Dan Mullen has returned to Gainesville, where he spent four seasons as the Florida offensive coordinator from 2005-08. After Mullen’s nine seasons leading Mississippi State, consider longtime ESPN analyst Lee Corso among those who think it was a good move by the Gators to bring back their former assistant to lead the program.

“Dan Mullen was a terrific hire, and I expect in a year or two that he and Georgia will battle it out for the championship in that [SEC East] division,” Corso told ESPN WRUF 98.1 on Wednesday.

Mullen had success at Mississippi State, going 69-46 from 2009-17. He led the Bulldogs to eight consecutive bowl games, winning eight or more games in a season five times.

Now, Mullen, who won SEC Coach of the Year in 2014, returns to Florida looking to make the same type of impact. The Gators are coming off a 4-7 season, which was only their second year with fewer than seven wins since 1987.

Jim McElwain was fired midseason last year to end a disappointing tenure. Mullen, who is known for his offensive prowess, will try to do what McElwain couldn’t in implementing a successful offensive scheme.

Mullen makes his debut as Florida coach when the Gators open the season against Charleston Southern on Sept. 1.