From scheduling to rivalries to contracts, Dan Mullen speaks

UNLV football coach Dan Mullen spent 90 minutes discussing his team on Thursday at the Mountain West’s annual media days at The Palms. And that didn’t even include radio interviews.

Mullen, as you would expect, spoke on a variety of subjects, from scheduling to culture to specific positions to his contract status.

Here are five things we learned from Mullen’s availability:

Work ethic

“Last year’s team worked really hard, but it was always learning what the standard and expectations were,” Mullen said. “When you come back in Year 2, even though you’re adding a bunch of new faces, there is an expectation already there in the locker room about what that standard is for everybody. From Day 1, this is the standard. It’s hard to say we’re working harder than last year, but I think we started earlier working harder. The expectation is to compete for and win championships. Our players don’t shy away from that.”

The culture

UNLV players talked about it extensively on Wednesday, that which has occurred under Mullen. Winning is the easy answer to how one builds culture within a program. But there is more to it.

“You recruit players that believe in what we do, which is player development,” Mullen said. “They love football, but want to be coached hard and want to be developed. When you look at a guy like (star running back) Jet Thomas, who gets all these calls and people throwing all this money at him to leave, to sit there and say, ‘I can accomplish everything I want at UNLV and don’t have to go anywhere,’ — that shows a lot about your team and culture and what we’re all about as a program.”

He’s happy here

There were few major college coaching jobs open last year where Mullen’s name wasn’t mentioned as a candidate. But he said from the beginning he would return to UNLV for a second season and has.

He originally signed a five-year deal worth a reported $3.5 million annually to become the highest-paid coach in program and Mountain West history.

There was no extension reached following last year’s 10-4 season, but that didn’t come as a big surprise to either side.

“He still has the hunger and passion to coach,” athletic director Erick Harper said. “We didn’t come to an extension but had discussions. How can you not like a guy who has done it at the highest level?”

“I love the expectations,” Mullen said. “I’m very pleased with what we did (last year). Obviously not happy that we didn’t win the (conference) championship game. (Harper) came to me and asked if everything was O.K. and I said, ‘It’s great.’

“I always came here with the idea that you have to do what the school can do and if that works for me, I’ll be here. I won’t over-extend the school on things it can’t do. I understand where we are. I run our program like we’re in the SEC with what we do for our players and how we treat them.”

A Lobos rivalry?

UNLV and New Mexico are considered the league’s top two teams entering the 2026 season. The Lobos raced to a 21-0 lead at Allegiant Stadium last year before prevailing 40-35. Could this be one of the new-look Mountain West’s top rivalries?

“Any time you’re playing a team every year, there’s a rivalry aspect to that game,” Mullen said. “The importance of the game makes it bigger depending on where you’re at. The bigger the game becomes, it becomes a rivalry. New Mexico has a talented team. They have a lot of guys back at key positions.”

UNLV plays at New Mexico on Nov. 14.

Looking forward

Mullen says he doesn’t circle games on a schedule as ones more important than others. The game he’s looking forward to most right now is home against Memphis on Aug. 29 because it’s the season opener.

“There are probably some schools who say they can roll the ball out and win certain games,” Mullen said. “You can’t do that in this league. You better be ready for every single game. Maybe fans circle games and we’re the one that probably gets circled most in this league. We’re the hunted now. For the UNLV fan in their 40s and 50s, it’s a new experience. For the young UNLV fan, this is the norm.

“If we can beat Memphis and start 1-0, we’re off to a good start. I don’t think we need to go (undefeated) to make the (College Football Playoff). Let’s say we’re 12-1. I think the one could determine it potentially depending on who it’s (against). I certainly think with the schedule we’re playing, if we did go undefeated, we’re in.”