Former Alabama offensive coordinator announces retirement from coaching

The former Alabama offensive coordinator and two-time national champion has announced his retirement.

A former offensive coordinator with the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2008-11, as well as a head coach at multiple other stops, Jim McElwain officially announced his retirement from coaching Wednesday afternoon.

McElwain, who is currently the head coach at Central Michigan, made the announcement via a statement from the Chippewas athletic program, which stated that he will remain in his current role throughout the end of the 2024 season, and then step into an off-the-field role going forward.

A name familiar to Alabama fans, McElwain was previously the offensive coordinator at Alabama from 2008-11 where he was one of the first OC’s under former head coach Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa.

Under McElwain, Alabama’s offense in 2008 ranked No. 35 nationally with an average of 30.1 PPG, and took a step forward during the Crimson Tide’s 2009 national title season, ranking No. 22 in the nation at 32.1 PPG. In 2010, Alabama’s offense continued that upward trajectory ranking No. 18 with an average of 35.7 PPG, and sat No. 20 at 34.8 PPG during Alabama’s 2011 national championship winning season, McElwain’s second with the Crimson Tide.

After his four seasons at Alabama, McElwain departed Tuscaloosa to become the head coach at Colorado State from 2012-14, and later returned to the SEC in the same position at Florida from 2015-17. McElwain has also been the head coach at Central Michigan since 2019.