Florida coaching search update: Speculation and more speculation

As with any head coaching vacancy, the situation is fluid. Every day, new reports and rumors arise about the most likely candidates to replace the outgoing head coach or who’s no longer being considered.

This Florida coaching vacancy is no different and SDS wants to keep everyone updated of the latest news and rumors in regard to the coaching search.

Cross those coaches off the list?

Pat Dooley of the Gainesville Sun has been covering the Florida Gators for more than 30 years. On Tuesday morning, he shared his information on the coaching search via Twitter, including the elimination of some very popular names as potential replacements.

Three more names to cross off Gator coaching search — Brian Kelly, Bobby Stoops, Mike Gundy.

— Pat Dooley (@pat_dooley) November 25, 2014

And get off the Chip Kelly bandwagon. He has a “show cause” until Christmas day. Florida is not hiring a coach with NCAA issues in his past. — Pat Dooley (@pat_dooley) November 25, 2014

To show just how fluid of a situation this search can be, this past weekend reports surfaced that Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy was “pursuing” the UF job.

Now it appears, according to Dooley, he’s not meriting any serious consideration.

Dabo Swinney in contact with UF?

This past weekend, Clemson head coach gave a spirited response to his name being thrown in as a possibility to replace Will Muschamp — but he never denied interest in the position. On a radio show Tuesday morning, a man named Tom Mitchell called into Southern Sports Central saying Swinney had contacted UF about the opening.

Question for our followers. After hearing Tom Mitchell’s call(VP at UF) saying UF has talked with Dabo. thoughts on Florida hiring Dabo?

— So. Sports Central™ (@SoSportsCentral) November 25, 2014

It was thought to be Tom Mitchell, Florida’s VP of Development and Alumni Affairs, but now it appears it wasn’t him who called in.

Confirmed by a reliable source that the caller who called himself “Tom Mitchell” was not the Tom Mitchell who works for UF. @SoSportsCentral — Tony Agolini (@tonyagolini) November 25, 2014

Nevertheless, Swinney’s becoming a more popular name in the conversation and he’s yet to be flat-out eliminated by anyone with reliable information.

My opinion

Depending on who you listen to, your opinion of who UF has targeted for the head coaching position could be much different than the person next to you.

Swinney could be an attractive hire, although “Clemsoning” may make some Florida fans nervous. He’s an outstanding recruiter, especially in the state of Florida, and he’s been a winner at Clemson (three straight double-digit win seasons from 2011-2013, including a BCS Bowl win in 2013).

He may not be the best X’s and O’s coach out there, but as long as he brings in quality assistants, it could be a dynamite hire for the Gators.

Best-case scenario would be if Clemson’s OC, Chad Morris, joined Swinney at Florida. He’s often regarded as one of the better OCs in all of college football and that would be a huge improvement for the Gators on that side of the ball moving forward.

In regard to Dooley’s tweet, if Stoops and Kelly should be eliminated from consideration, I think Swinney becomes the most likely candidate. However, if history has proven anything, Stoops’ name will never disappear from the UF coaching rumor mill.

Dooley’s statement about Chip Kelly’s “show cause” also should have some effect on Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez, who was investigated by the NCAA while at Michigian for violating the amount of practice hours allowed.

If Florida truly doesn’t want anybody with any sort of negative past with the NCAA, Rodriguez’s chances dwindle significantly.

One thing is for certain, though. Several coaches are going to get pay raises as a result of this coaching search.

Who do you think will be the next head coach at Florida?