Dan Mullen: 2012 Colorado Coaching search profile

[Jens1893]

MSU Profile
Twitter

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Born: April 27th, 1972 Drexel Hill, PA

Alma Mater: Ursinus College 1994

Coaching Experience
2009- Mississippi State University (Head Coach)
2005-08 Florida (Offensive Coordinator/ Quarterbacks)
2003-04 Utah (Quarterbacks)
2001-02 Bowling Green (Quarterbacks)
1999-00 Notre Dame (Graduate Assistant Offense)
1998 Syracuse (Graduate Assistant Offense)
1996-97 Columbia (Wide Receivers)
1994-95 Wagner (Wide Receivers)


Bio

In just three full seasons, Dan Mullen has revitalized and reenergized the Mississippi State fan base. From the moment of his introduction on Dec. 10, 2008 as the 32nd head coach in school history, supporters have turned out in record numbers and capacity crowds to support the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State fans have sold out a school-record 16 consecutive home games at Davis Wade Stadium. Each of the last two years have seen the school’s attendance record broken. In fact, 13 of the school’s top 15 crowds have occurred in the last three years, with all six crowds last season ranking in the top 15 all-time. The Bulldog faithful have gone on to watch the head coach lead the Maroon and White’s football program to back-to-back postseason bowl wins for the first time in over a decade.

Just three years into his tenure, Mullen (.553) is already the winningest coach at State since Darrell Royal in 1954-55 (.600), and is already tied for sixth in school history for wins by a MSU head coach (21). On top of that, Mullen has dominated the Egg Bowl rivalry, becoming just the second MSU coach and the first since Sid Robinson from 1917-19 to start off 3-0 against Ole Miss in the Battle for the Golden Egg.

Mullen was widely regarded as one of the top young minds in college football when he arrived at Mississippi State, and he brought not only an impressive offensive resume and a list of NFL-developed quarterbacks, but also an energy and passion for the college game.

Improvement wasn’t limited to fan enthusiasm, as Mullen ignited the Bulldogs to a nine-win season in just his second year, and then another successful season in 2011. With Mullen’s masterful offensive mind this past year, the Maroon and White broke the school record for passing touchdowns in a season (19) and finished second all-time in school history in total offense and first downs. Additionally, the offense finished in the top 10 in passing yards, completions and completion percentage.

In 2010, State won six games in a row in the middle of the season and finished among the top 10 in school history in the following categories - passing yardage, completion percentage, passing touchdowns, rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total plays, total offensive yards, per-game offense and first downs. The defense also amassed the 10th-highest sack total in school annals.

The 2010 Bulldogs closed out the season with nine victories including posting the largest margin of victory in a bowl game in school history. The resounding 52-14 Gator Bowl win against Michigan capped a truly remarkable year.

With the nation’s toughest schedule in 2009, State’s rushing attack, led by first-team all-Southeastern Conference selection and current NFL running back Anthony Dixon, finished ninth nationally with a 227.6 rushing yard average per game. State averaged 371.9 yards of total offense per game, the ninth-highest total in school history and the most since 2000 at the time.

Mullen’s first season concluded with a rousing 41-27 victory over MSU’s in-state rival, which brought the Golden Egg back to Starkville. He became the only the third Mississippi State coach to win his Egg Bowl debut since 1939, joining Allyn McKeen and Jackie Sherrill. The Bulldogs posted a 5-7 overall record in 2009, including three road victories.

During the previous four seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Florida, Mullen molded a Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien and Maxwell Award-winning quarterback, along with a Rimington Trophy finalist and a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist.

 

[Buffnik]

In 4 seasons at Miss State:

2009: 5-7
2010: 9-4 (won Gator Bowl - finished #17)
2011: 7-6 (won Music City Bowl)
2012: 8-4 (Gator Bowl invite)

Reasons he'd listen?

SEC Record

2009: 3-5
2010: 4-4
2011: 2-6
2012: 4-4

He's probably hit his ceiling in the SEC West. Plus, he's not a southern boy. Good friends with Chip Kelly and Urban Meyer. Boulder & the Pac-12 likely appeals to him versus staying in Starkville.

 

[Sexton Hardcastle]

Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please!


Edit: fixin da bad gramma.

 

[TDbuff]

He's also lost a bit cred with the fanbase this year, rightly or wrongly, because they started off ranked early, and 7-0. They got whooped for the most part by the rest of the SEC west, minus Arkansas and Auburn. So expectations were really high, it's his 4th year, they're expecting him to challenge for the SEC west, and it didn't happen.

And then they lost to Ole Miss's first year coach, which is a no-no. So the fanbase is probably back to the idea that he's a yankee, doesn't understand Mississippi, yada, yada.

So anyways, he could be playing the market, but MSU may not be wiling to pay much to keep him at this point.

 

[aik]

Hopefully Chris Wilson is in his ear about what could be accomplished here.

 

[boydbuff]

I think it's a long shot but not impossible and if we are going hard after him I credit Bohn for shooting for the stars, as long as he has option C and D lined up. He is, IMHO, 10x better than BJ.

 

[BuffAlum2007]

Alma Mater: Ursinus College 1994

No idea he went to Ursinus, but just another very small reason to like him...it's a small D-III school in the suburbs of Philadelphia about a half hour from where I grew up...Montgomery County, PA, FTW!!!

