STARKVILLE — Another offseason is nearly here, and reports of Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen leaving Starkville already have started.
The Bulldogs’ third-year coach deflected questions Tuesday about speculation he is a serious candidate to replace Joe Paterno as head football coach at Penn State University.
“Great,” Mullen said sarcastically. “Every time a job comes open doesn’t my name come up? Everyone speculates on everything in this world. I like to deal in realities. If I spend my time worried about every speculation, I’ll get nothing accomplished”
A source has told ESPN.com college football reporter Joe Schad that Mullen is the top candidate to replace Paterno, who was fired after 46 seasons in the aftermath of child sex abuse charges against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
Paterno, 84, holds the Division I record with 409 career victories.
A grand jury report revealed Paterno was approached in 2002 by a graduate assistant, who told the coach he witnessed an incident of abuse in the shower of the team locker room. Prosecutors have said Paterno passed on the information to his superior, Athletic Director Tim Curley.
Penn State trustee Ira Lubert, the head of private investment management firms, and Russ Rose, the coach of the four-time defending national champion women’s volleyball team, will be part of a six-person university committee that will lead a search to find a new coach, according to a statement from Penn State acting Athletic Director Dave Joyner.
“The mix of search committee members is intentional,” Joyner said Monday night in a statement. “We’re looking for a broad perspective and representation of the entire university.”
Longtime defensive coordinator Tom Bradley took over as the coach of the football team on an interim basis, leading No. 23 Penn State to a 1-2 record since Paterno’s firing, including a 45-7 loss Saturday to Wisconsin in a battle for a berth in the inaugural Big Ten Championship game. The Nittany Lions (9-3) are awaiting a bowl invitation.
Mullen, who is 20-17 as a head coach at MSU, was born in Drexel Hill, Pa., and his father is a graduate of Penn State. He declined Tuesday to respond to reports about him leaving MSU, citing a policy created last December.
“We talk Mississippi State football, and that’s all we talk about,” Mullen said. “I cheered for (Penn State) and Notre Dame. But I grew up in a Catholic household … probably no different than a kid in Starkville and raised to be a Mississippi State fan.”
Sources close to the situation told The Dispatch last December that Mullen had discussions with University of Miami officials about its head coach opening that eventually went to Al Golden.
Fewer than 48 hours before the 2011 Gator Bowl, MSU officials and Mullen agreed on a new four-year contract worth $10.6 million. It includes a $1.4-million buyout.
Mullen said neither he nor his representation has talked with MSU Athletic Director Scott Stricklin about a contract extension.
“I was very pleased, and the school really stepped up last year and took care of me,” Mullen said. “I know I’m very, very happy with the agreement we came upon last year.”
Stricklin used his Twitter account, @stricklinMSU, Tuesday afternoon to try to calm MSU fans about the reports tying Mullen to Penn State.
“Deja vu … Everyone take a deep breath and pre-order bowl tickets,” Stricklin tweeted. “Speculation of this nature is the price of success.”
Mullen said he was scheduled to have a team meeting with the MSU players at 4 p.m. to distribute and discuss a bowl schedule and make sure their academic situation is in order.
“I tell them the same thing: I’m happy here and let’s worry about being here,” Mullen said. “I think it’s great for the program. I would imagine there’s either two rumors about you, rumors you’re going somewhere or rumors you’re getting fired, so I’ll take the going-somewhere rumor better than the getting-fired rumor.”
Mullen made his second trip to Jackson in as many evenings as MSU cornerback Johnthan Banks was a finalist for the Conerly Trophy. Southern Miss quarterback Austin Davis won the award, which honors the best college football player in the Magnolia State, at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
Mullen said Tuesday he has been in contact with his former boss Urban Meyer since the former University of Florida coach was named Monday the new head coach at Ohio State University. Mullen, who was an assistant coach for Meyer at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida, joked he’d be interested in attending a spring practice in Columbus, Ohio.
“We’ve texted and I told him congratulations,” Mullen said. “They’re not on our schedule and don’t come up on our schedule, so maybe it will be a neat deal (to) collaborate on some things in the offseason. We never got to do that before. Maybe I’ll go watch practice up there and get something out of it.”
MSU will have to wait until Sunday to learn its bowl game destination. Mullen said practices won’t begin until Dec. 9.
“Our schedule will be very similar to last year,” Mullen said. “We’ll get a lot of young guys some reps. When we start game week, that’s when we’ll usually close practice like we would in the regular season, but we’ll also do one before Christmas break.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.