even played is not exactly a ringing endorsement for the way he treated his players while at Florida.
Nick Cole is a former print journalist with several years of experience covering the SEC. Born and raised in SEC country, he has taken in the game-day experience at all 14 stadiums.
