Dan Mullen explains parting of ways with Hevesy, Grantham

Following what was most likely the toughest day of Dan Mullen's coaching career, the fourth-year Florida head coach held his first in-person media session of the season Monday afternoon.

Sunday night, following a 40-17 loss to South Carolina, Mullen made the decision to relieve Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and John Hevesy of their coaching duties. Grantham had been Mullen's defensive coordinator for the last five seasons dating back to Mississippi State. Mullen and Hevesy's relationship dates back two decades to when both were young assistants on Urban Meyer's Bowling Green staff.

"My responsibility as the head coach is to do what's best, what I feel is best for the Florida Gators. And that comes above it all," Mullen said Monday. "It was obviously a really tough decision to make. It was something that was weighing on me. It was something that I was looking and saying, 'Hey, there's, I'm probably going to make changes at the end of the season,' and I thought for the health of the program, for the health of everybody, you know you're going to do it, let's make that move now and get us headed in the direction we're going into it in the future."

Mullen admitted that he had already surmised that he would make the moves but would let the coaches finish the season. Ultimately, the disastrous outcome on Saturday expedited that timeline but. he says it wasn't just the one game that made him pull the trigger.

"One of the ways you look and say, 'Is it a successful season?' Are you a better team at the end of the year than you were at the beginning of the year? For me, one thing looking at where we're at right now. We’re not better than we were earlier in the year. In fact, we’re worse than we were earlier in the year. At that point, I looked and I said we’ve got to make some changes with what we’re doing and where we’re at."

The corresponding moves were to promote Christian Robinson to defensive coordinator, where the 31-year old will call plays for the first time in his young career. Mullen is also moving Paul Pasqualoni from his role as a special assistant to an on the field role, to help Robinson.

"It’s a great opportunity for Christian Robinson, a really good young coach, to go call a game for the first time," Mullen said. "I think I’m fortunate on the defensive side of the ball to move a guy like Paul Pasqualoni, who’s one of the most respected coaches in football, can move from my special assistant person, who’s with me and I lean on an awful lot, to an on-the-field spot. And really help out Christian in that role."

Of course, most fans wanted Grantham gone after the 2020 season. Mullen was asked if he regrets keeping Grantham prior to this season.

"I have no regrets about sticking with him and I wouldn’t change it. At this time I feel like we just need to go in a different direction than where we are right now. So, I think anyone that comes to work for me will know that I’m, most people that work for me will tell you that I’m a good person to work for and I’m a very loyal person. People enjoy working for me. Probably why people have stuck around a long time too.”