JACKSONVILLE, Florida -- Halfway to his victory news conference in his first Florida-Georgia game, Jim McElwain abruptly stops and scolds the football spokesman in front of him who has accidentally run into a cameraman. His voice rises as he demands an apology by the spokesman, in what seems like a half-joking display. But it clearly carries some discomfort for the two men Florida's first-year head coach is addressing.
"How rude is that?" McElwain asks with a hint of a laugh.
Exchanges like that that have set the tone for McElwain's 2015 Florida football team. A bumbling group for the better part of the past five seasons has re-energized, thanks to a man who stresses core values before championships.