Report: Central Michigan, former Florida head coach Jim McElwain to retire at end of 2024 season

Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain is retiring at the end of the 2024 season, On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed. ESPN’s Chris Low first reported the news.

The former Colorado State and Florida head coach is currently subject to an NCAA investigation.

McElwain is 33-35 in his sixth season leading the Chips, and reportedly made the decision to retire on his own. Central Michigan, now 4-7 on the year, has one remaining game on the schedule, finishing the season on Nov. 30 at Northern Illinois.

The biggest news around the Central Michigan program of late, though, has been the NCAA investigation into how Connor Stalions apparently got on to the Central Michigan sideline for a game at Michigan State in 2023.

It broke earlier in November that the Central Michigan program and McElwain were under the NCAA microscope.

“Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain is the subject of an ongoing NCAA investigation involving Connor Stalions’ appearance on the Chippewas sideline last fall, sources told CBS Sports,” CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd said in a report. “The NCAA is seeking to determine if McElwain had a role in allowing Stalions on the sideline of the Chippewas’ season opener against Michigan State.”

McElwain goes through the investigation as the current Central Michigan head coach, being in the middle of his sixth season in charge. Dodd reported that if the NCAA determines McElwain was involved in Stalions being on the sideline, there would be “major violations.”

There have been questions from the media to McElwain regarding the situation. He has denied being aware of Stalions being on the sideline in the past.

“We … were totally unaware of it,” McElwain previously said, also via CBS. “I certainly don’t condone it in any way, shape, or form, and I do know that his name was on none of the [sideline] passes that were let out.”

The game in question took place in East Lansing, one Central Michigan lost by 24 points on Sept. 1, 2023. Pictures of Stalions being on the sideline emerged once the sign-stealing scandal broke following the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry game. Stalions eventually resigned from his position in the program.

Michigan itself is still being investigated by the NCAA for the in-person scandal. However, Dodd reported the Michigan and McElwain investigations are separate from one another.