We’ve all known Dan Mullen is the man for a while now. He really started turning heads and breaking necks during the mid 2000s run with the Florida Gators, during which he served as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Mullen has two BCS National Championship rings because of that stint, and it ended up getting him his first head coaching gig.
He took over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2009, and would go on to coach them for nine seasons. That’s unprecedented in today’s reactionary football world in which coaches are fired if they don’t yield results after a season or two. But, Mullen became one of the most successful head coaches in the school’s history – going 79-49 during his tenure there. More importantly, he went 6-2 in bowl games. At one point, the Bulldogs hit #1 in the AP Poll under Mullen. He put that program back on the map.
Then, when the door opened, he went back to the place where he helped coach two National Championship teams: Gainesville, Florida. This time, he would be the head man on the sidelines.
To say that move shook up the SEC East would be an understatement. But, even with Mullen’s previous track record with quarterbacks, no one saw that team making the jump from four wins to dominating the Michigan Wolverines in the Peach Bowl. The talk always centered around, “well, just wait ’til Mullen gets his own recruits in there and doesn’t have to rely on Feleipe Franks!”
Similarly, no one seems to be talking about Florida’s potential to make the next big leap and compete for the SEC Championship and make a run at the College Football Playoff in 2019.
It’s fair to say plenty of us figured Gainesville would eventually give Mullen his first National Championship as a head coach. I don’t know that any of us thought that it would come in Year 2. But, that’s exactly where we are.
Odds FOR/AGAINST making the 4-team College Football Playoff:
— 5Dimes Sportsbook (@5DimesSB) August 5, 2019
Clemson -530/+350
Alabama -350/+250
Georgia +120/-160
Ohio State +210/-290
Oklahoma +175/-245
Michigan +250/-350
LSU +450/-750
Texas +550/-1050
Oregon +750/-1580
Florida +1100/-2300
The initial CFP odds were released a couple of weeks ago, and to the surprise of many, Florida was included among the top 10. That’s a testament to the work that Mullen and company put in in 2018.
For a team that supposedly had an offensive deficiency, the Gators averaged 35 points per game. That mark was good for 5th in the SEC and 22nd in the nation. Franks really came into his own under Mullen, who knew exactly how to call a game to his quarterback’s strengths.
Franks saw improvement in every major statistical category – completions, attempts, completion percentage, passing yards, touchdowns, interceptions – you name it, “the Mullen effect” was present. He went from a passer rating of 113.3 in 2017 to a passer rating of 143.3 in 2018. Most impressively, Franks went from a TD-INT ratio of 9-8 in 2017 to 24-6 in 2018.
He also made more plays with his legs – averaging 3.2 yards per carry in 2018 to 2017’s 0.3. His number of carries doubled and with it, his production skyrocketed – tallying 110 carries for 350 yards and seven touchdowns. That’s a bump in scoring from nine total touchdowns in 2017 to 31 in 2018. Amazing.
But, it’s also a testament to where this team could be in 2019. Because if Mullen’s presence signified the difference in Franks between 2017 and 2018, what could that mean for his potential in 2019? What will another offseason under Mullen mean for the Gators signal-caller?
Folks, I’m not even talking about the defense, either…a unit that will return eight starters and should improve overall. The Gators were 9th in the country in passing yards allowed per game in 2018. If they can shore up their leaky run defense, they have the potential to be a top-10 caliber unit.
The Gators won games in 2018 without putting up explosive offensive numbers. What happens if they do start putting up explosive offensive numbers in 2019?
I’ll tell you – they don’t slip up against the Kentuckys and Missouris of the world. They get over the Georgia hump in the SEC, and they make the National Championship conversation a lot more interesting.
When it’s all said and done, Mullen is going to be remembered among the legends of the SEC. But, for now…in the moment…best to open your eyes to the potential of this 2019 Gators team.
2019 SEC SEASON PREVIEWS
Alabama Crimson Tide
Auburn Tigers
Florida Gators
Georgia Bulldogs
Kentucky Wildcats
LSU Tigers
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Missouri Tigers
South Carolina Gamecocks
Texas A&M Aggies
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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