Matt Hayes: Ultracompetitive Dan Mullen would be perfect fit with Tide
He’s relaxing on the pristine sands of Ponte Vedra Beach these days, earning millions for not doing a darned thing.
He did the ESPN football analyst thing for a few months in 2022, and he was really good at it. His kids are happy at private school in Jacksonville, and his wife, Megan, and the kids don’t have to read on social media how it’s weird that she’s — ready for this, Mr. and Mrs. America? — nice and caring.
Why in the world would Dan Mullen jump back into the rat race that is college football coaching?
“He’s one of the most competitive guys I’ve ever met, that’s why,” a former assistant coach under Mullen told me. “He’ll race you from the counter at the (convenience) store to the car — and pull and grab and bang shoulders the whole way.”
Sounds like a perfect fit for Alabama’s offensive coordinator.
Tide coach Nick Saban is in the market for a new OC and quarterbacks coach/play-caller, and of those on the market — or, really, at other colleges or in the NFL — he’s not going to get a better, more motivated candidate.
Kirby Smart, you see, knocked out Dan Mullen, too.
Forget about how it ended at Florida, with his inability to recruit at a high level colliding head on with an underachieving quarterback duo that couldn’t stop throwing interceptions. Florida boosters aren’t patient, and they ran off a guy with a strong history of developing quarterbacks and unique play-calling — and 3 New Year’s 6 bowls on his resume.
The same guy who, the year he was fired, nearly beat No. 1 Alabama in the 1st month of the season — before a botched 2-point conversion ended hope in a 31-29 loss.
Understand this: Saban remembers who stresses his defense — like he remembered how Lane Kiffin in 2009 took a depleted Tennessee team into Tuscaloosa and nearly won.
Or Mullen in 2020, when Florida traded blows with Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, and but for 2 critical mistakes that led to Alabama touchdowns — a personal foul call on 3rd down, and a fumble after an interception — could’ve beaten what Saban considers his best team in Tuscaloosa.
The Gators lost, 52-46, the 6-point margin the closest any team came to beat the Tide in 2020. The next closest was 17 points.
We’ve seen what a Mullen offense can do with a talented quarterback and dangerous skill players. Saw it at Florida (both as head coach and OC), and at Utah (as OC), and for a couple of seasons as coach at Mississippi State.
He developed Alex Smith (the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft), and Utah had an unbeaten season. As an OC at Florida, he developed Chris Leak and Tim Tebow and won national titles with each.
He nearly did it again in 2020 with a quarterback (Kyle Trask) who a few years earlier was a backup on his high school team. The guy can coach; that has never been in question.
Mullen also has proven he can handle the heat of working under — how can I say this in the most delicate and loving way, Nick? — a driven lunatic (see: Meyer, Urban). Nothing is going to faze him.
The problem with this dream match of offense/quarterback guru and greatest college football coach ever? Mullen doesn’t need it.
He got $6 million 30 days after he was fired from Florida, and he will get another $1 million a year for the next 6 years if he doesn’t take another job. He can lie on the beach and continue to be an ESPN analyst and second-guess calls from other coaches — instead of his family reading Twitter warriors saying the 3rd-and-5 call against Tennessee was stupid and cost Alabama the game.
So how does Saban get Mullen to bite? Easy: Let’s go win it all — and get back on top because of your offense and my defense and the players we develop.
Let’s topple Georgia — the very team that officially supplanted King Alabama earlier this month, and the same team that was directly responsible for Mullens’ quick exit at Florida.
The process of Smart building the monster at Georgia included a demoralizing beatdown of Florida in 2021, when Smart said players win games and no one can “outcoach talent” — a direct shot at Mullen and his “QB guru” and play-caller reputation.
It continued with a win over Alabama in the 2021 Playoff National Championship Game, and it was completed this season with the 1st back-to-back national titles since Alabama in 2011-12.
They’re both in this together now. Saban needs this hire as badly as Mullen does.
And who knows what happens down the road if Saban returns to the top of the mountain and Mullen develops a dynamic offense, and Saban eventually decides to retire.
And the best job in college football is open.
That’s why you jump back into the rat race.
The beach isn’t going anywhere.
Nice article. It makes even more sense if Saban really wants to stick with Milroe or he wants to sharpen Simpson’s game is he chooses to ride with him. Me personally I would love to see Mullen at Tuscaloosa.
if*
And you know who is coming with him!
3rd and Grantham
3rd and Grantham
3rd and Grantham
He’s already in Gumpaloosa working as an analyst.
I know!!!! Believe 3rd and Grantham can happen in T-Town!!
Can you imagine the Bama copium posts, and the “positive” Grantham Defensive stats that will get trotted out when he gets the job?!?!
As much as Bama obsessed Dawg fans want that to happen there is zero chance it does happen. It is funny to see how obsessed Georgia fans are with what goes on in Tuscaloosa. Guess 2nd and 26 would have that effect.
