Urban Meyer pitches Dan Mullen for James Franklin replacement at Penn State

Urban Meyer pitched Dan Mullen as James Franklin’s replacement at Penn State as the Nittany Lions navigate a coaching change. Mullen is currently the head coach at UNLV.

Meyer knows Mullen quite well at this point, given that Mullen has also been around TV circles, as well being the former coach at Florida. Mullen starred in the SEC but was let go at Florida and replaced by Billy Napier.

Granted, the Gators haven’t been that much more successful since Mullen but the latter is doing a great job at UNLV. Meyer is on board with that idea.

“How about Dan Mullen,” Meyer said on The Triple Option. “Damn right he is (undefeated) … Scored 51 last week … And you know, he’s from the northeast, by the way.”

ESPN already named Mullen as a potential candidate for the job. Penn State’s search is expected to be wide and take big swings, per On3’s Pete Nakos.

Mullen coached Florida to a 34-15 record over the course of four years before being fired after 2021. Right now, Mullen is 6-0 at UNLV as the team’s head coach, four years after his last job. 

It seems the time off did him some good. Mullen had success at two SEC programs in Mississippi State and Florida, so maybe going to the Big Ten to coach Penn State would be a third time’s the charm scenario.

Mullen could be an intriguing option, but the search will take a bit and there certainly won’t be a decision made well before the end of the season. Meyer likes Mullen but safe to say, he was stunned at the decision to fire Franklin at Penn State.

“I was shocked,” Meyer said. “Obviously, (Pat Kraft) made a decision. And, and I know a lot of Penn State people, a lot of alums, obviously. And I was very close to coach Paterno … and so that the word on what I’ve heard from several sources is that this was one man’s call, the athletic director, which it really should be, the board was really not aware, is what I was told …

“My comment to one of the persons was, where does that money come from? And I made the comment earlier, and Mark pushed back on it. I agree.  I didn’t think they would do it. I just fiscally, I don’t. This is what I’ve heard, is, where will the money come from? And the one person said, ‘I have no idea.’ IBut obviously, Pat Kraft knows what he’s doing.”