Dan Mullen recalls conversations about resources at Florida: 'Everything was no'

Nearly four years ago, Florida parted ways with Dan Mullen and ultimately hired Billy Napier. But as the Gators headed into their second bye week of the 2025 season, they announced Napier was out as head coach.

Simultaneously, Mullen has a 6-1 record in his first year at UNLV after initially venturing into TV at ESPN the last few seasons. And speaking with Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken, he looked back on his time at Florida and the conversations about resources.

Mullen acknowledged UF doubled its salary pool for Napier to add to his coaching staff. He said he did not have that same opportunity.

“I think we’re six months apart, we’ve won at very high levels, won where it’s hard to win, won where you should win,” Mullen told Wolken. “Then all of a sudden it doesn’t look right and, yeah, quick trigger and you’re gone. But I also look at — and maybe I don’t know the specifics of his situation — whatever that’s going to cost them, are they going to give the next guy a lot more than they gave him, as far as resources?

“Me, right? I mean, like, everything was, ‘No.’ And then everything I asked for, they said, ‘Here you go’ to the next person. So what’s the plan to make it better? Not that than what? They doubled the salary pool [for Napier] to hire coaches and staff members. I was always told no. Everything was no.”

A look at Dan Mullen, Billy Napier’s tenures at UF

Dan Mullen had a 34-15 overall record in his four seasons at Florida, including a 21-14 mark in SEC play. UF went 10-3 and 11-2 in his first two years in Gainesville before an 8-4 record in the COVID-impacted 2020 campaign. However, the Gators finished 5-6 before parting ways with Mullen after the 2021 regular season.

Billy Napier went 22-23 during his less than four full years at Florida, including a 12-16 conference record. Questions swirled around whether he would return to the role in 2025, but a late surge to end the 2024 season meant he got another year.

But after non-conference losses to USF and Miami – as well as SEC losses to LSU and Texas A&M – Florida opted to embark on another coaching change. The 2024 season was the only time Napier finished above .500.

Napier’s tenure ended with a victory over Mississippi State at The Swamp to improve to 3-5 on the year. Billy Gonzales will serve as the interim head coach.