Florida gives Jim McElwain $750,000 raise to $4.25 million in annual compensation

Florida has given head football coach Jim McElwain a raise of $750,000 per year, bringing his total compensation per year to $4.25 million, the school announced Friday.

"We recognized early in Coach Mac's tenure that he totally changed the vibe around football for The Gator Nation and in the building," said Foley. "Dr. Fuchs and I first talked about this in mid-October -- we didn't want to make it about winning one game or advancing to the SEC Championship Game.

"We wanted to make a change because of the direction of the program and his leadership. From the moment he set foot on this campus, he has steadily put into place his blueprint for the football program. His efforts have been relentless. We are very grateful to have him and his family in Gainesville."

"It's great to know that our university and administration believe in the direction we are taking this program," McElwain said. "This sends a strong message about the things we are putting in place and the work of the entire organization. It sends a real message in recruiting that we have the support and confidence in our long-term vision."

McElwain's contract was not extended, and still runs through 2020. The raise went into effect on February 1.

This is a relatively straightforward raise, it would seem, though the full contract is not out in the wild yet. And as was true in December 2014, the use of "total compensation" is probably a bit of a dodge: The $750,000 "raise" is probably divided among bumps in salary and bonuses, and it's entirely possible McElwain will never receive $4.25 million for any given year of coaching at Florida.

But McElwain's statement is the point here: This "sends a strong message" about his durability at Florida, and allows him and the Gators to sell the 2015 SEC East champions as a team on the rise.