Florida hires Jim McElwain: Nine numbers that explain his career

Two

National titles Jim McElwain won at Alabama with Nick Saban, earning them as the Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator. And McElwain did so with Greg McElroy and A.J. McCarron at quarterback, and over defenses coordinated by Will Muschamp (2009 Texas) and John Chavis (2011 LSU) that had given up fewer than 200 points entering that national title game ¹.

The number of teams nationally with a quarterback who has thrown for 3,500 yards, a running back who has rushed for 1,000 yards, and a receiver who has more than 1,000 receiving yards. One is USC, with Cody Kessler, Javorius Allen, and Nelson Agholor. The other is Colorado State, with Garrett Grayson, Dee Hart, and Rashard Higgins.

Three

Wins by Colorado State against FBS teams that will finish with winning records this season, which are also McElwain's only wins against FBS winning records in his Colorado State tenure. And all three wins — over Boston College, Nevada, and Utah State — came by seven points or fewer.

This is undeniably one of the key stats that pessimists will use in arguments against McElwain.

Four

McElwain-coached quarterbacks who have gone on to make NFL rosters: Fresno State's Tom Brandstater, and Alabama's John Parker Wilson, McElroy, and McCarron.

If I may reiterate: Jim McElwain helped John Parker Wilson, Greg McElroy, and A.J. McCarron make NFL rosters.

Seven

Seasons in which FBS offenses with McElwain at the helm have scored at least 30 points per game, out of a possible eight, since 2007. The lone season in which a Mac Attack failed to top 30 points per game was 2012, his first season at Colorado State, which we'll get to later.

Nine

Consecutive wins by Colorado State in 2014, bookended by losses to New Year's Six-bowl bound Boise State and 9-3 Air Force. Florida's last streak of nine or more consecutive wins was, of course, ended by Alabama in the 2009 SEC Championship Game — in which McElwain was calling plays for the Crimson Tide.

10

Wins by Colorado State in 2014, one shy of the school record. The Rams have won 10 games just three times in their history.

1,640

Receiving yards by Colorado State's Rashard Higgins this year, which leads the nation. Yes, a receiver coached by McElwain leads the nation in receiving yards, not Amari Cooper.

In fact, here's the statistical comparison:

Note to Demarcus Robinson: Get ready.

2012

The year McElwain's Colorado State team went 4-8, and the foundation for any rigorous argument against his coaching acumen. Colorado State wasn't good in 2012, starting the year 1-6 before a 3-2 finish that included wins over three teams with a combined eight wins on the season. The Rams were 102nd in both total offense (two spots ahead of Florida) and scoring offense (behind Florida) in 2012, gave up 31 or more points six times, and ranked 119th of 124 FBS teams in F/+, with one of their wins coming over No. 124 Colorado.

In 2013, Colorado State went 8-6, finished 24th in total offense and 22nd in scoring offense, scored 30 or more points nine times, won the New Mexico Bowl over Washington State, and rocketed up an astounding 53 spots in F/+, finishing at No. 66. And all that came despite a 1-3 start that included a loss to Colorado, a braining at Alabama, and a lone win coming over FCS Cal Poly.

That sort of lends credence to assessments like this one, from longtime NFL talent evaluator John Middlekauff:

Known Jim McElwain for a couple years now, just a high level guy. What he took over at CSU & where it is now is pretty incredible

— John Middlekauff (@JohnMiddlekauff) December 2, 2014

When I was scouting in 2012, went out to a practice at CSU, worst looking D1 squad on the west coast, by a WIDE Margin

— John Middlekauff (@JohnMiddlekauff) December 2, 2014

McElwain has treated CSU like he was at Florida or Bama. Operates & executes the Saban blue print. He'll KILL at Florida, I repeat KILL IT

— John Middlekauff (@JohnMiddlekauff) December 2, 2014

2014 was even better for McElwain than 2013, and I'll describe that more in a later article, but McElwain rebounded from a bad record with a very bad team in 2012 to create a program that was decent in 2013, and used that to spring into an excellent 2014. That's a great sign.

$11.3 million

The cost, in buyouts and guaranteed money paid by Florida to Will Muschamp and Colorado State, of changing coaches from Muschamp to McElwain. This sum — $6.3 million of which is due to Muschamp, and $5 million of which will be paid to Colorado State in cash and payment for a game to be played in Gainesville from 2017 to 2020 — is titanic, and close to 10 percent of recent typical operating expenses in Florida's annual budget for its entire athletic program.

And while Florida can afford it — Jeremy Foley and the Gators would absolutely not have made this move if that were not the case — that figure will be sufficient ammunation to be used over and over again against Foley and his athletic program should McElwain not be a success.