Joey Ivie remembers the pain well.
He remembers being smacked around by Florida State, toyed with by Alabama and demolished by Michigan to close the 2015 season.
And yet, even though it’s very possible that this season could follow the same script, he said 2016 should already be counted as a success.
“There’s not a lot of teams playing this weekend,” the senior defensive tackle said. “It’s quite an accomplishment to make it to the SEC Championship.”
He’s right. For Jim McElwain and his staff to come in and do what they’ve done — sending the Gators to back-to-back conference title games — is admirable. It’s impressive. It’s a sign of good things to come.
But beating Alabama this weekend would put those accomplishments to shame, launching the Gators into a distinct stratosphere of college football’s elite teams. And perhaps more importantly for Jim McElwain, it keeps Florida from getting stuck in stagnation, which will keep his critics lip-locked.
The second-year coach was asked this week the same question as Ivie: Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, is this season already a success?
His response, while similar, added an extra layer of depth to what Ivie had to say.
“One thing I do know is I believe we’re in the SEC Championship again for the second straight year,” he said. “Maybe not the way people want it, but ultimately, the idea is to figure out how to win a ballgame and how to win the East.”
Wait for it...
“Now the next step is how to win the whole SEC.”
Boom. There it is.
McElwain knows what’s next. He knows that his reign as head coach — much like that of a government official — derives its mandate to rule from the satisfaction of the people (fans, administrators), and those people demand improvement.
An appearance in the conference title game was satisfactory to meet that mandate a season ago, but if the Gators get slaughtered by the Crimson Tide again on Saturday, McElwain’s legitimacy will start to be called into question.
A season with no improvement at all might be tolerated once, if only because Florida’s suffered too many injuries to keep count of, and because, given the turmoil and terribleness of the Will Muschamp years, McElwain looks godly by comparison.
But if the same pattern continues next season — a mediocre SEC record, an SEC East title in a weak division and massacres against Florida State and Alabama to close the season — McElwain will feel the full force of the impassioned Florida fan base calling for his removal.
He can avoid any of that sort of talk with a win over the Crimson Tide this weekend, however unlikely that may be.
Ethan Bauer is the assistant sports editor. Contact him at ebauer@alligator.org or follow him on Twitter @ebaueri.
Jim McElwain looks on during Florida's 29-15 loss to Alabama in the 2015 SEC Championship Game.
