Jim McElwain was named the 2015 SEC Coach of the Year on Wednesday. McElwain is the sixth University of Florida Coach to win the Award, the second to do it in his first season at Florida, and this is the tenth time a Florida coach has been named the recipient of the award.
In what was supposed to be a rebuilding season McElwain led the Gators to a 10-3 record, a spot in the SEC Championship game for the first time since 2009 and a berth into the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
Florida had compiled an 11-13 record over the previous two seasons, including just a 7-9 mark in the SEC and just a 6-6 record against Eastern Division foes. McElwain turned the ship around, winning his first six games at the helm and 10 of his first 11.
McElwain is the first Florida coach to win the award since Will Muschamp received it in 2012 after leading Florida to an 11-1 regular season before a loss in the Sugar Bowl to Louisville.
UF SEC Coach of the Year Award Winners
1960-Ray Graves
1980-Charley Pell
1984-Galen Hall
1990-Steve Spurrier (First season as Florida head coach)
1991-Steve Spurrier
1994-Steve Spurrier
1995-Steve Spurrier
1996-Steve Spurrier
2012-Will Muschamp
2015-Jim McElwain (First season as Florida head coach)