Muschamp releases statement

Published on Sunday, 11/16/14, at 2:25 p.m. Eastern. 

Will Muschamp is no longer the head football coach at the University of Florida. That became official Sunday after UF lost to South Carolina in overtime on Saturday. The mind-boggling defeat was the Gators’ sixth in their last eight home games.

Steve Spurrier only lost five home games by 25 combined points in 12 seasons at his alma mater. Muschamp’s team lost to Missouri by 29 points earlier this year.

But that loss didn’t cost him his job. He won’t be the head coach in Gainesville anymore because of two unfathomable home losses this year, to LSU and South Carolina.

In the LSU loss, UF could’ve made just one of about a half-dozen plays to win the game. There was a dropped touchdown pass at crunch time. There was a third-and-25 situation converted by LSU in the waning moments. There was an interception thrown by Jeff Driskel to set up LSU’s game winning field goal with three seconds remaining.

Then against the Gamecocks, UF’s Treon Harris had a touchdown run that would’ve put his team up 24-10 called back due to a holding penalty. Moments later, a field goal was blocked. Then in the final minute with South Carolina out of timeouts, Florida had a punt blocked.

Muschamp is a good man and a good coach. He’ll be one of the nation’s highest-paid assistants next year (Auburn’s Gus Malzahn has probably already placed that phone call in the last hour or two), and he’ll get another quality head-coaching gig soon. He’ll also coach UF’s final two regular-season games.

Ten years ago, Ron Zook was ousted but finished out the regular season. His last game was played at Doak Campbell Stadium against FSU and The Zooker was carried off the field after the Gators won in Tallahassee for the first time in 18 years. Muschamp’s last game will also be played at Florida St.

Muschamp released this statement in the last hour…

I appreciate the opportunity that has been offered to me and my family by Dr. Machen, Jeremy Foley and the University of Florida. 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.