MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.-- Dan Mullen met his wife and children at midfield to celebrate Florida's win over Virginia in the Orange Bowl.

"Awesome," he yelled as he hugged his wife, Megan, and his two children.

Things are definitely 'awesome' in Gainesville.

From four wins to two back-to-back New Year Six Bowl victories, the Florida program has seen quite the turnaround in Mullen's first two seasons as the Gators head coach.

"It means a lot coming out of the 4-7 season and bounce back with these two New Year's six bowls is big for the program," said defensive lineman Zach Carter.

"That's what's special," said Mullen after the win on Monday night. "I know these guys all came to Florida expecting to be at one of the premier -- not just academic but also premier football universities in the country, and that's what the Gator standard is about, trying to be the best at whatever it is you're doing. When you look at it, you look at our whole athletic department, that standard is pretty high".

Mullen is the first head coach to win a BCS/New Year’s Six Bowl game in each of his first two seasons.

So how did Mullen turn things around so quickly?

"It''s the same exact players we had with the old coaching staff. It's just a mindset," said wide receiver Kadarius Toney. "I feel like Mullen came in and brought a mindset and tradition back to Florida. We just bought into it."

When I asked Toney what was the biggest difference between the 2017 Gators and then 2019 Gators, he simply stated, "discipline."

Discipline.

Accountability.

Relentless Effort.

Ultimately the Gator standard - this is what Mullen preached from his first introductory press conference to his Orange Bowl press conference, and no doubt what he will emphasize again as winter workouts begin.

This culture change was not an accident. It started on the first day of winter workouts back in January 2018.

"When he first came in, and we had that first week of workouts and he went through that first week with us, doing the same thing we did, I think thats why it was easy for us to buy in," said senior receiver Josh Hammond. "Just knowing he was all in with us. He did everything we did. It sucked for him like it sucked for us. It just lets us know we are all in it together. We knew he had our back and makes you want to have his back as well."

"Just believing in the process two years ago," added running back Lamical Perine. "Things was kind of hard, just the workouts and things like that, they were very intense and things like that. But I felt like it helped us out in the long run, like today, man, just how to get the standard back."

Mullen's first season ended with ten wins and Peach Bowl victory over Michigan.This season the Gators made the next jump, eleven wins and an Orange Bowl win.

“Just under a year ago, this team was born, and we talked about going from four wins to 10 wins was special, but to go from 10 wins to 11 is going to be a lot harder, and those guys bought into it,” Mullen said. “They started working last January, and they worked, they grinded all season long in everything that they did.”

This team mentally changed. One little mistake, like an interception, does not snowball into two mistakes or to three mistakes, they now overcome those mistakes. This team has found confidence.

"I think that confidence just comes from when we first started in January, that's when our team starts," said quarterback Kyle Trask. "It's not at the beginning of fall camp or anything like that. That's when we start grinding day in and day out. We build that confidence throughout the off-season and also during the season."

The Gators went from an anemic offense to an offense that had eight 300-yard passing games this season for the first time since 2001.

Florida recorded 11 wins for only the eighth time in program history.

And it all started in December 2017, when Mullen spoke to the team for the first time.

"Coach Mullen is one of the best coaches in the game there is no doubt," said Feleipe Franks. "He is the best at what he does."

"I would definitely come back next season if I could," said Van Jefferson.

Although Jefferson and his fellow seniors can't return, the veterans know Florida is in good hands.

"I'm looking at what they've got coming back, they can do more," said defensive lineman Jon Greenard. "And the guys coming in. I'm excited. I mean, this is only just the beginning of it, honestly. Last year was a little taste of it. We keep building, we got 11 wins, which is really difficult. So next year, a couple plays this year and we would've been right where we wanted. Next year, they are just going to capitalize off of that, understand where we were this past year, and National Championship in my eyes, so we've got that in our eyes now.

"We’re in the Orange Bowl next year. I feel like we’ll be back in Miami for the championship," said Carter.