Dan Mullen's tenure at Florida might not be remembered as fondly as it deserves. While the 2021 season took a nosedive, Mullen still ranks as the third-winningest coach at Florida since World War II. Had the playoffs been expanded in 2019 and 2020, his teams would have been contenders.
One of the reasons Mullen isn't still in Gainesville is Kirby Smart, the coach who has made quite an impact at Georgia. On Monday, both coaches were in Gainesville for an award ceremony, and Smart couldn't resist a playful jab at Mullen.
During the fifth annual FWAA Steve Spurrier Awards at Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille, the event felt more like a roast than a formal ceremony. Mullen was honored with the First-Year Coach of the Year award for leading UNLV to a ten-win season in his debut year. Smart attended to support Ellis Johnson IV, who received the FWAA Defensive Freshman of the Year award.
When Smart took the mic, he directed a playful quip at Miami coach Mario Cristobal, saying, “Cristobal came up to me and said, ‘You ought to start getting on some protein shakes. You’ve had too many carbs.’ And I replied, ‘Well, you probably ought to spend some time with Steve Spurrier because he’s won more conference championships at Duke than you have at Miami.’”
The room enjoyed the banter, with Jon Sumrall joining in the laughter. Smart then turned his attention to Sumrall, noting, “I don’t know why you’re laughing, Coach Sumrall.
You’re the fourth coach I’ve faced since being at Georgia, so Spurrier’s daughter is making a lot of money from sold houses. She’s busy.”
For those keeping track, Mullen was one of those coaches Smart referred to. This isn't the first time Smart has ribbed Mullen.
Back in 2023, while Mullen was with ESPN, he predicted a Florida victory over Georgia. After Georgia's dominant win, Smart quipped, “Mullen’s supposed to be my friend.
He didn’t like to recruit though.”
The silver lining in Smart’s jest is a reminder of a critical point: at powerhouse programs like Florida or Georgia, success can be just one coach away. Georgia struck gold with Smart, securing two national titles. Meanwhile, Florida continues to search for its next big hit.
If Sumrall doesn’t pan out, Florida might need to try again in a few years. When Florida finally gets it right, they could be the ones making the jokes instead of being on the receiving end.