The first time I was in this state recruiting, that's when I knew I wanted to be a Gator, because I saw the influence and saw what it's all about. This goes a long time.
Jim McElwainI spent 15 years in I-AA football, which is awesome, because you wear every hat in the building at one time. I was everything from a PA announcer to a popcorn salesman to a teacher at a university, as part of the PE department. When you don't have resources, what you do is study as much as you can and try to put it in your own terms. There's no one thing I've invented.
Jim McElwainEliminate the clutter. That's the key. Eliminate the clutter and understand the important things. First and foremost, the most important thing is affecting the people around you in a positive way. Second thing is, be one of those guys that's going to out-study every person there is on what you need to do from a game-plan standpoint, what you need to do from a characteristic standpoint to stand apart. The last thing is, throw it to the color jersey we're wearing.
Jim McElwainSome people wouldn't say I coached in the National Football League. I coached with the Raiders, right?
Jim McElwainMy deal is to understand: you trust me, I trust you. It's a two-way street. Developing that happens over time. It's hard. I look forward to that. I look forward to being a part of these guys' lives. This isn't just about ball. This is about creating a brand for yourself. This is about setting you apart for the rest of your life. That's kind of been how I do it. I look forward to being involved in these guys' lives. Part of that is winning some ballgames. I've got a blueprint on how that works, yet every place is different, so you need to adjust the blueprint based on what's there.
Jim McElwain