Cherry-picked stats without a shred of context are a Hillbilly thing.
Wonder if Hayes knows that Dan Mullen has already said he is not interested.
I saw that too. I wouldn’t trust it though. If he is as competitive as they say, Nick Saban will pitch him hard.
I seriously doubt that Saban wants him.
He seems to be in a good spot with his family, time, and stress level, and has clearly said so. Money’s not an issue. Does the competitiveness override that? One other consideration is, are we at a point where a successful OC at Bama with lots of head coaching experience becomes a double-secret HC-in-waiting?
Yeah, we’re kinda there at this point. No sane Bama fan believes Saban is still at his peak. Mullen needs to learn the recruiting game from the GOAT and then get back in the job market; where better to learn than under Saban?
At the same time, his lack of recruiting prowess could be the thing that kills his chance to even be interviewed: CNS values both coaching acumen and recruiting skills. We shall see. I’m definitely not opposed to Mullen being the Tide OC.
Grantham, though…(shudder) deer Lawd no.
Exactly. Chris Low already reported that Dan wasn’t interested and is enjoying his current gig on TV.
Wasn’t all the talk in Gainesville that Mullen’s wife hated it there and dealing with the fans?
If she does not like dealing with fans, she may be more comfortable with some small New England college where no one gives a $h!t.
I’m just here for the comments… especially the ones from Bama fans.
Hate to disappoint you. BTW, the o line coach that Saban poached from y’all last year isn’t exactly knocking me out – want him back?
We told you when he came to you that we weren’t shedding any tears over the “loss.” He left without even telling his players. Not to mention he left the cupboards bare and didn’t continue the development of the great O line Coach Schlarmann left him.
Sorry you guys are having to deal with him, but our o line is in enough trouble without taking him back!
That would be the perfect hire to assure becoming the New Florida. Hurry up and do the deal.
That would be perfect. Mullen in his Darth Vader outfit and Saban dressed as R2D2. :)
Don’t forget your mother as Jabba the Hutt!
Comment of the day.
Like probably most of the fans on this page, we all have an above average interest in the sport. With that said, like him or dislike him Saban is certainly one of the best college football coaches out there. I can’t imagine questioning the choices of Saban in picking his staff. He has to live with them and knows more about what is needed and how it’s done than any of us.
“one of the best”? The best.
JTF: “The best.”
Saban is entrenched in his enshrinement; with the “ponzi scheme” firmly established by contracts that will make it nearly impossible to topple, Saban’s enshrinement is protected, we can be assured of that…
what’s interesting is how they have began to use the same “ponzi scheme” system to enshrine Smart…
the only question that remains to be answered is…
will Smart be able to use, and maintain, the “ponzi scheme” advantages as effectively as Saban did to rise to his own enshrinement.
Not saying Saban didn’t work for what he has earned, but, please, be honest when you call him the “best” and admit he has advantages that others coaches could only dream of having.
Saban’s greatness comes from the fact that he used, and maintained, those advantages in ways that helped many rise-up to be a better person; there are many who would have upended themselves by misusing those advantages; Saban didn’t!
Smart does seem to be of the same mold as Saban, time will tell if he can use, and maintain, the advantages the “ponzi scheme” gifts him with as effectively as Saban has; as of now, Smart has.
I don’t see it happening. Saban knows recruiting is King in CFB & a 24 hr job. Mullen only recruits during the summer.
To be fair, we just had BoB for two years and he barely did any recruiting. He mostly only recruited when players were on campus.
And I don’t see Saban repeating that mistake but I guess he could.
I don’t think so. Mullen is kind of like Muschamp, in that they both have a difficult time swallowing their pride to become a coordinator again. I don’t think Muschamp could work for any HC other than his friend Smart. Would Mullen take an a $ $ chewing on the sideline if a play goes horribly wrong? I can’t see it.
The article gives Mullen credit for developing Tebow and Trask; BS!. Tebow came in to college already “skilled” enough to get playing time on what would turn out to be the National Champion. Trask, clearly the best QB on the team (and one of the best in the nation) would have withered away on the sidelines, except for an injury to the demonstrably inferior Franks.
How about Dak and Alex Smith then?
I’m with you on those two.
Urban Meyer coached Alex Smith.
One of Urban Meyer’s dirty little secrets is that he never coached anybody. He is a master recruiter and CEO head coach.
Mullen may be that competitive, but if jumping back into coaching would be a Tom Brady-like move that would wreck his family, he might resist any offer Saban makes. Families have to make a lot of sacrifices when the husband’s a coach, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Mullen’s wife has no desire to jump back into that life.
Alabama has created another fan base we have some that are Rolling with the Tide and the others Are Trolling with the Tide.
