Dan Mullen explains why he likes college over the NFL: 'I like it here. You're kind of the owner, GM, head coach'
As the football coaching carousel gives way from open college jobs to soon-to-be open NFL jobs, Florida coach Dan Mullen is aware of the nature of the season.
The Gators are preparing to play Virginia in the Orange Bowl, and have the Early Signing Period opening this week, but Mullen was asked about his interest in possibly leaving for the NFL. Mullen said at a press conference on Monday that he doesn’t address NFL coaching rumors with his team because he thinks it’s not a big deal that people pay much attention to, to be honest.
“I think our guys know I plan on being here for a long time,” Mullen said. “I love being here. … I look at the young guys and say, ‘Freddie Swain may not be here, but I’ll still be here next year.’ They laugh at that. I think anytime your name gets brought up, with other jobs, a lot of times it’s a compliment, it means you’re doing well. I dealt with it for years and years at Mississippi State.”
Asked directly if he has NFL aspirations, Mullen said he still hasn’t had a second to even consider it, of what it would entail.
“I know what I have here, I love being here,” he said. “We’re building a championship program here. At some point in my life, would it be something if I wrote it all down, and sat it down to consider it, then that would happen. But it’s nothing I’d even thought of, I know how it works here. I like it here. I’m kind of the, don’t make it too big, but you’re kind of like, you’re kind of the owner, GM, vice president and head coach. I’ve got a lot of control about how the program works here.”
Mullen mentioned that he had a brief conversation with Athletics Director Scott Stricklin about a contract extension, but they both have a lot going on at the moment and may discuss it more when things settle down.
Mullen is 20-5 in two seasons in Gainesville.