Will Muschamp left Jeremy Foley and the rest of Gator Nation no choice.
His removal from one of the top football jobs in the country was a decision that’s been festering for weeks, one that was all but chiseled in stone following an uninspiring home loss to Mizzou on Oct. 18.
Fans chanted ‘Fire Muschamp’ during the 29-point stinker, a loss comparable to the rock bottom embarrassment to Georgia Southern last season that many attribute to igniting the hot seat during a horrific 4-8 campaign.
RELATED: Florida’s coaching search and its list of candidates
Muschamp dropped his head while trotting toward the tunnel after the game, knowing what had just transpired was unacceptable. Foley didn’t even acknowledge his fourth-year coach passing by in the end zone, a sign of obvious disgust and disappointment which echoed loudly through the 89,117 in attendance at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Mizzou managed a season-low 119 yards of total offense, but four non-offensive touchdowns led to an especially painful rout for the Gators.
A win over Georgia two weeks later only temporarily delayed the inevitable at a once prestigious program now mired in mediocrity thanks to a defensive-minded coach who never located the championship-level offense indicative of Florida’s nationally-relevant teams over the last two decades.
Saying goodbye had to be done and in a cruel ironic twist, former Gators legend Steve Spurrier, thanks to multiple special teams gaffes, delivered the final blow.
Muschamp overstayed his welcome in Gainesville and never produced enough points to warrant praise with a competitive team. He admitted Monday that 11 wins during his second season in 2012 came with a lot of luck, a team that overachieved thanks to an SEC East-best plus 15 turnover margin despite an anemic offense.
Saturday’s loss to South Carolina was a summation of how rough it’s been during Muschamp’s tenure, eye roll after eye roll following less-than-inspired play. Handicapped at the quarterback position for several seasons, a ball control offense only wins so many games before results start going in the other direction.
There was nothing sexy about Florida football over the last four years, an approach that was tough to stomach for Gator Nation. Spoiled with titles thanks to innovative offensive thinkers Spurrier and Urban Meyer, Muschamp faced an uphill climb from the beginning as a respected defensive guru with no head coaching experience.
RELATED: Jeremy Foley’s expectations for Florida’s next coach
Since Meyer’s exit and Muschamp’s subsequent hiring prior to the 2011 season, most of Florida’s losses can be directly tied to the offense and its failure to generate any production against quality teams.
That brutal truth led Foley to reveal Monday that the Gators intend on hiring an offensive guru.
“We would obviously like an individual that’s been successful on the offensive side of the ball,” Foley said. “Obviously, that’s what the Gator Nation wants and we see that.”
The best of friends within and outside Florida’s athletic department, Foley and Muschamp’s divorce is a bitter pill to swallow thanks to the relationship established between the two. Foley’s decision to cut ties was a necessary evil for an athletic director who has been the puppeteer behind national title runs in several sports since assuming his role in 1992.
Few questions his moves (outside of Ron Zook) due to his track record of success.
Foley knows what he’s doing and deserves credit for keeping this one tidy and allowing Muschamp to play out the stretch. The tireless coaching search begins now for Florida’s braintrust as its group of advisers — according to Foley — try and make a hire by Christmas.
In a results driven field, as Muschamp would be the first to admit, the wins didn’t come with regularity and a replacement was needed.
