Dan Mullen, who led the Mississippi State football team to its longest stretch of sustained success in history, returns to Starkville Saturday as head coach of the Florida Gators.
For nine seasons, Mullen was the face of the Bulldogs program, but Saturday he comes not to praise the Bulldogs, but to bury them. That’s his job, after all. Nothing personal.
But it appears to be deeply personal to an awful lot of MSU fans. Since Mullen abruptly left MSU to take the Florida job in December, Bulldog fans have had Saturday circled on their calendars, and it will be interesting to see what sort of reception Mullen receives.
On one hand, fans could applaud their former coach in recognition of what did he for the program in his nine seasons — 69 wins, eight consecutive bowl games, a No. 1 national ranking for five glorious weeks in 2014. His work raised the Bulldogs profile, improved its brand and made the school more appealing to future players and coaches. That the Bulldogs could attract Joe Moorhead, the nation’s most-respected assistant coach at Penn State, to take over as the Bulldogs coach is something that probably would not have happened nine years ago, given the struggles of the program at the time of Mullen’s arrival. Simply put, Mullen left MSU far better than he found it.
That’s one mood Bulldog fans may display when Mullen steps onto the field at Davis Wade Stadium Saturday night.
But it probably isn’t the prevailing mood.
For many — perhaps a majority — Mullen’s departure is viewed something akin to a man leaving a faithful wife for a younger, more attractive woman. Bulldog fans feel jilted, betrayed.
While pragmatic Bulldog fans can understand Mullen’s decision to leave for Florida — more money, a bigger stage and a return to a place where he helped the Gators to two national championships as an assistant coach — it was the manner in which he left has created hard feelings.
Every year, Mullen’s name was attached to openings at other, bigger schools. Every year, Mullen remained. Last November, when his name surfaced as a candidate for the Florida job, Mullen resolutely claimed he had no interest. Almost until the day he left, Mullen had told his players, fans, media that he was staying.
Then, just like that, he was gone.
Bulldog fans haven’t forgotten. They don’t just feel betrayed, they feel they were lied to.
Far be it from us to suggest which of the two attitudes Bulldog fans should embrace Saturday. You pay your money, you cheer or boo as the spirit moves you.
But in this case we believe there is a pretty good argument for taking the high road, something we admit is not much in fashion these days.
Treating Mullen to polite applause not only acknowledges what he did for the program in his time at MSU, it also demonstrates to the world that Bulldog fans are confident in themselves and the future of their program, that the program is bigger than the man who once coached it.
That, we believe is a far better message to send Saturday night.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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