Florida is in a bit of an identity crisis, and Dan Mullen’s reaction to the lack of historical success has been doubling down on what hasn’t worked for decades.
Florida is stuck in the mud, and Dan Mullen is doubling down.Florida has been stuck in a perpetual state of mud since Hurricane Irma, and now their football team is going through the same sort of issues. There’s not much good news for Florida fans these days.
Dan Mullen is the head coach for Florida football, and he has been in the news recently. He was fired from Mississippi State after a disappointing season, but now he is doubling down with his new team.
It’s tempting to look at Florida’s defeat to Georgia on Saturday through the prism of the 212 minutes that transpired in Jacksonville before halftime. That’s when James Cook scored on an 11-yard run, Kearis Jackson snagged a 36-yard touchdown throw from Stetson Bennett, and Nakobe Dean intercepted a ball and returned it 50 yards for a pick-six.
A hard-fought 3-0 game turned into a 24-0 rout and, eventually, a humiliating 34-7 loss that appeared to put Gators coach Dan Mullen on the hot seat only five months after receiving a three-year contract extension and a raise in his salary to $7.6 million per year, making him the fifth highest-paid coach in college football.
Those 212 minutes, taken literally, aren’t the reason Mullen is facing doubts about the program’s future. Neither is the loss of a loved one. Georgia is and was rated first for a reason, and Florida was, after all, a 14-point underdog.
But extrapolate those 212 minutes to the previous 212 months and a year, and it’s evident why the Gators are causing so much consternation these days.
This squad was confident a year ago after defeating Georgia by two touchdowns, was in the College Football Playoff chase, and had a Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback. That now seems to be an illusion. Not only did the Gators miss out on the playoffs, but they also lost their last three games of the season, forcing them to part ways with their prized quarterback and first-round receiver and tight end choices.
2 Related
They’ve gone 4-7 in their last 11 games (4-4 on the season), their offense has slowed, and their defense continues to let them down. And it’s all due to Mullen’s choices: judgments made on the recruiting path, staying too long with his longstanding backup quarterback, and refusing to fire his stumbling defensive coordinator.
Mullen said after Saturday’s setback, “Looking at us right now, we’re not where we want to be.”
To depict the season, he adopted a metaphor: one endless tug-of-war. And the rope is sliding right now, he continued.
“Dropping the rope isn’t going to help,” he said. “Grasping the rope and holding on firmly does, as does squeezing the rope while it burns. And I’ll say this about myself: I don’t let go of the rope. I’m not going to let you take it from my grip. You may pull my face around if you want, but I’m going to clutch it and refuse to let go. I’m not going to let an inch of that rope go, and I’m certain that neither will our players.”
Eli Manning hosts his own version of his brother’s hit program to find out what makes college football such a national pastime. Join Eli as he visits some of the most well-known and historic college football venues and speaks with industry legends to learn more about what makes college football such a national phenomenon. ESPN+ has a live stream available.
Mullen was questioned about possible coaching changes after the defense surrendered 321 running yards in a defeat against LSU last month.
“I’m sure we’ve got a number of contracts up at some time,” he added, “and that’s something we’ll look at after the season when it’s more appropriate to do those things.”
Perhaps now is the time, with the team’s record at 4-4 and the program’s momentum plainly pointing in the wrong way. With games against unranked South Carolina, Samford, Missouri, and Florida State left, the Gators have a chance to reset.
Mullen is plainly losing the tug-of-war game, to use his own metaphor.
Instead of gripping harder and being pulled further into the muck, maybe it’s time to find a new grasp, salvage what’s left of the season, and start planning for next year.
His attitude, though, does not seem to be altering. Mullen was questioned about recruiting again during a press conference on Monday.
“We’re in the season right now,” he added, annoyed by the questioning’s persistence. “After the season, we’ll conduct recruiting.”
Florida is stuck in the mud, and Dan Mullen is doubling down. Florida has been struggling to win games this year, and it’s not looking good for the Gators. Reference: florida football coach history.
Related Tags
- dan mullen wife
- dan mullen salary
- where did dan mullen coach before florida
- dan mullen past teams coached
- dan mullen coaching career
About Author