 

[buffwings]

would be a good hire. Hope the media and Bohn dont screw this up and let a self-promoter (not that Mullen is one, but all HC's have egos) dominate the game.

 

[Liver]

this would be awesome.

 

[Burrito]

My pants are tight.

 

[Buffnik]

Another reason to leave Mississippi State: recruiting

MSU is little brother to Ole Miss within its own state, which is by far the state with the least talent on the Gulf Coast.

After a 3rd straight winning season and with an upcoming trip to the Gator Bowl, here's MSU's recruiting class (Rivals):

5*: 0
4*: 3
3*: 10
2*: 4
0*: 2

When you look deeper, you see that all the best talent is on offense. That's all Mullen for his OC/QB Coach rep. All of the 4* guys and 6/10 3* guys are on offense (7/10 if the ATH plays O).

With 19 commitments, that's the #37 class in the country. That's #13 out of 14 SEC teams and Kentucky still has 5 fewer commits than MSU so they may catch up if Stoops can make some noise.

Conversely, at CU he can look at Hawkins pulling in the national #32 class after his disaster of a first season, the #15 class after a 6-7 season, and Embree landing the nation's #36 class following his opening 3-10 season. Mullen has to know that if he can win 7-9 games at CU like he's done in Starkville that he'll consistently be pulling Top 25 recruiting classes and have a legitimate opportunity to win the Pac-12.

 

[dio]

I'm trying not to get my hopes up here

 

[slider]

Another reason to leave Mississippi State: recruiting

MSU is little brother to Ole Miss within its own state, which is by far the state with the least talent on the Gulf Coast.

After a 3rd straight winning season and with an upcoming trip to the Gator Bowl, here's MSU's recruiting class (Rivals):

5*: 0
4*: 3
3*: 10
2*: 4
0*: 2

When you look deeper, you see that all the best talent is on offense. That's all Mullen for his OC/QB Coach rep. All of the 4* guys and 6/10 3* guys are on offense (7/10 if the ATH plays O).

With 19 commitments, that's the #37 class in the country. That's #13 out of 14 SEC teams and Kentucky still has 5 fewer commits than MSU so they may catch up if Stoops can make some noise.

Conversely, at CU he can look at Hawkins pulling in the national #32 class after his disaster of a first season, the #15 class after a 6-7 season, and Embree landing the nation's #36 class following his opening 3-10 season. Mullen has to know that if he can win 7-9 games at CU like he's done in Starkville that he'll consistently be pulling Top 25 recruiting classes and have a legitimate opportunity to win the Pac-12.

I thought Mississippi put the most players in teh NFL? But are you trying to say Mullen isn't a good recruiter?:lol:

 

[Duff Man]

I thought Mississippi put the most players in teh NFL? But are you trying to say Mullen isn't a good recruiter?:lol:

He's saying recruiting to Mississippi State is very hard. Starkville is the worst college town in the SEC and it really is not very close.

Mississippi actually has a lot of talent, but terrible schools. Lots of non-qualifiers.

 

[Buffnik]

He's saying recruiting to Mississippi State is very hard. Starkville is the worst college town in the SEC and it really is not very close.

Mississippi actually has a lot of talent, but terrible schools. Lots of non-qualifiers.

Yep. Remember when Nutt tried to stockpile talent by stashing like 20 kids at local JUCOs? It changed the recruiting rules in the SEC and that isn't helping MSU either. It's a really tough place to win. And while Mississippi has good high school talent, it's not like Alabama or Louisiana. This is all relative. CU is better positioned in the Pac-12 than MSU is in the SEC. And CU also has a much better opportunity to attract talent from hotbed states like TX and CA than MSU does because it's a better university in a better location with a better football tradition.

If I'm a coach looking for a place where I can compete for championships, CU is much higher on my list than MSU.

2011 ranks by state by # of D1 signees from Rivals (for those interested):

1. Texas (345)
2. Florida (344)
3. California (253)
4. Georgia (170)
5. Ohio (144)
6. Louisiiana (87)
7. Alabama (86)
8. North Carolina (79)
9. Illinois (73)
10. Pennsylvaina (60)
11. Michigan (59)
12. Virginia (56)
13. Mississippi (52)
14. Maryland/DC (49)
15. New Jersey (45)
t16. Oklahoma (44)
t16. South Carolina (44)
t16. Tennessee (44)
19. Arizona (41)
20. Indiana (31)
21. Utah (30)
22. New York (29)
23. Arkansas (28)
24. Washington (24)
t25. Colorado (22)
t25. Wisconsin (22)

 

[Buffnik]

P.S. The above also begs the question of: "Why has CU been focusing more on OR and HI than it has on AZ and UT?". :wow:

 

[buffaholic]

P.S. The above also begs the question of: "Why has CU been focusing more on OR and HI than it has on AZ and UT?". :wow:

Been saying that for awhile. That trend will continue.

AZ is Riverside County East
UT is Pacific Islander East

 

[N2400H]

Another former QB coach from Bowling Green, like Mick McCall also on the list, that uses a very effective form of the spread offense.

I like Mullen and McCall, they seem to do more with less wherever they go. Mullen's Bulldogs are set to square off against McCall's offense with the Northwestern Wildcats in the Jan. 1 Gator Bowl.