Gators coaching search continues

Florida AD tweeting more subtle denials

Chip Kelly, as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the sidelines against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter of their NFL football game at Levi's Stadium on January 1, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Getty Images)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin made the announcement that Jim McElwain was out and that the Gators would have a new head football coach, he cautioned fans not to buy into rumors.

Stricklin has been sticking with his approach to keep the coaching search private and not leak information about the candidates. Despite rumors that Chip Kelly was the choice and that all that remained was to get Kelly's signature on the contract to make him the next head coach, Stricklin posted this on Twitter:

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On Monday, Stricklin posted a Mark Twain quote, seemingly in response to coaching rumors:

During the media conference Stricklin held announcing McElwain's departure, he stated that he would not be hiring a coach who was currently employed during the regular season. That would suggest that if the Gators don't make a hire in the next week, they would speak to UCF head coach Scott Frost and other currently employed candidates, like Iowa State's Matt Campbell, Memphis' Mike Norvel and Mississippi State's Dan Mullen.

Stricklin isn't the only person who has taken to twitter to set the record straight. After rumors surfaced that Steve Spurrier was being involved in the process, the Head Ball Coach twetted this denial: