Dan Mullen Replaces Barry Odom As UNLV Head Coach, Set To Debut In LA Bowl

Mark Morales-Smith | 18 Hours Ago

Nov 20, 2021; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Florida Gators head coach Dan Mullen watches play against the Missouri Tigers during the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

New UNLV head coach Dan Mullen will be taking over the program effective immediately after Barry Odom exited the program on Saturday to take over the head coaching job at Purdue. Mullen is a big-name coach who has coached at top-tier schools like Mississippi State and Florida. While Odom left the program in great shape and much better shape than it was before he took over two years ago, there is still plenty of work for Mullen to do.

While he comes to a team on the upswing that also comes with expectations and pressure. However, that's not something that he is unfamiliar with after coaching in the SEC. Mullen will look to not only ride the momentum that has been created at UNLV but build off it and take the program to even higher heights. The eventual goal will be to overtake Boise State and win the Mountain West Conference. That is a task that is easier said than done. They showed in the Mountain West Championship game this year that they still have a way to go to get on their level. 

UNLV will also be missing some key players this year, most notably wide receiver Ricky White III, linebacker Jackson Woodward, and offensive lineman Tiger Shanks. These are star players who will not be easily replaced. Mullen will look to retool the roster through the transfer portal and with his 2025 recruiting class which will be his first at the school.

If Mullen is at some point able to conquer the Boise State Broncos and win the Mountain West Conference, the current success both teams have had could even lead to a potential College Football Playoff birth in the future which would be an incredible feat for this program to accomplish. It all starts this Wednesday at SoFi Stadium when the UNLV Rebels take on the California Golden Bears, who will be representing the ACC, in the Art of Sport LA Bowl. Winning that game would be an impressive start to Mullen's stint with the team then it will be moving on to focus on building for the future.