Jim McElwain is out at Florida, and while that means good news likely for some young up-and-comer out there in the college football world, one name has surfaced in the ensuing rumors that is a bit surprising.
That coach is none other than Dan Mullen, who coaches at Mississippi State —- an SEC school.
While Mississippi State is an SEC program and the Bulldogs have won some big games, that program isn't quite on the level of the Alabamas, LSUs and Floridas of the SEC world, so a potential move like that would be huge for Mullen — who for all intents and purposes is a good coach.
He's been at Mississippi State since 2009, racking up a 67-44 overall record, and that includes five bowl wins compared to two bowl losses. He currently has a 6-2 record heading into the final stretch of the 2017-18 season, and at the very least the Bulldogs are trending for a decent bowl game.
So yeah, it makes sense that Florida may want to take a shot at Mullen, a veteran coach.
Still, recently addressing the rumors with media down in Starkville, it doesn't sound like the Mississippi State head coach is thinking much about leaving.
It's worth noting that coaches are notorious for saying one thing regarding a potential move and doing another (see: Kiffin, Lane), so it's not like this statement completely rules out the possibility of Mullen heading over to Florida.
The Gators could also choose to go with a hot rising-star name like Jay Norvell or Scott Frost, but at this point, it does seem like at the very least, Mullen is an intriguing option for Florida.
