Jim McElwain is named 2015 SEC Coach of the Year

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)

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC