5 realistic substitutes for Dan Mullen in Gainesville

Dan Mullen, Florida Gators. (USA today)

It wouldn’t be shocking if this was the last season Dan Mullen was the Florida football head coach.

Dan Mullen goes from world class to head coach of the Florida soccer program.

The former Gators offensive coordinator and head coach of the state of Mississippi had great success in both of his previous roles. However, he quickly finds out that being the head coach in a place like Florida can be an unforgiving beast. After being nearly ruled out by arch-rival Georgia, Florida drops to 4-4 in the year. Whether the NFL is calling or not, Mullen could be on his way out in Florida.

Mullen hasn’t been in Gainesville that long, and with a very reasonable buyout, either party could try to part ways for Florida’s high standards at the end of a pathetic football season.

How much does Dan Mullen earn?

Mullen makes the sixth most power five head coaches at $ 7.570 million annually. However, his buyout is only $ 12 million, which makes it very easy for those in charge of the Florida program to make a big decision like firing their head coach.

How long has Dan Mullen been in Florida?

While Mullen is his second coach in Florida, he has only sat in the big chair in Gainesville since the 2018 college season. He left his Starkville post after nine incredible seasons in the state of Mississippi. This is only his fourth year at the helm of the Florida program.

Florida football: 5 coaches who could replace Dan Mullen

5

Jeff Lebby

Offensive coordinator Ole Miss Rebels

Jeff Lebby played a huge role in the high-octane offensive of the Ole Miss Rebels

There are a handful of coordinators out there worth considering for Power Five jobs. While it’s likely to be another year for Ole Miss Rebels’ offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, there’s no denying what his team can do through the air in the SEC game. Let’s not overlook the fact that he trained in the state of Florida for three years, including two years with the AAC’s UCF Knights.

From a schematic standpoint, Florida cannot offensively lose a ton by going to Lebby with a first-time head coach when Mullen’s tenure comes to an end. While he could be a better recruiter than Mullen, Florida is an incredibly tough job, especially for a first-time head coach. If he is offered the gig, Lebby should accept him, but there are better candidates to replace Mullen than him.

Here are two more candidates that make sense but might not be suitable for the Gainesville job.

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