When the Bengals brought Todd Grantham to Cincinnati for a multi-day interview, it appeared the odds were not in Florida’s favor when it came to his return to Gainesville. However, as that process drug on and Grantham didn’t accept an offer to be the new Bengals defensive coordinator, Gator Nation had to be feeling pretty good.

Of course, that optimism won out in the end as Grantham turned down the opportunity to return to the NFL so he could finish what he started with Dan Mullen in Gainesville. Namely elevating Florida back to the elite in the SEC.

During his first media availability since his interview with Cincinnati, Grantham was asked to discuss his decision to return to Gainesville. What was it that brought him back to Florida?

“I got a really good job, I got a really good job. I work for an excellent university, you know? I like our administration,” Grantham answered in a YouTube video shared by Jacquie Franciulli of Rivals. “When you look at Scott (Stricklin) and what’s he’s tried to develop from a family atmosphere. You look at Coach Mullen and he and I mirror a lot as far as our beliefs and what you need to do from a football standpoint to be successful. So I’ve got really good bosses.

“I love our players, I really enjoy developing them being around them and you know, there’s a lot of things that you kind of look forward to. I certainly look forward to the challenge of the SEC schedule. Looking to continue to develop and get us back to where Gator Nation should be and want to be a part of that. So we’ll continue to work and develop and I like it here. My family likes it here. You always have to factor in everything and when you do that, it was a pretty easy decision.”

Those comments have got to make Gator Nation happy to hear as Grantham clearly isn’t satisfied with simply winning 10 games and the Peach Bowl at Gainesville. That’s the right attitude to have to be successful in the highly competitive SEC and the only way to survive at school that demands excellence.

The expectations at Florida are clear and unlike some coaches, Grantham not only understands that, but he also welcomes those lofty expectations.