UNLV Rebels Head Coach Dan Mullen Addresses Penn State Rumors

Penn State has fired James Franklin, and UNLV Rebels head coach Dan Mullen's name has once again popped up as a possible replacement.

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With the Penn State Nittany Lions firing their head coach, James Franklin, after a string of brutal losses, UNLV Rebels head coach Dan Mullen was asked about his interest in the Penn State job. Penn State is considered by most to be a better job despite their shady history and the facts that they lost to the same UCLA team that the Rebels beat, and they are currently ranked behind UNLV based on AP Poll votes. Nevertheless, Mullen once again had to make it clear that he has no interest in leaving Vegas for another job.

It's beginning to sound like he's tired of answering this same question every time a new job becomes available. Regardless of how clear he has made his answer, the question keeps coming back up. His response this time left no doubt or wiggle room. He will be coaching at UNLV in 2026 regardless of what jobs become available before next season.

UNLV Rebels Head Coach Dan Mullen On Taking The Penn State Job

"I'll be here," Mullen said. "Listen, I'll make it real simple. Want me to do that? I'm going to be the head coach at UNLV next year.

I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere...

Good or bad. I said, 'It's the transfer portal world. Don't get all excited and think I'm going to go somewhere you think is a better place. I am going to be here. You guys are stuck with me...

I am very, very happy here. I like Vegas."

That's about as clear as Mullen can possibly make it. That's not to say that people won't continue to ask him about leaving UNLV for a new job every time a big-name school fires their head coach, but at least he isn't giving evasive answers. It sounds like there is no doubt that Mullen will be returning for a second season in Las Vegas and hopefully many more beyond that. With the rise of the transfer portal and the expansion of the College Football Playoff, there is less reason for big-time coaches to be quite as eager to jump ship when the first opportunity arrives. Especially, an already established coach like Mullen, who never needed to use a Mountain West Conference school as a stepping stone to a more prestigious job, because he always had the option to take one.

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