There have been two fanbases since Saban arrived. There are actual Tide fans and then there are other fans that cheer for the demise and failure of the Tide. Now, we have added a third group. The trolling UGA fans that demand respect and scream “look at me, look at me! We’re now really good too!”.
Beneath you.
Don’t forget the bandwagon fans to there is alot of them for Ga they’ve recently started likening football again
I’ve lived most of my life in GA: the fan support has always been there. Only difference now is the dawg fans are about as arrogant as Bama fans mid 2010’s. Otherwise I haven’t seen a sudden increase in participation.
While it’s true that Sideshow Dan the Clown is the best hire Saban could make, and most all Dawgs know that, I was still waiting on what I knew would be a hilariously fawning take on it from Matt Vile Libel Hayes or Mike Super ‘turd Bianchi
You didn’t disappoint, Hayes. Absolutely hilarious in your tender love of Cousin Eddie!
You lost me when you said Mullen would be the best hire possible.
So true. Dan Mullen only survived long enough at UF is because a player who he ignored for a bit, Kyle Traske got an opportunity. Without Kyle, Mullen’s offense plummeted. Even lost a game over a shoe. That isn’t having control of your team. Couldn’t motivate enough of those players also stay and play post season. Imo, this is less of a hire than O’Brian. O’Brian did improve the scoring offense ranking from 21 to 22. If Dan is your man, TN is going to beat you at home next season.
It is amazing what one win in 16 tries will do for some fanbases. Ole Miss fans felt the same way a few years ago. Go check out Saban’s record in revenge games. No matter how well your team does you are still stuck with that pukey pumpkin orange color.
Welp, that’s why we call y’all Gumps.
You ain’t smart men (or women).
Let me get this straight. After his issues at his former school in the SEC west and at UF, you think this guy is better than O’Brian? LOL. And behind whatever new QB? Yep, dynasty over.. lol. Dan is brought in for the final silly act before the fat lady sings. lol
Smelt enough to get you obsessed about Bama football and control you.
Mullen or Slade Nagle should be the two considerations for OC.
If Lebby is staying out, and if Mullen isn’t playing sleight of hand, then Saban should put most of his eggs in Nagle’s basket and get him while he can.
If Lebby is staying *put.
Spade Nagle would be the best choice.
Slade
Mullen at Bama would be scary!
Oh no. No this would not work for Bama. Things must be gloomy if they would seriously hire Dan for OC. The only thing that saved Dan Mullen for a little bit at UF was Kyle Traske. And for some of that time, Dan had no idea that kind of talent was sitting on the bench. Still found a way to have his offense undisciplined enough to lost a game over a shoe. No, just no Bama. You’ll be missing the good old days of O’Brian if you were to go this route.
Zero chance of an offer to Mullen. Zero.
O’Brian is a better OC than Dan would ever be. Despite a game or two issues on D, he slightly improved the overall total offense ranking in 22 from 21. Has anyone from the NFL offered Dan a job like they have O’Brian? Nope.
No, BoB benefited from the best qb in Bama history. If Bryce Young isn’t at Bama I’m positive there would have been far more losses. Mullen could coach up just about any qb – I give BoB no credit for BY. None. Zilch. Nil. Nada.
Never said he was and Mullen will not be the OC either.
You mean other than the fact that no one wants him?
Whatever competitive spirit that may have once possessed Mullen went bye bye. He stuck with the a bunch of third rate assistants because he lost interest in winning and cared more about being friends with morbidly obese clowns that reeked of rancid pig fat.
This article chronicles Mullen’s record against Alabama but almost ignores the fact that Mullen’s offenses have largely struggled against Kirby’s teams.
Kirby’s Defenses have almost completely dominated Mullen’s offenses, since Kirby became HC at Georgia, with Kirby losing only one time in 2020.
I hope Mullen accepts the mythical challenge and becomes the OC at Alabama.
I bet you do but it will not happen. Better hope Schumann does not come home.
Schumann is not coming… If he was, he would already be there.
Maybe Saban can pull some strings – whatever that looks like – with someone with the NCAA and get Pruitt a get out of a show cause card?
Just wait. Contracts take time.
Better hope Muschamp is not totally in charge of the defense next year.
Cousin Eddie to Bama. The perfect match.
First, Saban’s coaches need to recruit well. That disqualifies Mullen right off the bat.
Second, there’s a difference between being hyper-competitive and being driven to compete 24/7/365. Mullen is a Jimmy Buffett parrothead who loves to travel and play golf. He has the perfect life now.
To continue the second point above, when guys opted out of the 2021 bowl game and then the 2021 season went south, Mullen’s “competitiveness” very clearly checked out. He has a personality that completely gives up at a certain tipping point of negativity. He will not return to coaching because he “misses competition.” He’s just not that guy.
Saban and Mullen would be a match made in hell. You think Mullen could handle a Saban sideline ass-chewing? No way.
It would be entertaining though :)