This season has not gone as planned for Florida coach Dan Mullen. The team entered hoping to repeat as SEC East Champions and, potentially, make a run at the College Football Playoff.
That’s not how things have panned out, though. The team is 4-4, and after a blowout loss to Georgia on Saturday, there isn’t much that can be done to salvage the season at this point.
Mullen has a very solid 33-13 record at Florida, but his team is just 2-7 in its last nine games against Power Five teams, and it’s clear things are trending in the wrong direction. Now, Mullen is considered to be on the hot seat by CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd, who thought Mullen’s job was very safe heading into the year.
Dodd now lists him among 14 coaches for whom pressure is mounting.
This team both gave Alabama all it could handle and got blown out by Georgia. That’s one reason why Mullen’s so debated. Since that Bama game, the Gators are 2-3. Mullen’s seat has heated up only five months after getting a three-year extension and raise to $7.6 million (fifth-highest in the game). Who can blame Gators everywhere for expecting more? Less than a season after playing for the SEC title, Florida is 4-4. Worse, it’s 4-7 in their its 11. Maybe defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s name should be here instead, but sooner or later the Mullen would run out of coaches to fire. Pressure is on Mullen to end 2021 with a flourish. Preseason rating: 1
The problem Mullen faces is that there isn’t much of an opportunity for a flourish in 2021. The team could win out, but even a 9-4 record with a win in a mid-tier bowl game would be a disappointing finish for this team, especially considering the defense has struggled for the second year in a row after Mullen decided to keep Grantham around.
It’s very unlikely Florida decides to make a change this season, as it’s not the most ideal hiring market and it would still be fairly hasty to give up on Mullen completely after a down season that will likely still see the team finish with eight or nine wins.
But another loss could change that conversation quite a bit, and Mullen could enter the 2022 season feeling quite a bit of pressure to improve.
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