With Urban Meyer stepping down as head coach, one name should immediately come to mind for any Florida Gators observer: Dan Mullen. The Mississippi St. Bulldogs coach is already being courted by teams around the southeast, and his time in Florida as Meyer’s offensive coordinator (plus the Gators’ enormous financial resources) may increase the chances of his return to Gainesville.
Mullen led Missy State to an 8-4 record in a very competitive SEC West, possibly their best season in over a decade. In his four years as Florida’s offensive coordinator, the Gators finished 49th, 24th, third, and fourth in the nation in points scored, then slipped to tenth and 47th without him. The Bulldogs nearly beat the Gators in Starkville in 2009, then pulled off the upset in 2010.
Mullen worked alongside Meyer from 1999 to 2008 at Florida, Utah, Bowling Green, and Notre Dame.
Other members of Meyer’s coaching tree include former defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, first-year coach of the Louisville Cardinals.
UPDATE: Florida's Bright House Sports Network reports Mullen and Strong are indeed the team's primary targets.