Dan Mullen Progress Report

[Escambia94]

In 17 games under Dan Mullen, the Florida Gators are 14-3 (7-3). The Gators are 3-1 vs top-25 ranked opponents, and are 2-1 against the top 7. Florida has outscored his opponents 570-266, or an average of 33.5-15.6. Florida has scored 35+ on nine different occasions, and 40+ on seven different occasions. Similarly, the Gators have gained 400+ yards on nine occasions, and 500+ on four occasions. In that stretch the Gators have created 39 turnovers.

For comparison (season 1 + playoffs + bowl games, first 4 games of season 2):

• In the first 16 games under Scott Frost, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are 7-9, 0-3 vs ranked teams.
  
• In the first 16 games under Chip Kelly, the UCLA Bruins are 4-12, 0-4 vs ranked teams.
  
• In the first 17 games under Will Muschamp, the 2011-2012 Gators were 11-6 (5-5), 2-5 vs ranked teams.
  
• In the first 17 games under Jim McElwain, the 2015-2016 Gators were 13-4 (8-3), 2-5 vs ranked teams.
• In the first 18 games under Kirby Smart, the Georgia Bulldogs are 15-3 (8-3), 4-3 vs ranked opponents.

After the Towson game, we will get an opportunity to see who Dan Mullen's Gators really are, because they will face #7 Auburn, #4 LSU, and #3 Georgia. If Missouri continues is turnaround, it could be 7-2 and ranked in the top-25 by the time the Gators face them. The Gators would be at worst 7-3 by the time that match-up occurred, maybe 8-2 or (unlikely) 9-1.

Dan Mullen's record 4 games into season 2 stacks up well against his predecessors, competitors, and fan favorites (in the 2017 head coaching search).

Given this resume immediately before the tough part of the schedule, I give Dan Mullen an A.

 

[DRU2012]

In 17 games under Dan Mullen, the Florida Gators are 14-3 (7-3). The Gators are 3-1 vs top-25 ranked opponents, and are 2-1 against the top 7. Florida has outscored his opponents 570-266, or an average of 33.5-15.6. Florida has scored 35+ on nine different occasions, and 40+ on seven different occasions. Similarly, the Gators have gained 400+ yards on nine occasions, and 500+ on four occasions. In that stretch the Gators have created 39 turnovers.

For comparison (season 1 + playoffs + bowl games, first 4 games of season 2):

• In the first 16 games under Scott Frost, the Nebraska Cornhuskers are 7-9, 0-3 vs ranked teams.
  
• In the first 16 games under Chip Kelly, the UCLA Bruins are 4-12, 0-4 vs ranked teams.
  
• In the first 17 games under Will Muschamp, the 2011-2012 Gators were 11-6 (5-5), 2-5 vs ranked teams.
  
• In the first 17 games under Jim McElwain, the 2015-2016 Gators were 13-4 (8-3), 2-5 vs ranked teams.
• In the first 18 games under Kirby Smart, the Georgia Bulldogs are 15-3 (8-3), 4-3 vs ranked opponents.

After the Towson game, we will get an opportunity to see who Dan Mullen's Gators really are, because they will face #7 Auburn, #4 LSU, and #3 Georgia. If Missouri continues is turnaround, it could be 7-2 and ranked in the top-25 by the time the Gators face them. The Gators would be at worst 7-3 by the time that match-up occurred, maybe 8-2 or (unlikely) 9-1.

Dan Mullen's record 4 games into season 2 stacks up well against his predecessors, competitors, and fan favorites (in the 2017 head coaching search).

Given this resume immediately before the tough part of the schedule, I give Dan Mullen an A.

I MORE than "agree"--in fact, my take parallels E-'s here in exactly the same way that my "approach" parallels yet differs FROM his in general:
That is, where E- was ready with a clear and strict STATISTICAL analysis proving and leading directly TO a seemingly inarguable conclusion, when presented with an opportunity to give MY impression of "the story so far", it is a straight GUT LEVEL GESTALT that materializes to the right of the "equal sign": For me, the stats basically came after-the-fact...The subject once raised, I somehow KNEW immediately and intuitively that Mullens had done an ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL JOB since arriving here. The "EYE-test" and overall feeling, even with inevitable setbacks (that by-the-way SHOULD have broken our mainly upward growth and momentum MUCH more than they DID) we have shown a tough resiliency, in addition to that overall growth, that makes us optimistic even amidst a realistic acceptance of our facing a tough road crowded with various rivals old and new hitting their OWN strides, elboing us and each other even as they realize their own planned peaks around us AS WE SPEAK.
Somehow, I STILL feel we will eventually prevail, stand atop the heap. It will take sustained effort and no doubt more disappointments and setbacks between here and there--but our satisfaction and sense of triumph will be all the more sweet upon arrival upon that (albeit perhaps still) distant day.
The best part about this (relatively) EARLY success may well be that it more surely guarantees his GETTING the time (and fan patience) to see it all through, to build and achieve what Coach Mullens was hired and came BACK here to DO--and do RIGHT.