There are coaches who will be happy after close wins, even against supposedly overmatched teams. Jim McElwain is clearly not one of them.
Fresh off of Florida's 31-24 win over East Carolina on Saturday night, the Gators' head coach laid into his players in his postgame press conference, lamenting what he called an "embarrassing" effort, and a lack of discipline that led to a dozen penalties and a game that was too close for comfort until its final drive.
McElwain has a point, as penalties after two Florida touchdowns helped to sap momentum from the Gators, and a third helped take another touchdown off the board. But it remains to be see whether his sound and fury can accomplish his goal of instilling discipline in his charges through fear, or whether the Gators' transformation into a disciplined, penalty-light team against New Mexico State was just a mirage.
And he only has seven days until Florida's first road game of the year to get it fixed.