Dan Mullen addresses speculation about Syracuse interest before Fran Brown hire

After Syracuse moved on from Dino Babers last season, speculation grew about whether Dan Mullen would be a good fit for the Orange. The former Mississippi State and Florida coach impressed during his first two years as an ESPN analyst, but rumors continued about a potential return to the sidelines.

Thursday, Mullen addressed the speculation about the Syracuse job, which ultimately went to Fran Brown. He noted how much fun he’s having on TV while calling games with Matt Barrie and the role that played in his decision to stay in the booth.

Mullen and Barrie are in Myrtle Beach for Thursday’s Coastal Carolina vs. Appalachian State game. Prior to the matchup, they spent time with fans, and WMBF-TV’s Teagan Brown asked about the Syracuse opening last cycle.

Got to ask Dan Mullen his thoughts on being rumored to be Syracuse’s next head coach before Fran Brown was given the role…

So cool pic.twitter.com/bFlgIdx73V

— Teagan Brown (@Teagannbrownn) November 7, 2024

“You know what, always an honor that people still remember the good things you did while coaching,” Mullen said. “But I enjoy this TV world right now.”

Since his departure from Florida after the 2021 season, Dan Mullen traded his visor for a microphone as he joined ESPN’s college football coverage. In addition to the Thursday night games as Barrie’s color analyst, he also works in the studio on Fridays and Saturdays for the network. But his name continues to come up in rumors for openings across the country, both as a head coach and an offensive coordinator.

When the Syracuse job opened last year, rumors quickly started about Mullen’s potential fit. But he shot those down on social media as he opted to stay at ESPN and enter his third year with the network.

The Orange, of course, brought in Brown after he spent two years as the defensive backs coach at Georgia. He’s off to a strong start to his tenure as Syracuse takes a 6-2 record into Saturday’s game against Boston College, and the Orange’s three ACC wins are already more than last year’s total.

It’s also been an impressive debut on the recruiting trail for Brown. Syracuse brought in the No. 37-ranked recruiting class last year, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking, and the Orange’s 2025 class currently sits at No. 46 in the nation as of Thursday afternoon.