Florida’s offensive coordinator Dan Mullen became Mississippi State University’s 32nd head football coach Dec. 10.
Just two weeks earlier, Sylvester Croom resigned as head coach and first-year athletic director Greg Byrne was given the task of finding a replacement.
While interviewing eight potential candidates and doing a lot of homework, Byrne realized that Mullen was the man for the job.
“We met on Tuesday night in Atlanta,” he said. “About a half hour into the conversation, we felt like [Mullen] had a great chance of being our coach.”
Byrne made his recommendation and got approval from the MSU Board of Trustees, the Institutions of Higher Learning and newly-appointed President Mark Keenum; the decision was made.
Byrne said an offensive-minded coach was needed and Mullen’s ability to produce high-scoring teams was a deciding factor in his selection.
“His offense had been leading the nation in the top offenses in the country year in and year out,” he said. “We felt he could recruit a dynamic student athlete to Mississippi State.”
None of the names of the other seven candidates were released as Byrne kept the search process a close secret and carefully avoided leaking any information, so much so that he earned a new nickname, “The Ninja.”
Keenum said he stayed informed about the search process.
“We’re all looking forward to the football success we anticipate from this new addition to the Mississippi State family,” Keenum said.
December was a busy month for Mullen. In addition to preparing Florida’s offense for the BCS National Championship game, he had to assemble a new coaching staff for MSU and keep the recruiting commitments left behind by Croom.
Junior quarterback Tyson Lee said that hiring Mullen has brought a lot of excitement to the program.
“He’s got a vision for what he wants to do,” Lee said. “There’s a new air in the program, and it seems like the guys are excited and ready to get things going.”
Lee said he was happy with Mullen’s choices for assistant coaches, particularly Mark Hudspeth, who is the new passing game coordinator.
“Coach Hudspeth has been at the University of North Alabama for the past few years,” Lee said. “I knew him when I was in junior college. He has done a wonderful job.”
Along with Hudspeth, Les Koenning from South Alabama has been appointed as assistant head coach for offense. Carl Torbush will be defensive coordinator. Torbush is a former Louisiana Tech head coach and was a defensive coordinator for Ole Miss, Alabama and Texas A&M. Frank Wilson, who has coached at Ole Miss and Southern Miss, has been added to the coaching staff, but does not have a confirmed position.
Mullen began a five-city tour Monday, speaking to fans in Stoneville and Olive Branch. Today he will be in Nashville and will be in Hattiesburg and Gulfport Thursday. Admission to the remaining events is $10, which includes a reception.
Born in Drexel Hill, Pa., Mullen graduated Ursinus College in 1994 with a B.S. in exercise and sport science. He has 15 years of coaching experience, most recently under head coach Urban Meyer as the offensive coordinator for Florida from 2005-08.
In 2008, the University of Florida’s offense was ranked third in the nation for scoring.
Mullen will have many more busy months ahead. The first game of 2009 will be against Jackson State University on Sept. 5, and on Oct. 24 he will face a home game against his former Florida Gators and his protégé, 2007 Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow.