Alabama Football: 3 candidates to replace Bill O’Brien

Alabama football’s candidates to replace O’Brien

2. Dan Mullen, former Florida head coach

Nick Saban likes two things when he looks for an offensive coordinator: head coaching experience and/or a history of success in the NFL. Lane Kiffin was a head coach at both levels, as was Bill O’Brien. Brian Daboll had an NFL background, and Sarkisian came from the NFL back to college.

Mullen doesn’t have a history in the NFL, but he’s been a successful head coach in the SEC. He raised the standard with Mississippi State, and he won the SEC East with the Florida Gators. He was fired because the Gators couldn’t sustain that success the following year.

Mullen’s flaws stem from an inability to run an entire program, but he knows how to make an offense succeed. He developed Dak Prescott at Mississippi State and saw success as a coordinator and head coach with the Gators. He’s seen as a quarterback guru, and that would be valuable in Tuscaloosa.

You’d have to put other assistants in charge of recruiting, and there would be limits on Mullen’s ability to impact the program, but he could become a successful play-caller. If you trust the team around him, you should trust his ability to get the most out of Bryce Young and the Crimson Tide offense next year.