No Huddle: Mullen plans on being at Florida 'for a long time'
GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Tis the season of the coaching rumors, and Dan Mullen is at a center of one NFL rumor.
The Gators head coach has been connected with the Dallas Cowboys head coaching job. On Monday, Mullen was asked about his thoughts on a potential NFL job offer.
"I don’t think it’s a big deal that people pay much attention to, to be honest with you, within the program," Mullen said during his press conference. "I haven’t seen a whole lot of that. I think our guys know I plan on being here for a long time."
One can see why Mullen's name continues to be connected with other jobs since he has done a great job turning around the Florida program in just two seasons - taking the Gators to two consecutive New Year's Six Bowls.
Although the NFL could potentially provide better financial incentives, coaching at the college level does have its benefits.
"When I said to someone who asked the other day about the NFL, I still haven’t had a second to even consider it and what it would entail, right?" Mullen said. "I don’t know. I know what I have here. I love being here. I think we’re building a championship program here.
"At some point in my life would it be something that if I wrote it all down, sat it down to consider it that it would happen? But it’s nothing I’ve even thought of. I know how it works here. I like it here. I’m kind of, I don’t want to make it sound too big, but you’re kind of the owner, GM, vice president and head coach (in college). I’ve got a lot of control here. You’re in control of everything. That’s why everybody looks at it and knows the situation we’re in, knows the type of program this is. This is not a place you’re looking to leave."
Mullen has shown that he will not take a job just to take a job - he did stay at Mississippi State for nine seasons.
"I think this, any time your name gets brought up with other jobs, a lot of times it’s a compliment. It means you’re doing well," said Mullen. "I dealt with it for years and years and years at Mississippi State. Your name would get brought up for things. It means you’re doing well within a program. I look at it in those terms. But I think everyone knows I plan on being here for a long time."
Medical Report
As one expects, the Gators have a few players banged up as the Capital One Bowl Game draws closer.
According to Mullen, Florida has rested a few players but they don't expect any one to miss the bowl game against No. 24 Virginia - apart from those who suffered season-ending injuries, like Jeremiah Moon and CJ McWilliams.
"[Amari] Burney I do [expect to return]. Burney has practiced the last couple of days," added Mullen. "[Jabari Zuniga] practiced the other day. I expect him out at practice today. We expect him to play and be healthy. He said he feels really good. We expect him to come out and have a big game for us.”
The only defender that Florida continues to monitor is safety Shawn Davis.
"A guy that I think that might still be slow is Shawn Davis...still nursing a hamstring. Everybody else should be ready to roll.”
The NFL Draft Question
Ten days ago, Florida corner CJ Henderson declared for the NFL draft. In his announcement, the potential first round pick also said he was not playing in the bowl game.
On Monday one other player cleared up his playing status:
"I will definitely be playing," said talented pass rusher Jonathan Greenard.
At this point, Mullen is not expecting any more players to miss the bowl game due to the NFL draft.
"We haven’t gotten the draft grades back on everybody yet," explained Mullen. " I think there are still guys waiting on the draft grades that way. But everybody else plans on playing. We don’t play for a couple of weeks. We’ve got two weeks from today and everybody has been practicing and ready to go to play.”
Mullen says the five underclassmen submitted paperwork with the NFL for their draft grades.
"You can turn five in and you petition for more with specific reasons. I talked to the guys and tried to limit it to five. So, I think it was five but we’ll see," said Mullen. "We did it the day after the Florida State game, like the first day possible to turn stuff in, so we could get it back a soon as possible."
The Transfer Portal Question
Just some quick notes.
Feleipe Franks and Lucas Krull remain the only two Gators to have entered the transfer portal so far.
Franks visited Kansas this past weekend, while Krull announced his decision to transfer to Pitt on Monday.
Gator Chomps
What does it say about this team to make it to two consecutive New Year's Six Bowls
"Well it says a lot about the guys that were here. There were some talented players here, you know, that really bought into what we're trying to do, have worked hard to continue to be developed, and have wanted to finish their careers the right way. You look where it comes to leadership within the team, leadership's got to buy in. Leadership kind of sets that bar for you. And the older guys have bought into what we're trying to do and there was some talented guys here that bought into it and they've had good leadership. You know, we've faced different types of adversities over the last couple years but they worked at doing things the right way. We had a bunch of guys; what was our total number of players that graduated? Sixteen players? We had 16 of them? I thought we had 12. That's even more, I must have missed out on some. Must have been walk-ons, I guess. I was just counting scholarships. But if you look at that, guys living up to what the Gator standard is and what the expectations are, buying into every aspect of the program. Guys graduating, guys graduating with Master's degrees. Guys coming out and playing at a high level no matter what the adversity or the successes that we were dealing with. They continued to battle, continued to improve, continued to get better and we were able to reap the rewards in that as a football program getting to a second straight New Year's Six bowl."
Do you know Mike Norvell (FSU)?“
I’m more familiar with him. I don’t know him real well but I’m more familiar with him. I think you look at the success he’s had. He did a great job at Memphis with that program. I’m just more familiar with him and the Memphis program from being at Mississippi State a long time. You look at the last two coaches and how I think the school has done a great job at Memphis building the program up and brought in some quality coaches there that have brought the program up. I think he did a really good job there.”
Lane Kiffin being back in the SEC? Get to play him next season.
"Yeah, that's kind of cool. Nah, I like Lane. I think Lane is a great football coach, does a great job. You know, obviously, has great personality, is a great, fun personality in college football. Obviously, right? There was the ratings system they put out the other day, people were like they would go to Vegas with him over me. I think I'm a good-time guy. I have a lot of fun, too. You know, I'm obviously not a ... what is he? Might not be Joey Freshwater fun but ... right? (Laughs)."
How do you balance the fun and seriousness of getting ready for a bowl game?
"That's always a challenge and I've talked to our team about that constantly. Is, but we do try to make it fun now, if you look, everything about the schedule is to not make it grinding at all for the players. But when it is time to work, we work. And talk to them constantly, there's plenty of time off, we're going to give them lots of free time, both here and when we get to Miami, but when it's time for football we are completely locked in. The great, you know the bowl experience is awesome, but the bowl experience is always better when you win the game. This year, even memory, everything about the game is better when you win. So, with that being said our guys have got to be, make sure they're locked into when it's time for football, it's time for football. In our preparation, we're completely locked in. There will be plenty of time to have fun, but we're locked in when it's time to be locked in."