The newest head coach in the SEC is a few weeks into his time with the Florida Gators and Jim McElwain has made two critical coaching hires so far.
Essentially starting over from scratch, McElwain’s coaching staff has been bolstered by the hires of both Doug Nussmeier and Geoff Collins for offensive and defensive coordinator, respectively.
And with recruiting currently in a dead period, filling out the coaching staff has become McElwain’s top priority.
What should we make of his first two hires?
Offensive coordinator: Doug Nussmeier
Doug Nussmeier was McElwain’s second coaching hire, but it’s easily the most important one he had to make. Florida’s offensive woes are well-documented and the main reason why Will Muschamp was dismissed. McElwain’s offensive success was a big draw for him to be Muschamp’s replacement, but hiring a respectable offensive coordinator was a crucial move for McElwain.
The OC position at Florida has been somewhat of a revolving door. Nussmeier will be the fourth OC for the Gators since 2011, so making not only a great hire, but the right hire was key.
Nussmeier has a past in the SEC, and fortunately for the Gators, he was successful in the SEC. During his two-year stint at Alabama, he helped lead the Crimson Tide to a BCS Championship and also coached one of the most potent offenses during Nick Saban’s.
His work as a quarterbacks coach and the production that AJ McCarron had under Nussmeier should be particularly encouraging for Florida fans, considering the lack of consistency at quarterback ever since the departure of Tim Tebow. McCarron won the Maxwell Award during Nussmeier’s tenure at Alabama.
He’s also coached the likes of Drew Stanton, Marc Bulger, Jake Locker, Keith Price and other signal callers throughout his various coaching roles in college football and the NFL.
All in all, Nussmeier is a sound offensive mind that most importantly will click well with McElwain. Everyone knows that McElwain will be running the offense and it’ll be in his image, but the familiarity with McElwain should give the Gators a boost.
Nussmeier did leave Alabama after two years for a rather unsuccessful one-year stint at Michigan, but based off Nusmeier’s credentials, it appears to be the exact kind of OC the Gators needed next season, especially one who’s adept at developing quarterbacks.
Grade: A-
Defensive coordinator: Geoff Collins
Nicknamed the Minister of Mayhem, new Gators’ defensive coordinator Geoff Collins is known for his aggressive defenses. He certainly brings an exciting defensive game plan and he should be able to be as aggressive as he wants, considering the talent that will be in the UF secondary in 2015.
Collins played a big role in the emergence of Mississippi State this season as the Bulldogs boasted one of the top units in the SEC. His defense had a tough time defending the pass, allowing a SEC-worst 285.2 yards per game, but the talent at Florida should help compensate for that.
On the bright side, Collins’ aggressive nature on-the-field has led to big numbers in the sacks department, an area Florida has been average at best in recent years. MSU recorded 36.0 sacks in 2014 compared to just 26.0 sacks for the Gators.
The one downside to Collins is he doesn’t bring that big name along with him. While he had success at MSU, he’s not necessarily an attention-grabber like some of the other candidates. Plus, he doesn’t have the recruiting advantage that a DJ Durkin would have if he would have stayed on staff.
I believe Collins is more of the wildcard between the two hires, especially in regard to recruiting, but his defenses have been successful everywhere he’s been.
Unlike the offense, Collins will have some big shoes to fill. Durkin was beloved by the players and Muschamp’s defenses finished in the top-10 nationally in total defense all four years.
Grade: B+
Drew Laing will be providing analysis and insight on Florida, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina.
