UF coach Jim McElwain said on UF’s last possession Saturday, just before the final, winning play against the Vols, he did not call a timeout because he thought quarterback Feleipe Franks had made a first down on the previous play, which would have stopped the clock. But the officials marked the ball short of the first-down line and the clock ran down to nine seconds before the Gators called one of two remaining timeouts.
“It looked like it was going to be a first down and we wanted to save two (timeouts) to get to Eddy (Pineiro’s) kick line” McElwain said. “Alert down, bang one. Alert down, bang one. That was on me, obviously our guy on our sideline pulled up the first-down marker, so I thought it was dead at that point. We were going to go ahead.
“We knew where we needed to get to. That was the reason for trying to save the two thinking it was a dead clock. Obviously, looking at it, I think we lost nine seconds in transition. It was their spot, and I’m not saying anything about that, where the ball was and then they moved it back. Should have gone ahead and banged one.”
There are reports/speculation on social media that McElwain had taken the play-calling duties away from offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and called the plays in the fourth quarter.
McElwain denied it.
“No,” he said, when asked if he called the plays.
Nussmeier moved from the sideline to the press box for last week’s game.
Mac: “I think we lost nine seconds in transition” as time was running out. WHAT??? We were all screaming at the TV, and clearly hear the boos in The Swamp. Try “lost 25-30 seconds”!
If Mac can’t do this, isn’t there a staffer who can “alert down” him about the freakin’ clock? Can’t the head coach jump in a ref’s face and find out if it’s a first down?? Was he on the phone with his former-Raquel Welch-agent tracking sauce sales on roll-out day?
Yes, “obviously that was” on you! Geez, how bad is this going to get? If he’s going to go all Coach Zoloft on us, please go ahead and transfer to Ohio State now!
No excuse, should have used a time out and had one left. Not a good sideline manage report.
Mac keeps saying garbage like that trying to cover his incompetence. If you’re a betting man, bet on Mac just standing on the sidelines looking like a dazed fool in any situation like the blown clock at the end of this game. We’ve seen it before out of Mac and will see it again. It’s HIS JOB to know exactly what is happening and manage the clock to win the game. He doesn’t do it, never does it, chomps his gum and squints in the sun. A scarecrow planted on the sidelines could replace Mac. Franks won this game by taking it away from his do-nothing coach who was just waiting to lose.
Taking responsibility means accepting punishment. I wonder when he’ll run his laps.