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Master-of-the-Obvious, Part II:It Is Time to Find Replacements for Dan Mullen

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DRU2012

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At the very least, time for US, as alumni, to begin a serious discussion, looking ahead anywhere from months to YEARS, of who we might begin to consider bringing in as our next Head Coach.
To be clear:
This is by all means “no holds barred”, “Spare no EXPENSE” time. Perhaps it is “way outside the BOX”-thinking time TOO:
I must admit to finding MYSELF virtually completely DEVOID OF ANY concrete suggestions.
Right offhand I begin with NOT A ONE!
That’s right: for all my many loud declarations here, come the moment NO IMMEDIATE SUGGESTION LEAPS TO MIND.
I really hadn’t expected things to come to this any time soon:
But that doesn’t mean we haven’t now been served ample warning...“The Time Is Nigh!”:
It has been sudden, but it has been total and CLEAR:
The University of Florida’s Athletic Department’s program is in disarray, it’s leadership in rudderless confusion: it was and is in no better shape than I am at this moment to “adapt and overcome”...
The DIFFERENCE is, these folks are PAID, WELL paid, to be always and eternally ready for such moments—READY TO THINK ON THEIR FEET!
I do NOT get the impression that Stricklin currently IS—not in the SLIGHTEST!
Do any of YOU?!!
So, aside from perhaps making HIM the FIRST one we fire, let’s just put him and all THAT to the side for a moment;
Who do we simply turn to in considering individuals whom we might IMMEDIATELY consider HIRING AS OUR NEXT HEAD COACH?
Someone to bring in his own all-star line-up to in turn rebuild our program and bring us back to the very top of the College Football Pack in record time??!
Is there ANYONE like that out there?
We’ll have nothing but a long, bleak “slow road back”, back through “mediocrity”, no matter what, it seems, just based on the apparent lack of standout well-rounded (at least PROMISING “up’n’COMING”) young Coaches out there right now.
That being the case, MY best suggestion is that for now, as a first step in the event that (however it came to this) we WERE to find ourselves in the market for a new Head Coach, that we go for someone whose skills most assuredly include a growing reputation as a master recruiter. At the very LEAST that would presumably begin a “restock” of TALENT here, no matter what else meanwhile ensued. If that one didn’t show enough in the way of actual onfield results, well, at least maybe the NEXT guy after THAT may have something to work with, when the time comes (sardonic aside: “...maybe the next Mullen?”—but that won’t work long term either: Mullen’s biggest failing probably IS his ineptitude/disinterest (choose one) in RECRUITING, after all!).
No matter what, as I say: It’s gonna be a long road back from here, it seems—so we might as well begin THINKING “long term”!
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
Here is a list of potential head coach replacements compiled from multiple sources in my preferred ranking from top to bottom. What say you?

Mel Tucker​
Michigan State head coach​
Pros: Successful head coach at Power Five with decent success in NFL.​
Cons: None. Might not be considering lateral move.​
$3.8M + $1.2M bonus
James Franklin​
Penn State head coach​
Pros: Successful head coach at Power Five with decent success in SEC.​
Cons: None. May be considering jump to USC.​
$6.7M, $4.0M buyout
Lane Kiffin​
Ole Miss head coach​
Pros: Successful head coach at Power Five with decent success in SEC.​
Cons: None. Might not consider move to rival school.​
$4.5M
Mark Stoops​
Kentucky head coach​
Pros: Successful head coach at Power Five with decent success in SEC.​
Cons: None. Might not consider move to rival school.​
$5.25M + $1.0M bonus
Matt RhuleCarolina Panthers head coachPros: Successful head coach at Power Five with decent success in NFL.Cons: None. Might not be looking for NCAA position.$8.6M
Luke Fickell​
Cincinnati head coach​
Pros: Successful head coach at Power Five.​
Cons: No familiarity with SEC or Sunshine State.​
$3.4M, $4.0M buyout
Billy Napier​
Louisiana head coach​
Pros: Successful head coach at Power Five with assistant coach experience in SEC.​
Cons: None. May be considering jump to LSU.​
$400k + $1.6M bonus
Jeff Hafley​
Boston College head coach​
Pros: Moderate success as head coach at Power Five.​
Cons: No familiarity with SEC or Sunshine State.​
$3.0M
Jamey Chadwell​
Coastal Carolina head coach​
Pros: Successful head coach at Power Five.​
Cons: No familiarity with SEC or Sunshine State.​
$850k
Jeff Lebby​
Ole Miss offensive coordinator​
Pros: Former OC at UCF with some recruiting the Sunshine State.​
Cons: No head coach experience.​
$1.2M
Joe Brady​
Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator​
Pros: Successful OC at LSU and NFL.​
Cons: No head coach experience.​
$1.5M
 
