Florida's McElwain credits Saban, Tide with boosting career

McElwain watched everything Saban did between 2008 and 2011, taking unbelievably detailed notes about organizing, managing, administering, controlling and overseeing a program.

Nearly a decade later, they'll be on opposite sidelines in the SEC championship game in Atlanta on Saturday, when Saban and second-ranked Alabama (11-1) will try to lock up a spot in the College Football Playoff against McElwain and No. 18 Florida (10-2).

Current Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart appears to be the next addition, with several reports saying he will take over at Georgia following the SEC title game.

McElwain brought his notebook and vision for how to run a program to Fort Collins, Colorado, and made an immediate impact.

The Rams improved every year under McElwain and made him Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley's top target to replace Muschamp last year.

In just a few months, McElwain changed a decades-old approach to one of the league's football powerhouses.

[...] he wants Florida to be more like Alabama.

[...] he hopes to eventually get a stand-alone football facility, upgrade dorms and make it so everything is top of the line in a world in which food, facilities, facets and features make a difference in the ever-expanding college football arms race.