Getty Image / Mark Brown
The Florida Gators football program is all-around not having a good time. The team was embarrassed by Utah in their season opener and looks like it is potentially on its way to three straight losing seasons for the first time since 1947-1949.
Things started to go downhill for Florida at the end of Dan Mullen’s tenure in 2021. After playing Alabama close in the SEC Championship game the year before, the Gators stumbled to a 6-7 season, with Mullen unable to finish the season.
But, Mullen actually had some pretty successful years in Gainesville, with a 10-3, 11-2, 8-4 stretch to start out his career there before the 6-7 year in 2021. His recruiting had definitely slipped, but he was a proven winner at Mississippi State with less talent than most of his SEC foes, and letting him go was a big risk.
Florida hired Billy Napier, who was an assistant for Nick Saban before going 40-12 at Louisiana-Lafayette. But, a losing season last year at 6-7 with a subpar 2023 recruiting class and lack of success in the transfer portal already had Napier on the hot seat according to many Florida fans.
That sentiment was sharpened on Thursday, when the Gators were dominated by Utah, 24-11, in a game that was not that close. Gator fans were despondent. Meanwhile, Dan Mullen, now an analyst for ESPN, was laughing. Take a look.
Former UF coach Dan Mullen liking tweets slandering Florida for firing him for Billy Napier pic.twitter.com/Hz7kTjR2su
— Andrew Ferrelli (@Andrew_Ferrelli) September 3, 2023
It looks like he may get the last laugh, after all.