Two from CSU staff following McElwain to Florida

Former CSU football coach Jim McElwain reportedly is bringing at least two members of his staff with him to Florida.

The Orlando Sentinel reported Saturday, citing an unidentified source at Colorado State University, that McElwain was planning to hire Mike Kent as his strength and conditioning coach at Florida. Numerous reports out of Florida have Tim Skipper, the assistant head coach and linebackers coach for the Rams under McElwain, joining the Gators' staff, too, as the running backs coach.

McElwain has not yet announced the hires. Interim coach D.J. Durkin, the defensive coordinator under former coach Will Muschamp, is in charge of the Florida program through Saturday's Birmingham Bowl game against East Carolina. McElwain, hired Dec. 4, officially takes over the day-to-day operations of the program Sunday, school officials announced.

A CSU spokesman declined comment, saying any announcements on new hires at Florida would have to be announced by the Southeastern Conference school.

Kent has been involved in strength and conditioning programs for college football for 34 years and was one of the first hires McElwain made when he took over the CSU program following the 2011 season. Kent, a West Virginia native, was credited with reducing the incidence of injuries this season and for a conditioning program that helped the Rams win four games that weren't decided until the final 63 seconds.

Kent came to CSU after his second stint in the same role at Appalachian State from 2009-2011. He also has worekd at Kansas State, Louisville, East Carolina, North Carolina State and Pittsburgh.

Skipper, 36, has worked alongside Marty English coaching the Rams' linebackers for the past three seasons. He previously was a running backs coach at Fresno State. Skipper's father, Jim, is the Carolina Panthers running backs coach, and his brother, Kelly, was the running backs coach this past season for the Oakland Raiders.

New CSU coach Mike Bobo is retaining at least four members of McElwain's staff at CSU -- English, receivers coach Alvis Whitted, special-teams coordinator Jeff Hammerschmidt and director of football operations Tom Ehlers.

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