Do you remember how Dan Mullen failed to bring Paul Finebaum into confidence? Back in 2021, the ESPN analyst shared, “The University of Florida, which thinks they invented college football when you’re talking to a Gator, has really only had two great coaches, Spurrier and Urban.” And he had only one message for Mullen: “You failed.” And look how the tables have turned.
Mullen was hired as the head football coach at UNLV on December 12, 2024. He has taken the coaching seat of Barry Odom, who left for the Purdue Boilermakers. Right now, the new head coach is busy installing their new offensive and defensive systems. Does that mean Mullen swiped left on his roster build-up? Definitely not. He has unlocked freedom by assembling the nation’s most interesting roster at UNLV.
Now, what must be hanging as Mullen’s vision board moving into the 2025 season? The Rebels will have to ruin Boise State’s quest for back-to-back Mountain West Championships. It has been many years since Mullen was last roaming a sideline, but the former Florida head coach will look to rebound out West. And someone shared what is on Mullen’s plate right now. That’s none other than Peter Burns. The ESPN analyst joined That SEC Podcast on July 23 and came with his boldest takes. “The other part is an old SEC coach, Dan Mullen, over at UNLV. And I don’t know what the over and under is about it, but he has a chip on his shoulder right now,” shared the analyst.
Credits: Dan Mullen Twitter (X)
Burns continued, “He’s got a bunch of former SEC guys and a bunch of guys that are looking for a new opportunity, and he’s playing in the conference right now that I don’t think is going to be great… I think the over and under was like eight or seven and a half wins. I’m like I like I like I like UNLV.” The quarterback battle will take place between two experienced starters from the Power 4 in Alex Orji and Anthony Colandrea. At Wide Receiver, UNLV will have a pair of well-known transfers in JoJo Earle and Troy Omeire. Along with Omeire, defensive back Jake Pope is also carrying SEC roots. As Mullen has experience of coaching for 20 years in the SEC, the host, SEC Mike, had one question.
“Is it crazy to think Dan Mullen could find his way back to the SEC now that he doesn’t have to recruit?” he asked. ” Well, he has to recruit, but not as hard with the NIL and everything.” Burns replied. “Yeah, I don’t you know, it’s kind of interesting. I don’t know how that plays out because Dan’s just a different kind of cat and I don’t think I think he really likes UNLV. I think there’s an opportunity to start fresh. Likes the Vegas spotlight. That’s everything that’s around him, and he has an opportunity (sic).”
Mullen is now riding on full confidence and is comparing this year’s UNLV team to his highly successful Mississippi State team from back in 2014. That year, he drove the program to being No. 1 in the country for four weeks. After all, he got a lot of things to prove and dish out a big FOMO to Florida for letting him go.
Missouri meltdown that changed everything for Dan Mullen in Florida
Things turned awry in the Florida camp back in November 2021. Mullen replaced Jim McElwain and arrived in 2018 as the head coach at Florida. And immediately he took the fans into confidence. Under Mullen, the Gators seemed to be riding in the right direction with three straight appearances in New Year’s Six bowl games. Not just this, Mullen led Florida to the SEC championship game and played eventual national champion Alabama as close as anyone.
However, rumors started to circulate that the head coach used to mistreat the players. Along with this, Mullen did not find much success in the recruiting trail. His 2019 class was ranked 9th while the 2020 class finished at No.8. So, no top five classes were signed by Mullen. Finally, in 2021, after the disappointing 24-23 overtime loss to Missouri, things changed permanently for Mullen. It was Florida’s fourth consecutive loss to a Power 5 opponent, and the Gators got rid of him. Now, for the ones thinking that his stepping in at UNLV was a rash decision, it wasn’t.
On The Big Mountain podcast, Dan Mullen shared what led him to the Rebels: “You know what, it was hard. It was a tough decision. I really enjoyed TV. A big family decision. You know, we started talking, and, you know, the last couple of years I just—nothing, you know—I’d get calls, and I would just say it’s not going to interest me. And then this, you know, in October, I said, all right, you know, I talked to my wife. I said if people call, we’ll listen. Maybe we’ll have some conversations this year (sic).” Mullen ditched the TV booth for a $17.5M gamble at UNLV—will the bet pay off, or will it go wrong?
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