Florida football: Potential candidates to become the next Gators coach

The Florida Gators made the expected announcement Sunday afternoon that Dan Mullen is out as the head football coach. Mullen was in the midst of his fourth season in Gainesville, with a 34-15 overall record in that time.

After directing the Gators to an SEC Championship Game appearance last season, the coach failed to keep that momentum going in 2021. Florida has lost four of its past five games, with the lone win coming against Samford. At 5-6 with one game left to go, it’s not even a guarantee they make a bowl.

With the Mullen era coming to a close, it’s time to start speculating about the future of Florida, including its next head coach. Below is a list of seven potential candidates from The Athletic’s Chris Vannini.

Florida football coach candidates

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss: In just two seasons with the Rebels, Kiffin has turned them into one of the top teams in the SEC. A former Saban assistant who has also coached at Tennessee, the coach is no stranger to the SEC and its toughness. He infamously left Tennessee for USC after just one season back in 2009. Could he have a similarly short stay in Oxford?

Mark Stoops, Kentucky: After a shocking 6-0 start that included a win against the Gators, Kentucky finds itself at 8-3 late in the 2021 season. The brother of former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, Mark will set a school record by leading the Wildcats to their sixth consecutive bowl game. He seems a prime candidate to join a bigger program at some point, and Florida seems a good fit.

Mel Tucker, Michigan State: Tucker’s name has been thrown around the LSU coaching vacancy as well, though the Spartans have reportedly offered him a 10-year $95 million contract. It could be difficult for him to turn that kind of security down and enter another rebuilding situation. He has the Spartans at 9-2 this season with a Heisman candidate in running back Kenneth Walker III.

Dave Clawson, Wake Forest: For as good as the Demon Deacons have been in 2021, they haven’t received much attention. Clawson led Wake Forest to an 8-0 start and appearance inside the top 10. The team is currently 9-2 and primed to play for an ACC championship this year (if they beat Boston College).

Billy Napier, Louisiana: A former assistant under Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney, Napier has led Louisiana to double digit victories in each of the past three seasons. The Georgia native has been in the mix for several SEC jobs in recent years like Auburn, South Carolina and Mississippi State. Could Florida be the one that sticks?

Dan Lanning (DC) and Todd Monken (OC), Georgia: Both Bulldogs coordinators round out the list of candidates to become the next Florida football coach. Lanning has the defense playing at an unprecedented level and is sure to receive many calls this offseason. Florida has been on the opposite end of the spectrum this year and would likely welcome a defensive-minded coach. Monken has the Bulldogs among the top 10 in scoring and yards per play, plus brings head coaching experience at Southern Miss.