Off to their worst start since Jim McElwain took over as head coach, criticism seems to surround the Gators (3-3, 3-2 SEC). On Wednesday, that negativity took a turn for the dramatic when McElwain said some people have sent death threats to UF coaches and their families.
UF’s third-year coach said he hasn’t told police about any threats and said he wasn’t all that surprised threats are being sent in the first place.
“In this business, we're the ones they take the shots at and that's the way it is,” McElwain said.
It’s not the first time McElwain has mentioned personalized criticism. Before playing Texas A&M, he joked that his hatemail tripled when the Gators released alternate uniforms.
But while McElwain largely played down the death threats Wednesday after bringing them up, he said they’re specifically hurtful when directed at family members.
“When it's directed towards your players, when it's directed to families, wives, that kind of thing,” he said. “At the same time, they know what they signed up for, as well. That's part of the business."
The subject of threats came up when McElwain was asked if he credits his players for hanging in there during what has been a down season. Asked if the coaching staff deserved similar credit, he said no one outside a program usually commends coaches. He continued talking about the negativity surrounding the team and said, in general, there is a lot of hate in the world. He hinted the threats could be a result of a rise in anger throughout the country.
“The hard part is obviously when the threats against your own players, death threats to your families, the ill will that's brought upon out there,” McElwain said. “And yet I think it's really one of those deals that really is a pretty good testament to what's going on out there nationally. A lot of angry people.”
McElwain didn’t expand on the death threats or how he was getting them. When asked again about the threats, McElwain said he wanted to move on to a different topic.
Hours later, Steve McClain, a spokesperson for the University Athletic Association, released a statement saying McElwain didn’t go into any more detail about the threats in a later meeting.
“The University Athletic Association takes the safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and families very seriously. Our administration met with coach McElwain this afternoon and he offered no additional details,” McClain said.
When Gators safety Chauncey Gardner was asked about the threats, he wasn’t concerned.
“What’s the point of us paying attention to someone threatening one of our family members?” Gardner said. “He didn’t put his hands on him or his wife’s so we’re not really focused on anything they have to say or what their opinion is. Let em talk, that’s all they’ve been doing, that’s all they’re gonna keep doing.”
Negativity has been a theme for Florida since before the season started. Nine players were suspended under a month before the team’s first game. Florida lost a season-opener to Michigan in convincing fashion. And now, the Gators went into their bye week with three losses for the first time in the McElwain era. In 2015, they were 6-0 through to start the season, and in 2014, they were 5-1.
Florida’s next opportunity to change the narrative is on Saturday when it faces No. 3 Georgia in Jacksonville.
You can follow Matt Brannon on Twitter @MattB_727 or contact him at mbrannon@alligator.org.
UF coach Jim McElwain said Wednesday that Florida coaches are receiving death threats because of the team's performance. “In this business, we're the ones they take the shots at and that's the way it is,” McElwain said.
