Will Muschamp Resigns from Florida Gators: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The writing has been on the wall for a while now, but it is reportedly official: Will Muschamp will no longer be the Gators head football coach. Muschamp will step down from the position at the end of the season.

Continue for updates.

Monday, Nov. 17

Foley, Muschamp Discuss Resignation

Athletics Director Jeremy Foley and Will Muschamp discussed his decision to step down following the season, via Robbie Andreu of The Gainesville Sun:

Sunday, Nov. 16

Florida confirmed that Muschamp stepped down as head coach in a release on GatorZone.com. 

David Jones of FloridaToday.com originally reported Muschamp had resigned as Florida's head coach. 

Muschamp later issued a statement, via GatorZone.com:

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'I appreciate the opportunity that has been offered to me and my family by Dr. Machen, Jeremy Foley and the University of Florida,' said Muschamp. 'I was given every opportunity to get it done here and I simply didn’t win enough games – that is the bottom line. I’m disappointed that I didn’t get it done and it is my responsibility to get it done.

'I have no bitter feelings, but this is a business and I wish we would have produced better results on the field. We have a great group of players and a staff that is committed to this University and this football program. They have handled themselves with class and I expect them to continue to do so. As I’ve said many times, life is 10 percent of what happens to you and 90 percent how you respond.'

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Although the Gators stuck with Muschamp after a miserable 2013 season, and athletic director Jeremy Foley gave him a vote of confidence when things in Gainesville were at their worst, it always seemed inevitable that the 43-year-old was going to be handed a pink slip. 

When you have a program with as much prestige as Florida has, it's difficult to put together bad campaign after bad campaign and keep your job. After going 4-8 in 2013, Florida's 5-4 record masks the futility with which it has played. The Gators needed three overtimes to take down Kentucky, barely squeaked past a below-average team in Tennessee and were trampled by rival Alabama. 

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

An embarrassing blowout at the hands of Missouri at home seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back, as even the pro-Muschamp camp had to admit it was time for a change. The Tigers had just 119 total yards of offense, but four different types of return touchdowns resulted in a 42-13 shellacking.

That led to this unbelievable stat, via ESPN's Bomani Jones:

In the wake of the team's loss to South Carolina on Saturday, Muschamp spoke about it being a missed opportunity, courtesy of RJ Schaffer of GatorZone.com. "When you have two kicks blocked, you’re going to lose that football game," Muschamp said. "We had every opportunity to win, settle down defensively." 

After dropping seven games in a row to end 2013—which included a loss to FCS school Georgia Southern—Muschamp was always teetering on the edge. The Gators' ugly start to the season only led to more pressure on Muschamp, who just two years ago led the Gators to an 11-2 record and a Sugar Bowl appearance. 

Their eight losses in 2013 were the most for the Gators in a single season since 1979, and they failed to go to a bowl for the first time since 1990.

A former defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins, as well as Auburn and Texas, Muschamp's defense at Florida was never really a problem. 

Following the announcement, Edgar Thompson of OrlandoSentinel.com provided a statement from a source at Florida:

But his offense has largely become lifeless, and hiring Kurt Roper to run the offense this offseason has not helped. Quarterback Jeff Driskel has struggled mightily and the ground game has not been able to muster up enough momentum to become a reliable force. The Gators offense has ranked outside the top 90 in total yardage three of Muschamp's four years in Gainesville.

Florida may be able to rally around Muschamp and beat Eastern Kentucky at home next week to become bowl eligible, but it's difficult to imagine the Gators emerging victorious on the road against Florida State the following week. 

Muschamp will land on his feet, probably as a defensive coordinator somewhere. But there is a certain status quo in Florida, and he fell far below that line, forcing the Gators to move in a different direction.