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Florida AD lands back in Gainesville, comments on Jim McElwain negotiations
By Drew Laing
Published:
Despite negotiations reportedly reaching the “latter stages” earlier in the day, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley and other UF officials traveled back to Gainesville, Fla., sans Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain.
Once on the ground in Florida, Foley briefly spoke to reporters about the situation regarding the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year.
Gators AD Jeremy Foley at airport: We gave you what we gave you. That’s the end of the conversation. There’s nothing else to report.”
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) December 3, 2014
More Foley: “We had a great conversation. We’re not there yet. Might have something more tonight.”
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) December 3, 2014
As the afternoon wore on, it appeared the negotiations between Florida, CSU and McElwain were getting increasingly boggled down by McElwain’s $7.5 million buyout.
According to Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel, negotiations have “stalled” over the buyout and school officials, who were once fully expecting McElwain to head to Florida, are now not as confident.
From Thompson:
CSU has not budged an inch on the buyout,” a source told the Orlando Sentinel Wednesday afternoon about the negotiations to land the Rams’ current head coach … The source said there was no team meating with CSU players despite reports to the contrary and school officials who once thought McElwain was on his way to UF are unsure whether he will in fact take over as the Gators’ next head coach.
Foley and other UF officials traveled to Fort Collins, Colo., on Tuesday afternoon and met with McElwain for several hours to discuss becoming Florida’s next head coach. The Florida contingency spent the night in Colorado and continued discussions again on Wednesday before returning back to Gainesville.
Drew Laing will be providing analysis and insight on Florida, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina.
