Sources: Florida's Dan Mullen firing key defensive, offensive staff members
Update: Florida has made these moves official. Linebackers coach Christian Robinson will be the interim defensive coordinator, while Paul Pasqualoni will be elevated from his special assistant position to an on-field role and GA Michael Sollenne will coach the offensive line.
With Florida's season in a full free-fall, Gators coach Dan Mullen is shaking up his staff amidst the team's three-game losing streak.
Florida, pummeled 40-17 over the weekend by South Carolina in a game in which the Gators were heavily favored, instead lost for the fifth time in its past seven games this season and overall for the eighth time in its last 12 games dating to the end of the 2020 season.
Mullen has parted ways with high-priced defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who is earning $1.8 million on a contract set to expire in January 2022.
Additionally, Mullen has elected to part ways with offensive line coach John Hevesy, who's earning $630,000.
Bruce Feldman first reported Mullen's firing of the assistants, which were confirmed to FootballScoop.
The moves come less than 24 hours after Mullen declined to answer questions about potential staff changes on the heels of the Gators' 40-17 loss to South Carolina.
“I’m not going to get into any of that stuff," said Mullen, who declined to make any Gators' players available last week or after the game for interviews. "And what we’re going to do. We’re going to evaluate where we’re at.”
The Gators have struggled on both sides of the ball this season.
Offensively, replacing former star quarterback Kyle Trask with the inconsistent Emory Jones, have scored 17, 7 and 13 points in three of their past five Southeastern Conference games – each of those outings a loss.
Florida's only SEC wins this season are against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, and they're averaging just 26.75 points per game in league play.
Defensively, the Gators' struggles trace to last season under coordinator Todd Grantham. Florida's eight losses since Dec. 12, 2020, feature seven games with opponents scoring a combined 298 points – more than 42 ppg.
