Paul Finebaum: Steve Spurrier played key role in Florida firing Dan Mullen

ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum claimed Sunday that Florida head coach Dan Mullen was fired partially because of input from Steve Spurrier. Finebaum explained that Spurrier still has great input for the Florida football program, and is extremely close to athletic director Scott Stricklin.

Steve Spurrier contributed to Dan Mullen firing?

“This is just my theory and Steve [Spurrier] can shoot it down tomorrow. He’s welcome to. I think Spurrier was involved in this,” Finebaum said about Mullen’s firing on The ESPN College Football Podcast. “Scott Stricklin lives across the street from Steve Spurrier. Spurrier hangs out with Stricklin in the [press] box all the time, they’re close.

“The Spurrier wing of the party had had enough of Dan Mullen. They didn’t like his attitude, they didn’t like his quirkiness. They didn’t like the way he berated assistant coaches in front of others. And it rubbed them the wrong way. That much I can tell you. I’m not saying Steve Spurrier pulled the trigger but I sincerely doubt this decision was made without Steve Spurrier’s blessing.”

Later during the podcast, the topic of what ultimately led to Mullen’s firing came up. Finebaum explained his stance that the combination of being disliked internally at Florida was amplified by the external issues Mullen was bringing about as well.

“I think the internal [reasons] were obvious, but I think the external things hurt Dan Mullen as well,” Finebaum continued. “Even last Monday I believe, he was fighting with the media. He put on that happy front about celebrating the Samford game. You know that rubbed Spurrier’s crowd the wrong way. You just don’t do that.

“The media didn’t get Dan Mullen fired. Dan Mullen got Dan Mullen fired.

“I think ultimately the Missouri game just pushed it over the top. And then the gamesmanship. There is Eli Drinkwitz — who has a little bit of Spurrier in him by the way — checking Mullen’s Darth Vader outfit from last Halloween after he beat Missouri. That was another thing that rubbed people wrong. All those things didn’t matter because they beat Georgia last year. Florida got to the SEC game [and] gave [Nick] Saban a rough go of it.

“I just have to believe that this is not something that going to last very long in terms of a coaching search,” Finebaum closed with, explaining that he believes Florida has a replacement plan already. “This is not going to be LSU going on for two months.”