It Was Much Worse Than We Thought!

UF football is in a new era. Before Napier and after Napier. Because of the deep hole we were in for over a decade. Also NIL, portal expansion, transfer rules, playoffs, facilities, apartments, the army... and more.

 

Everybody is dumping on Mullen. I wonder how many of them were like me was excited about the hire when it first happened.

 

I'd be more confident if the defense tackled better. If they tackled like they did the first two games, I'd feel really good about a win.

 

I was definitely excited. I can't think of many here that weren't supportive.

Until we weren't.

We dump on Mullen for what he did when he was here. Personally, the mismanagement of QBs was what soured me most. It's like we won with Kyle in spite of Dan's meddling.

 

ESPN article and Mullen can't be bothered to make a comment to his employer about the job that is still paying him.

 

You're not helping with my effort to speak it into existence.

 

I was, but I was also wrong to think he had what it took. At the time of the hire I worked for an Ole Miss fan and he told me, "Dan can't recruit." Those were his exact words. I replied that it was easier to recruit to UF. Found out quickly that you actually have to put in the effort, and Dan couldn't, wouldn't, and wasn't.

 

I was incredibly impressed with BN when I watched his first UF press conference. Seemed incredibly focused and had a plan and vision. He also was able to sell that vision to Stricklan and get him to commit the resources we needed to legitimately compete (they might have finally been at they point they were going to do that regardless). My only concern was whether he could relate to the elite athlete. Seemed a bit subdued and cerebral.

I was completely sold when I saw the video of him with Lagway in his office before Lagway committed. Lagway or his Dad points out something on Billy’s wall and Billy explains its significance in relation to his own deceased father. When I saw that video I knew two things 1) Lagway is coming to UF 2) Napier is going to relate to the exact type of kids we want. The guy is just genuine. Add to that intelligence and willingness to work hard and we have a great coach.

I also see the ability to assess weaknesses and make changes. Maybe I’m just drinking the kool-aid but this just feels different. The rest of this season might be rocky, but I’m convinced the future is bright.

 

If I could wish it so, I would. But as the old adage says, "If wishes were horses, we'd all have a ride."

 

I was a little mixed to first learn of the hire, but got on board quickly - especially as he got off the plane chomping like he was back to make our team great again. I also defended him too long

 

I was supportive, but never excited.

 

He’s our guy until he ain’t. I don’t get to fire him, so try to remain supportive until they’re out the door. I was definitely hoping he’d be smart enough to cut ties with Grantham and Hev, and realize that he couldn’t simply outwit all the other teams without also recruiting at a high level. He didn’t do these things, and now he’s another one of the idiot talking heads on espn. I still think he could have been successful here. He was just too stubborn, and then he quit when the pressure got to be too much.

 

I was one of those people who were excited about the hire. But just like any relationship we judge it on the outcome and what we find out was actually going on, not the initial excitement and the possible delusions during. In fact, the more excited we were to begin with the more likely we are to dump on the relationship when it turns out bad.

 

I've had girlfriends who I was really excited about at first. Then, I got to know them better and they weren't all that after all.

 

“After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true”
— Spock

 

Same, felt like he was the 4th choice and we hired him because the Vols were also after him.

 

Just think how bad their program would be had they hired him. Vandy fans would be circling their game against them every season as a W. Jeremy Pruitt had to cheat to get recruits there. Dan would've been battling Chattanooga for recruits.

 

Foley was not high on Dan. I think that I heard that he was not "well liked" at the UAA while he was here working for Urban. If I recall correctly, Foley didn't think Dan could recruit at a high enough level to sustain UF's program. Foley was wrong about a lot of things though, and when Mullen was hired, I was hoping that it was another one of those things. Sadly, he wasn't wrong this time.

 

Great read, thanks for posting

 

No, Dan wasn't liked. I know someone that worked for the catering service that did all the catering for UF athletics. When Urban was at UF they catered an event and I asked her what Urban was like. She said he was very nice, but Dan Mullen was demanding, rude, and very full of himself.