Dan Mullen addresses future in coaching, likelihood he returns to sideline

Dan Mullen hasn’t coached since 2021, currently serving as a college football analyst at ESPN. However, with Oklahoma‘s recent firing of offensive coordinator Seth Littrell, Mullen’s name has been floating around the coaching carousel. During an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show on Thursday, Mullen addressed the rumors of his connection to the job.

“I love doing the TV. I love the situation I’m at. You never say never to go back to coaching. It would have to be the right head coaching opportunity for me and my family,” Mullen said. “When you coach, you’re all in. It’s life-consuming.

“It consumes your life, your whole family’s life. So, if the right opportunity ever presented itself, you never know, I might go back. But I’m really enjoying this kind of media, TV life. And, being on your side of things.”

Mullen was the head coach at Mississippi State from 2009-17 and at Florida from 2018-21. During his time at the helm of MSU, Mullen led the Bulldogs to only their third 10-win season in program history. He also coached quarterback Dak Prescott, who was a two-time First-Team All-SEC member.

In his first two seasons at Florida, Mullen led the Gators to a combined 21-5 record. However, Mullen’s success took a dip the following year and plummeted in the 2021 campaign, leading to him being fired.

Nonetheless, Dan Mullen still boasts a far more impressive résumé than most available coaching candidates. On Tuesday, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables addressed the program’s interest in Mullen.

“I’m not gonna comment about the details of the search,” Venables said. “I reached out to him a year ago.”

At the end of the 2023 campaign, Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby left the program to become the head coach at Mississippi State. While Venables claims he reached out to others such as Mullen, he ultimately hired internally, promoting Seth Littrell and Joe Jon Finley to co-offensive coordinators.

Although Venables wants to lock down Oklahoma’s next offensive coordinator as soon as possible, he has no intentions of stealing a coach away from a team during the regular season.

“If I’m talking to the right people, which I believe I am, they’re going to be sensitive to finishing what they started and being loyal to their players,” Venables said, per Eric Bailey. “But sooner than later is when I want it finished.”