Jim McElwain: Florida Gators parting ways with head coach

Florida is parting ways with embattled coach Jim McElwain, the website FootballScoop reported Sunday.

McElwain's job status was already tenuous prior to Saturday's 42-7 loss to No. 3 Georgia but the beat down from one of the school's fiercest rivals sped up the process of ending McElwain's tenure.

Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon, the head coach at Miami from 2007-10, is expected to be named interim coach for the remainder of the season.

Prior to Saturday's contest, athletic director Scott Stricklin reportedly informed McElwain that a published report claiming the university was negotiating a buyout with his agent, Jimmy Sexton, was false.

After the contest in which the Gators dropped to 3-4 overall and 3-3 in the SEC, McElwain acted like a coach who knew his job was on the line.

"We were all brought here to win and we haven't done it," McElwain said in the press conference. "We haven't been good on offense and I get it. We've won some, but we haven't won enough. I take full responsibility for all of it."

Florida has reportedly been studying whether it can fire McElwain with cause and avoid a $12.6 million buyout based on events leading up to the Georgia game.

McElwain said at a press conference on Monday that his family and Florida players received death threats but university administrators didn't find any evidence to back up his claims and released a statement critical of McElwain, saying "he provided no additional details."

McElwain met with Stricklin on Thursday as it became publicly apparent that a rift between McElwain and Florida administrators had widened.

In addition to the substandard on-field play, nine Florida players are serving suspensions for their actions involving credit-card fraud. The list includes standout receiver Antonio Callaway and starting running back Jordan Scarlett.

McElwain led Florida to the SEC title game each of his first two seasons before this year's campaign unraveled badly. He was 22-12 with the Gators.

McElwain went 22-16 in three seasons at Colorado State (2012-14) before landing the Florida job.