Jim McElwain Bringing New Energy to Florida Has Recruits Excited About Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — If Florida’s football team can play with the type of pace its coaches employ when hosting recruits, Gators fans should be happy with the new regime led by first-year head coach Jim McElwain.

Gainesville was the second stop on the fifth annual Unsigned Preps bus tour.

The Gators staff energetically led the throng of 80 players who mostly hail from the Tampa area on tours across campus before bringing the whole group into a meeting room.

There, McElwain and each individual member of his staff took the floor and explained why and how they plan to rebuild the Gators program into the national power it was during the Urban Meyer years.

The speeches, which featured everything from mass Gator chomps to staff members running through aisles handing out high fives to every player, seemed to leave a lasting effect on those in attendance.

Atop that list is 2017 4-star defensive end Zachary Carter, who left the visit with a coveted offer from the Gators.

“I really like Florida and what they are doing,” Carter told Bleacher Report. “I really like the coaching staff. They’re very enthusiastic, and they have a swagger about them.”

The Gators staff acknowledges that the program in its current state is far from where it wants it to be.

Aside from ramping up the energy in daily tasks, McElwain has pushed for the Gators to upgrade their facilities.

A new indoor practice facility is scheduled to be completed by the time fall practice kicks off in August. Also in the works are new athletic dorms, which should be done shortly after the 2015 season.

While the Gators are investing in McElwain’s vision, recruits are beginning to take notice of his plans on the field.

“I was getting pumped sitting in my seat and seeing the enthusiasm these coaches have,” 2017 tight end Tre McKitty said. “In talking to them, you can tell they know what they are talking about. Bringing energy like that to practice and to the games, it’s just going to help the players perform at a higher level.”

The Gators clearly have work to do before they can get back to being among the SEC’s elite. In-state rival Florida State—who has the nation’s top recruiting class in 2016—is the dominant member of the Sunshine State’s big three.

However, from the perspective of a recruit, McElwain’s message and his resume prior to landing in Gainesville are enough to turn doubters into believers.

“He has a lot of knowledge of the game,” Carter said. “He’s been a winner everywhere he’s been. When you talk with him, you see why. I think he’s a good coach.”

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.