Dan Mullen’s an interesting person.
He completed the Boston Marathon.
He earned First-Team All-Centennial Conference honors as a tight end at Ursinus College.
I don’t know how good that is, but it’s interesting.
So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Mullen hired coordinators and assistants that are not only interesting, but make up a strong, experienced unit.
Here’s a look at the cabinet of the Mullen administration.
Billy Gonzales and John Hevesy, Co-offensive Coordinators
Mullen, Hevesy and Gonzales. Florida’s offensive hive mind and probably the most important pieces since they’ve coached together for such a long time. Hevesy and Gonzales have been on the same staff as Mullen dating back to the Bowling Green days (2001-02). They traveled to Utah with Urban Meyer and Mullen and spent time as the Utes’ wide receivers coach and offensive line coaches until 2005, when the party moved to Florida.
The trio served as assistant coaches on both UF championship teams under Meyer.
Hevesy moved to Mississippi State with Mullen in 2009 and hasn’t left his side. The Bulldogs limped 11th in rushing in the SEC in 2008 (100.6 rushing yards per game). Mississippi State rose to first in the SEC in Mullen and Hevesy’s first season, averaging 224.6 rushing yards.
Gonzales joined the staff as wide receivers coach in 2013 following stints with Illinois and Louisiana State. In 2014 he was named co-offensive coordinator and coached wide receiver Fred Ross, who received two First-Team All-SEC distinctions and broke school records in receptions, receiving yards and 100 yards receiving games.
It’s obvious when Mullen’s quarterbacks are throwing to Gonzales’ receivers, and Hevesy’s line is establishing the run, good things happen.
Todd Grantham, Defensive Coordinator
Grantham has a long coaching history. He joined Mullen’s staff last season as defensive coordinator at Louisville from 2014-16 and Georgia from 2010-13.
He made a huge impact on Mullen’s staff in 2017. Mississippi State improved from 12th in total defense in the SEC (459.1 yards per game) to third (306.3 yards per game). They also allowed the fewest first downs per game in the conference, only 13.5 per contest.
Grantham also has plenty of NFL coaching experience. He spent time as the defensive line coach for the Houston Texans (2002-04), defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (2005-07) and defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys (2008-09).
Grantham’s defense in 2005 with the Browns led the AFC in red zone defense (44.0 touchdown percentage) and ranked fourth against the pass (179.2 passing yards per game). The Browns also finished 10-6 in 2007 (although they didn’t make the playoffs) under Grantham’s defensive direction after going 4-12 the season before.
This man made THE BROWNS pretty good at one point this century. A resume doesn’t get much more impressive than that.
Brian Johnson, Quarterbacks
Johnson is well-known for quarterbacking Utah to a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama in 2009. He also led the Utes’ to a 13-0 record the same season.
Johnson pursued a professional career in the United Football League but was released by the New York Sentinels before joining the Utes’ coaching staff in 2010 as a quarterbacks coach. He became co-offensive coordinator in 2013 then signed on as quarterbacks coach for Mullen in 2014. He coached Dak Prescott and Nick Fitzgerald until 2017, when he moved to Houston to become its offensive coordinator.
Sal Sunseri, Defensive Line
Florida will have a deep rotation of pass rushers this season, playing under a coach in Grantham that loves to bring pressure.
Sunseri is the perfect compliment to this philosophy.
Sunseri, like Grantham, has NFL pedigree. Coaching the D-line for the Oakland Raiders from 2015-17, he’s worked with elite defensive talent: Super Bowl XLVIII Most Valuable Player Malcolm Smith, three-time Pro-Bowler NaVorro Bowman and one of the best pass rushers in the game, Khalil Mack.
And Sunseri’s laundry list of successes in college include two National Championships in three campaigns (2009-11) as defensive line coach under Nick Saban at Alabama.
Nick Savage, Strength and Conditioning
Perhaps the assistant that has made the biggest impact on the Gators is coach Savage, who Mullen pried away from Ohio State.
There’s a noticeable difference in how every player looks. Defensive lineman T.J. Slaton has trimmed down significantly from his near-350 pound weight from last year. Quarterback Feleipe Franks said he lost some weight and packed on 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason. Even running back Jordan Scarlett looks bigger and more intimidating up close.
Savage has been working full time this offseason, and if you watch him at practice, he’s pushing just as hard.
There’s never been a human being more enthusiastic about hydration and nutrition. When players finish drills where they’re yelled at to give maximum effort, Savage steps up and yells at them louder to drink water. He even wears a portable water tank on his back like he’s Bobby Boucher before he knocked out the quarterback.
The effort that Savage has given and continues to give should be one of the biggest reasons Florida sees an improvement after a 4-7 season. And he may be one of Mullen’s most important hires.
You can follow Mark Stine on Twitter @mstinejr or contact him at mstine@alligator.org.
Coach Dan Mullen has assembled a staff of former assistants and new hires to man Florida's sidelines this season.
