This past week, a pair of reports surfaced that had former Florida head coach Jim McElwain interviewing for a vacancy on Jim Harbaugh‘s Michigan staff. As the weekend chugs along, that chatter isn’t dissipating at all.
Bruce Feldman of SI.com tweeted Saturday night that Toledo offensive coordinator Brian Wright took his name out of the running for the job coaching Wolverines wide receivers. Harbaugh has a vacancy he’s looking to fill after Dan Enos, hired in early January, left for a job at Alabama later that month.
In the same tweet, Feldman also noted that McElwain “is a strong contender” to fill the void created by Enos’ departure.
Am told #Toledo OC Brian Wright took his name out of the mix for the #Michigan asst job working with WRs (that Dan Enos left for Bama).. Former #UF HC Jim McElwain interviewed for that job and is a strong contender for that spot.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 11, 2018
Under the direction of offensive coordinator Tim Drevno, Michigan’s offense was tied for 91st nationally in averaging 25.2 points per game this past season. At least one of the initial reports connecting McElwain to U-M had the coach taking over as the play-caller on offense.
In his three seasons at Florida, however, the Gators’ offense finished 109th (22.1 ppg, 2017), 107th (23.9 ppg, 2016) and 99th (23.2) in scoring. Those numbers were with McElwain as head coach; calling plays at Alabama under the notoriously conservative Nick Saban from 2008-11, the Crimson Tide’s numbers went...
2008 -- 30.1 ppg, 35th nationally
2009 -- 32.1 ppg, 22nd
2010 -- 35.5 ppg, 18th
2011 -- 34.8 ppg, 20th
One situation’s not like the other, but McElwain could end up being yet another poster boy for the Peter Principle -- something that Harbaugh’s interest indicates he’s at least considering when it comes to breathing some much-needed life into a limp offense.