Last edited:

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
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Well, at least your list does make things sound and look more hopeful than a “first, gut-level glance at our future” might have first indicated was warranted.
Now, are any of these a “proper fit”? And then there’s the “trailer truck full-of-cash” idea:
Is that even doable, let alone desirable?
And, going by your own chain-of-command/extent-of-responsibility definitions, assuming it is STRICKLIN’S job currently to MAJE such decisions, can he , WILL he “pull the trigger” when the time comes?
HAS IT COME???
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
Honestly I think Mullen gets another year unless he loses to FSU. If he loses to FSU, then all the candidates on my list are realistic as long as Stricklin is willing to offer a salary of $8M or more.
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Honestly I think Mullen gets another year unless he loses to FSU. If he loses to FSU, then all the candidates on my list are realistic as long as Stricklin is willing to offer a salary of $8M or more.
I tend to agree; I’m NOT going to bother editorializing on the proposition any longer...”It is how it IS” pretty well sums up our current situation, realistically speaking.
But based on what we’ve previously “seen and said” ALREADY this season, you gotta KNOW that a loss to FSU ISN’T out-of-the-question!
At this point, beating US to end the year has gotta be the Noles’ remaining “lifeline”—fans and players alike will be focused on that one to redeem themselves in some small way, and we’ve already well-revealed our own “glass jaw”: Hit us early once or twice with a sharp blow “upside-the-HEAD” and we’ll go down and STAY down. It has become a repetitive theme to our season!
 

Leakfan12

VIP Member
I believe that Mullen will get another year, and during that time if James Franklin doesn't magically take the USC job, I think we could get him at Florida.

Urban meyer maybe available after this season LOL ( Joke)

I'm unsure if Meyer would get another college job after that video though then again there might a program or two that will take that risk.
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
Since @Dale J. Rodriguez brought it up: the situation of a head coach returning for a non-consecutive tenure has occurred over a hundred times in NCAA football history, although it is less frequent in modern times. Throwing out interim head coaches this is far less frequent, with the following notable examples in recent times:
- Gary Andersen, Utah State 2009-2012 and 2019-2020
- Brady Hoke, San Diego State 2009-2010 and 2020-present
- Bobby Hauck, Montana 2009-2009 and 2018-present
- Bobby Petrino, Louisville 2003-2006 and 2014-2018
- Greg Schiano, Rutgers 2001-2011 and 2020-present
- Randy Edsall, UConn, 1999-2010 and 2017-present
- Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin 1990-2006, 2012, and 2014
- Dennis Franchione, Texas State 1990-1991 and 2011-2015
- Mack Brown, North Carolina 1988-1997 and 2019-present

It would be interesting to see if Urban Meyer would return to Florida, essentially to fix the mess that he helped start, albeit after fixing the mess left by Ron Zook. His family is currently split between the states of Ohio and Florida, with his oldest daughter and son living up north and his younger daughter living close enough to Jacksonville to watch games. It is hard to say how long his "baggage" will be an issue for a future employer.
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Since @Dale J. Rodriguez brought it up: the situation of a head coach returning for a non-consecutive tenure has occurred over a hundred times in NCAA football history, although it is less frequent in modern times. Throwing out interim head coaches this is far less frequent, with the following notable examples in recent times:
- Gary Andersen, Utah State 2009-2012 and 2019-2020
- Brady Hoke, San Diego State 2009-2010 and 2020-present
- Bobby Hauck, Montana 2009-2009 and 2018-present
- Bobby Petrino, Louisville 2003-2006 and 2014-2018
- Greg Schiano, Rutgers 2001-2011 and 2020-present
- Randy Edsall, UConn, 1999-2010 and 2017-present
- Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin 1990-2006, 2012, and 2014
- Dennis Franchione, Texas State 1990-1991 and 2011-2015
- Mack Brown, North Carolina 1988-1997 and 2019-present

It would be interesting to see if Urban Meyer would return to Florida, essentially to fix the mess that he helped start, albeit after fixing the mess left by Ron Zook. His family is currently split between the states of Ohio and Florida, with his oldest daughter and son living up north and his younger daughter living close enough to Jacksonville to watch games. It is hard to say how long his "baggage" will be an issue for a future employer.
If he came to “right personal wrongs”, I certainly support a human being’s chance to redeem himself. Such literal and SPECIFIC opportunities seldom arise, after all!
I know we are “frolicking in Fantasyland” right at the moment—but it would make a hell of a story...and at this point, no other suggestion, even among wildly absurd ones, even comes close.
Aw, might as well just laugh and move on: Any “happy ending” to THIS tale is still some years away, let’s FACE it!
 
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