Ad Disclosure
Dan Mullen getting criticized on social media for comments about Marco Wilson’s shoe toss
Published:
All but certainly ending their hopes for a College Football Playoff berth, the Florida Gators were knocked off at home by the LSU Tigers, 37-34.
With the loss, Florida fell to 8-2 and dropped from No. 6 to 11 in the AP Poll.
The play that most will remember came with 1:51 remaining in the game, when, with the score knotted at 34, Tigers freshman quarterback Max Johnson found tight end Kole Taylor, another freshman, for a four-yard gain on third-down-and-10.
It looked as if the Gators had forced a punt and would regain possession with a chance to win the game. Due to antics by redshirt junior cornerback Marco Wilson, however, this is not how things unfolded.
Wilson had picked up Taylor’s cleat, which had come loose on the play, and launched it downfield, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. One minute and 27 seconds later, sophomore Cade York drilled what wound up being the game-winning field goal from 57 yards out.
Third-year head coach Dan Mullen addressed the situation on Sunday, and his response seemingly attempted to justify the cornerback’s actions.
Dan Mullen on shoe throw vs. LSU: "He made the tackle. I mean, part of the football move, the kid's shoe was in his hand. He kind of threw it, jumped & celebrated w/his teammates. I don't think there was any intent to taunt. It wasn't like he was throwing it at their sidelines"
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 13, 2020
Unsurprisingly, other Twitter users were not impressed with the answer.
Dan Mullen = Moron
— MG (@2hearted925) December 13, 2020
— Robert Conley (@rconleyVFL) December 13, 2020
https://twitter.com/bglinhart/status/1338259736383336449?s=20
??♂️
— Coach DG (@VSUDBcoach) December 13, 2020
Mullen is a ?
— Not Leaving (@needabirdie) December 13, 2020
Guy is an idiot https://t.co/JBJHv2CtJz
— Bryce Tucker (@brycetucker3) December 13, 2020
Dan Mullen may say have the dumbest comments of any current college coach. Between this and total tone-deafness when demanding a full stadium earlier in the season following a loss… guy needs to get a grip https://t.co/ALYj2VG1Eq
— Austin (@devydeets) December 13, 2020
Really. You are the only person on this planet. That play and holding out the best player on your team to rest for Bama is a chump move. I hope we take off your shoe and use it against him. https://t.co/ukivQpCT59
— TMc (@mcbama9) December 13, 2020
Dan Mullen needs to stop talking. Been a disaster ever since the season started. https://t.co/Y6ebBwukeW
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) December 13, 2020
Having already clinched their spot in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, Florida will battle the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-0) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
LSU, who improved to 4-5 with the win, will return to Baton Rouge to play the Ole Miss Rebels (4-4) at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday on the SEC Network.
A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Teddy Rydquist has been contributing to Saturday Down South and Saturday Tradition since 2019. In addition to his work here, he has covered the Michigan Wolverines for GBMWolverine and Wolverine Digest. He can be found on Twitter @TeddyRydquist.
