One of the more popular names on the head-coaching carousel this time around was Jim McElwain and the University of Florida (UF) scooped him up early on.

According to ESPN, UF came to an agreement with the Colorado State head football coach on a six-year contract Thursday. UF and McElwain's now-former employer had to reach an agreement of their own on the terms of a contract buyout before anything was finalized.

McElwain will make an average of $3.5 million a year, unnamed sources said. Part of the buyout will include a game in Gainesville between the two teams sometime between the 2017 and 2020 football seasons, the sources said.

"Coach McElwain was someone we targeted from the beginning of the search," UF athletic director Jeremy Foley said in a press release. "The more we worked through the process and did our due diligence, coupled with our meeting and conversations with him and those around him, it was obvious he is the right person to lead the Florida Gator football program."

The school started its search after announcing the departure of Will Muschamp with two games left on the schedule, though he finished the season as the coach of the Florida Gators. In this past season, the Gators' offense sputtered under Muschamp, who was a successful defensive coordinator before taking the job. Foley indicated that the school targeted McElwain for his success on offense.

"He has a proven track record on the offensive side of the ball, has coached in the SEC, won two national championships and has had success as a head coach," Foley said. "He has recruited the South and the state of Florida and has spent time coaching at the highest level in the NFL."

Colorado State went 10-2 this season and 6-2 within the Mountain West Conference. They scored an average of 36 points per game while allowing 23 points, but they were able to move the ball through air and on the ground, which is what Florida lacked this season.