When Dan Mullen arrived at Mississippi State the bar was low. His predecessor, Sylvester Croom, had one winning season in 5 years and a combined record of 21-38. Mullen left the Bulldogs with a 69-46 record and 8 straight bowl appearances, an incredible improvement considering the competition on the field and in recruiting.
Now, as the new head coach of the Florida Gators, Dan Mullen is not shying away from championship talk. He has repeatedly spoken of the expectations to not only win the SEC but also a national championship.
At Mississippi State Mullen would often say the goal of the program was ultimately to win the SEC, but those ambitions fell short, and it was 6 years before that goal even seemed like a possibility.