Report: Florida to offer head coaching job to Jim McElwain, hopes to retain assistants

In case a Florida booster's plane flying to Colorado with Jeremy Foley in tow wasn't enough of an indication, Football Scoop's Scott Roussel reports, citing sources, that Florida plans to offer the job of head football coach to Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain.

But the really interesting portion of the report from Roussel is the idea that Foley and McElwain have agreed on trying to retain current Florida assistants:

Foley and McElwain, per sources, are in agreement that it would be best for Florida football to retain defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin and defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson at a minimum.

Florida's assistants are all still under contract with the university, and Durkin, Robinson, defensive line coach Brad Lawing, and offensive line coach Mike Summers have all been mentioned often as potential retention targets. Durkin and Robinson have tenure at Florida, as both were on staff for the entirety of Will Muschamp's span as head coach, and Durkin, brought in prior to the 2010 season by Urban Meyer, is the longest-tenured UF defensive coach.

As McElwain's background is on the offensive side of the ball, keeping esteemed defensive coaches — especially ones who have learned under Muschamp, still very highly regarded as a defensive mind, and who have the recruiting acumen that both Durkin and Robinson possess — would likely go a long way toward solidifying the side that he doesn't know as well.

With this report, I now fully expect an announcement from Florida of McElwain's hiring as head coach by the end of the night.