GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida head football coach Will Muschamp will step down at the end of the 2014 regular season. The formal announcement came Sunday afternoon in a news release from UF Athletics Director Jeremy Foley. Watch the press conference live here on actionnewsjax.com.
"Upon evaluation of our football program, we are not where the program needs to be and should be," Foley said. "I've always said that our goal at the University of Florida is to compete for championships on a regular basis. Coach Muschamp was dedicated to developing young men both on and off the field. Our student athletes showed tremendous growth socially and academically under his leadership. His players were involved in campus activities, engaged with the local community and represented the University of Florida with pride.
"I will be forever grateful to Will and his staff for their unwavering commitment to the University of Florida and the mission of our athletic program. He will be missed by everyone in our athletic department - from the people that worked in his office to the people that painted the fields. Will knew everyone and they knew him and everyone in the building loved working with him. Will is as fine a man as you will ever meet, and I will always cherish our relationship with him and his family."
The news release says Muschamp was informed Sunday morning, after Saturday's loss to South Carolina. Muschamp was hired in December of 2010. Over four seasons at UF, he has a record of 27-20.
"I appreciate the opportunity that has been offered to me and my family by Dr. Machen, Jeremy Foley and the University of Florida," said Muschamp. "I was given every opportunity to get it done here and I simply didn't win enough games - that is the bottom line. I'm disappointed that I didn't get it done and it is my responsibility to get it done. I have no bitter feelings, but this is a business and I wish we would have produced better results on the field. We have a great group of players and a staff that is committed to this University and this football program. They have handled themselves with class and I expect them to continue to do so. As I've said many times, life is 10 percent of what happens to you and 90 percent how you respond."
The University of Florida will hold a news conference in Gainesville Monday. Watch the press conference here.
WJAX
