Nick Elksnis was 16 when he first heard from Dan Mullen . When the latter was recruiting Elksnis to play football for him at Florida. When the young tight end was being sought by some of the nation’s premier programs.

Elksnis first committed to Penn State but had a change of heart. Three days later, he would pledge his future to the Gators.

Now, years later, the senior is back with Mullen at UNLV .

And has noticed a change of sorts in his coach.

“He’s a little more laid back,” said Elksnis, who also spent two years at South Carolina before becoming a Rebel once Mullen took the UNLV job. “He’s definitely calmer. But if he needs to bring out that old school coach in Dan Mullen , he can.

“It’s a good thing because when he does, everybody is like, ‘O.K., it’s time to get back to work. He

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