Potential Bruins Head Coaching Candidate: Offensive Mind UCLA Could Add

It was reported in the spring of 2025 that the Rebels have $26-31 million of debt in their athletic department. While the school has said that they will be able to pay for the first two years of the contract, they will need to rely on donors to cover the rest.

Financial uncertainty can derail this deal, potentially opening up a window for the Bruins to secure a big-name coach. If Mullen decides to leave the Bruins, he will need to pay a $7 million buyout fee for his contract. This clause decreases $1 million every year. So if he decides to leave next year, it will only cost him $6 million.

Only time will tell if the Bruins decide to pursue Mullen. They will probably wait and see how he finishes the season with the Rebels.

Dan Mullen has been a head coach for 13 years. Nine of those years came with Mississippi State, where he was able to lead the Bulldogs to a 69-46 record over that time. In 2014, he was able to reach #1 in the AP rankings for the first time in school history. Overall, he was able to lead Mississippi State to four AP Top 25 rankings.

He left Mississippi in 2017 to join the Florida Gators. This shows that he is willing to jump ship for a better team at any point. Can the Bruins be that team?

With the Gators, he was able to go 34-14 during that time. He was also able to land two AP top 10 finishes (2018, 2019). He was also able to lead Florida in two bowl game wins.

This season, Mullen has led UNLV to a 3-0 record to start. Beating out UCLA in their last game in convincing fashion, this could have an impact on Martin Jarmond's hiring process moving forward.

His career has shown that he doesn't necessarily go for big names in recruiting classes. He has been able to develop 3-star recruits with general ease. Something that UCLA isn't really known for. This recruiting philosophy has led to 76 players being drafted. Notable names include Dak Prescott and Anthony Richardson.

The future is uncertain for the Bruins. After the firing of Deshaun Foster just three games into the season, it will be a mystery for now how the Bruins regroup from that. Finding a head coach who can put the Bruins over the top is a good start.

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