The day hasn’t come just yet.
Negotiations between UF athletics director Jeremy Foley and Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain are still ongoing, even though signs have pointed to a deal being reached soon.
Kelly Lyell of the Coloradoan reported Wednesday that buyout negotiations are one of the final steps holding back the signing and Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel confirmed later Wednesday afternoon that the contract deal has been stalled because of buyout negotiations.
McElwain has a $7.5 million buyout in his contract with Colorado State, a buyout amount CSU is firm on holding, according to the Coloradoan.
If Foley were to hire McElwain and have to pay the buyout, it would be in addition to the nearly $8 million UF will have to pay to Muschamp and his coaching staff.
Muschamp will receive approximately $2 million through the duration of his contract, which expires in 2017, while the rest of the coaching staff would receive a combined total of about $2 million.
The 62-year-old athletic director along with at least three other UAA members traveled from Jacksonville to Fort Collins on Tuesday, where the group met with McElwain to discuss the potential head coaching job.
After spending the night just outside Fort Collins, Colorado, on Tuesday in an attempt to hire his next head coach for the Florida football team, Foley returned to Gainesville on Wednesday via private plane at 5:33 p.m.
McElwain was not on board.
The University Athletic Association sent out a statement through one of its Twitter accounts (@GatorZoneFB) at 2:29 p.m. and said both sides are still involved in the discussion.
“We’ve had very productive conversations with Coach McElwain and his wife Karen,” the tweet read, “and those continue.”
Foley gave no further update after getting off the plane.
"We gave you what we gave you," Foley said. "Thats the end of the conversation. Nothing else to report.
"We had a great conversation. We're not there yet."
Foley has eyed McElwain — the third-year head coach at CSU and former four-year offensive coordinator with Alabama — as the leading candidate to replace Will Muschamp and become the Gators’ 22nd head football coach.
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
Athletics director Jeremy Foley speaks to media on Nov. 17.
