Gators' Dan Mullen Named SI Publisher's Preseason SEC HC of the Year

While it may be all-for-not as the 2020 college football season holds on for dear life, Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen has earned Sports Illustrated Publisher's SEC Preseason Head Coach of the Year.

Entering—well, as scheduled, at least—a 2020 season with top talent seeping out of the west of the Southeastern Conference, perhaps this could be considered a surprise considering the usual suspects: Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen has been voted the SEC Preseason Head Coach of the Year by the team of Sports Illustrated SEC publishers.

Mullen, entering his third year as Florida's head coach, has punched back-to-back tickets to New Year's Six Bowl games, defeating Michigan in the 2018 Peach Bowl and Virginia in the 2019 Orange Bowl. Coming after two head coach firings by Florida in the three years prior to the Mullen era, his first two seasons on the job marked quite the turnaround.

Now, the expectations are rising even higher. Should there be a 2020 season, the Gators are in a position to take the reigns in the SEC East. 

Following an offseason dramatically altered by the coronavirus pandemic, rival and three-time defending SEC East champion Georgia enters the year with a new, yet-to-be-installed offense under coordinator Todd Monken, with two transfer quarterbacks in Jamie Newman and J.T. Daniels competing for the starting role. Neither are proven in SEC play, and both are without a spring camp to learn the offense on the field.

With a veteran in Kyle Trask returning as signal-caller, a healthy mix of veteran pieces and young talents projected to see significant action, and a pretty easy schedule ahead, the Gators should be expected to take the next step towards contending for SEC Championships and the College Football Playoff at this point in Mullen's tenure, which is likely what earned him enough votes for the SEC Preseason Coach of the Year nod.

But of course, this offseason has been anything but conventional, and the chances of a 2020 season are growing slimmer by the day amidst the pandemic. The odds Mullen would win SEC Coach of the Year in a normal 2020 are worth taking, but the end results may not be seen. 

Alabama dominated the player awards, as running back Najee Harris, linebacker Dylan Moses, and wide receiver/return specialist Jaylen Waddle took home Preseason Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Player of the Year honors, respectively. In 2019, Harris tallied 1224 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns while adding 304 yards and seven scores in the passing game, and Waddle averaged 24.4 yards per punt return (20) and 35 yards per kick return (five). Moses missed the season with a torn ACL but was regarded as a potential early-exit, first-round draft pick entering his junior season.

You can find the SI SEC publisher's ranking of the top ten players in the conference below. One Florida star made the list that otherwise is made up purely of SEC West players: Quarterback Kyle Trask.

1. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
2. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
3. Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
4. Najeh Harris, RB, Alabama
5. Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
6. DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
7. Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State
8. Alex Leatherwood, T, Alabama
9. Kyle Trask, QB, Florida; (tie) Jaylen Waddle, WR/RS Alabama

Also received votes (in alphabetical order): Nick Bolton, LB Missouri; KJ Costello, QB, Mississippi State; Jerrion Ealy, RB, Ole Miss; Richard LeCounte, S, Georgia; Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina; Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia; George Pickens, WR, Georgia; Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida; Tyler Shelvin, DL, LSU; Trey Smith, T, Tennessee; Jacoby Stevens, S, LSU; Seth Williams, WR, Auburn