Dan Mullen expected to hire new analysts

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida football is expected to add a few analysts to its support staff this offseason.

Although there were several reports stating the Gators had already added to its staff, on Wednesday, Dan Mullen told reporters that was not the case.

"We haven't hired anybody yet," said the UF head coach. "I usually wait until after signing day because a lot of times everybody is -- they're looking for on-the-field full-time position jobs. As that kind of wraps up, then it is. I don't want to hire a guy and then he leaves a week later."

Last week reports started circulating that Florida was expected to hire two coaches that had connections to the Gators program: former USF head coach Charlie Strong and his offensive coordinator Kerwin Bell.

"We have a list of candidates," said Mullen. "We're not going to hire all of them, but we're going to have a couple that will probably join our staff in the next couple weeks."

Strong was recently the South Florida head coach, however, was terminated after three years on the job. Prior to his time at USF, Strong coached Texas for three years and four years at Louisville.

Strong previously coached at Florida from 2003-2009. He has not been an assistant since being UF's defensive coordinator in 2009.

Meanwhile, Bell also shares a familiarity with the program. After a knee injury to the starter in 1984, Bell stepped up to lead Florida to a 9-1-1 season and an SEC Championship; he was named the 1984 SEC Player of the Year for his work - the SEC title was later vacated due to an NCAA infraction.

Bell did play professional ball in both the NFL and CFL, but he soon ventured into coaching. He started in the high school ranks as the head coach atTrinity Catholic High School (Ocala, Fla.) before moving on to college where he coached Jacksonville University for a few years and then Valdosta State, before moving on to USF.

Stay with Gators Territory as we continue to follow the latest.