The University of Florida has hired current Mississippi State Head Coach Dan Mullen as the 27th head coach of the Gators football program. Mullen was an offensive coordinator under former Gators coach Urban Meyer from 2005-2008 and now returns to Gainesville in charge of a Gator program which fired Jim McElwain earlier this season.
Mullen was hired at Mississippi State in December of 2008, replacing Sylvester Croom. The Bulldogs have qualified for a bowl game in eight straight seasons under Mullen, winning five of them. Mississippi State reached #1 in the polls for the first time in school history in 2014, along with receiving an invite to the 2014 Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech. Mullen's 69 wins are the 2nd most in program history, behind Jackie Sherrill's 75. Mullen ends his tenure as the Bulldogs head coach at 69-46.
The University of Florida has issued a press release announcing Dan Mullen has been named the new head football coach of the Florida Gators.
"Megan and I are very excited to get back to Gainesville and the University of Florida," Head Coach Dan Mullen said. "I have such great memories of the championships we won during our time here and have a love for Florida. We are happy to be coming back to such a supportive administration, staff, student body and fan base, which is the premier football program in the country."
"I strongly believe Dan is the most prepared candidate to have immediate and long-term success at the University of Florida," Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said. "Coach Mullen is one of the best offensive minds in all of college football, and has an unbelievable track record in tutoring successful quarterbacks (such as Alex Smith, Chris Leak, Tim Tebow, Dak Prescott and Nick Fitzgerald)."
"Coach Mullen will do a tremendous job in developing accountability and toughness through a well-coordinated strength and conditioning program. Dan will work closely with the coaching staff, academic advising staff and administrative team to give every student athlete he coaches the opportunity to grow and excel at a high level athletically, academically and socially."
"I'm pleased with the approach and process that Scott Stricklin and his staff had in place for this search that landed us the best candidate to move our football program forward nationally," UF President Dr. W. Kent Fuchs said. "Coach Mullen has a very successful track record at Florida and the SEC, which includes his ability to develop student-athletes on and off the field at the highest level."
Photo Courtesy Of Getty Images