GAINESVILLE, Florida – Florida coach Dan Mullen finally admitted that he made a few “unfortunate” comments last year, none shaking his head other than talking about – and doubling down on – packing the team’s home stadium in during a pandemic.
But Mullen did not apologize for remaining silent after people close to Mullen told ESPN they thought he would entertain the NFL at some point.
“A lot of rumors there, but I haven’t talked to anyone,” Mullen said during a Zoom interview session Tuesday, two days before spring practice began.
Mullen, 48, has been specifically asked if he wants to become a professional, possibly after next season or on the road.
“I will approach it this way: I think a lot of people are trying to figure out what the future of college football will hold and what it will look like in the future,” he said. “I love being here at the University of Florida. I think we have a great schedule. We have a large fan base, an excellent history, the opportunity to be a championship program every year.
“I think there are concerns with the coaches (in terms of) what the future of university football will look like. … I think there is a lot of uncertainty that we are trying to figure out right now, to see what our future holds for you. “
Between the booming transfer portal that forces coaches to continually recruit their own players and the undetermined challenges of earning name, image and likeness potential, it’s easy to see why coaches might want to come out. The coronavirus pandemic also exposed athletics to college because it has a financial model capable of collapsing in the short term.
Former Florida and Ohio coach Urban Meyer left the broadcast booth to join the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, becoming the third college coach in as many years to make the move. Kliff Kingsbury left Texas Tech for the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, and Matt Rhule jumped from Baylor to the Carolina Panthers in 2020.
Mullen certainly has the credentials, whether he’s building the state of Mississippi into an occasional threat in the Southeast Conference or helping the Gators become a championship contender again. His resume also includes a lot of work with NFL defenders, including Alex Smith, Cam Newton, Tim Tebow and Dak Prescott. Former Florida quarterback Kyle Trask will be Mullen’s next QB. Feleipe Franks of Arkansas could also be a final choice.
Mullen has spent nearly three decades in college, including his last 16 years at the SEC headquarters.
His last was, without a doubt, the most trying. He was convicted of commenting on a desire to “pack the swamp” following a loss to Texas A&M and crowded 90,000 fans in Florida Field during a public health crisis.
He also stumbled after losing to Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl, insisting that the last outing for the Florida team in 2020 actually came in the SEC title game. The Gators were left without the first four receivers and three defensive starters against the latter, and Mullen praised the effort of “his research team players,” comments that were seen as detrimental to Oklahoma’s victory.
“Probably sometimes I said things that, unfortunately, may not have gone the right way, were interpreted differently,” Mullen said. “You always try to improve, you always try to improve and look at it. I think one of the things to do is look back and reflect and say “Hey, at that point is that the right way to approach something? ‘”
Mullen had other notable moments in 2020.
The SEC reprimanded and fined him $ 25,000 after league officials decided it did more to inflame than extinguish a tense situation against Missouri, which led to a break on Halloween night. Mullen wore a Darth Vader suit to the post-game press conference, essentially saluting the role of the bastard.
He woke up in warmer water just before Christmas, when the NCAA said Mullen failed to “promote an atmosphere of compliance” because he had unauthorized contact with a Seattle recruit and allowed unauthorized contact with seven teams. They stopped in Gainesville on their way to an event in Tampa.
The violations landed in the NCAA probation for the first time in 30 years.
Penalty for the cause of the show probably means no increase or extension for Mullen, who is 29-9 years old since replacing Jim McElwain after the 2017 season. He has three more years on a six-year contract, with $ 36.6 million, which makes him the 10th highest paid coach in college football.
“Yeah, I don’t control that part of him, so I have to worry about what I control,” he said. “That may be in someone else’s press conference. That would be a good question for them.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.