Florida football: 5 realistic replacements for Dan Mullen in Gainesville

It would not be shocking if this is the last season Dan Mullen is the Florida football head coach.

Dan Mullen goes from being on top of the world to getting toppled on as the head coach of the Florida football program.

The former Gators offensive coordinator and Mississippi State head coach had great success at his two previous posts. However, he is quickly finding out that being a head coach at a place like Florida can be an unforgiving beast. After almost getting shut out by arch rival Georgia, Florida falls to 4-4 on the year. Whether or not the NFL is calling, Mullen may be on the way out at Florida.

Mullen has not been in Gainesville that long and with a very reasonable buyout, both parties could look to separate at the end of a pitiful football season for Florida’s lofty standards.

How much does Dan Mullen make?

Mullen makes the sixth-most of any Power Five head coach at $7.570 million annually. However, his buyout is only $12 million, which makes it very easy for the powers at be within the Florida program to make a big decision like firing their head coach.

How long has Dan Mullen been at Florida?

While this is Mullen’s second time being a coach at Florida, he has only been in the big chair in Gainesville since the 2018 college season. He left his post in Starkville after nine incredible seasons while at Mississippi State. This is only year four for him at the helm of the Florida program.

Florida football: 5 coaches who could replace Dan Mullen

Jeff Lebby has played a huge part in the Ole Miss Rebels’ high-octane offense

There are a handful of coordinators out there worthy of being considered for Power Five jobs. While it is still probably a year away for Ole Miss Rebels offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, there is no denying what his team can do through the air in SEC play. Let’s not overlook that he has coached in the state of Florida for three seasons, including two years with the AAC’s UCF Knights.

From a schematic standpoint, Florida may not lose a ton offensively by going with a first-time head coach in Lebby if the Mullen tenure comes to an end. Though he could be a better recruiter than Mullen, Florida is an incredibly tough job, especially for a first-time head coach. If offered the gig, Lebby should take it, but there are better candidates out there to replace Mullen than him.

Here are two more candidates who do make sense, but may not be right for the job in Gainesville.