GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Florida's next football coach will have a "track record of success on the offensive side of the ball."
Athletic director Jeremy Foley said Monday that Florida fans want that and "we're certainly going to try to provide for them."
Foley didn't rule out a defensive coach, but made it pretty clear the Gators don't plan on hiring another defensive coordinator without head-coaching experience.
Florida failed miserably with former defensive coordinators Ron Zook (2002-04) and Will Muschamp (2011-14).
Foley fired coach Muschamp on Sunday, a day after a 23-20 loss to South Carolina that was Florida's third straight at home and knocked the Gators out of contention in the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division.
"We would obviously like an individual that's been successful on the offensive side of the ball," Foley said. "I think obviously that's what the Gator Nation wants, and we see that, and that's what we're certainly going to try to provide for them."
Muschamp will coach the final two regular-season games, against Eastern Kentucky and Florida State, but won't stick around for a potential bowl game. The Gators (5-4, 4-4) need to win one of the two to become bowl eligible.
"Our guys will respond the right way and handle it with class, like they always have in all situations," said Muschamp, who seemed to handle the decision as professionally as possible. "It's important for us to get these seniors a win here in the Swamp."
Foley, Muschamp and outgoing school president Bernie Machen spoke at the news conference. Foley choked back tears while talking about how difficult a decision it was to fire Muschamp, who cleaned up a program rampant with arrests and did everything right off the field.
But Muschamp couldn't get the results on the field, and Foley said he likely would have needed to win out to save his job following last month's 42-13 debacle to Missouri on Homecoming.
Muschamp is 27-20 in three-plus seasons, including 17-15 in SEC play.
Foley insisted Florida hasn't talked to any candidates.