Dan Mullen Talks Spring Football and Quarterbacks, Looks Ahead to 2021 Season

The Gators come off a crazy year. The talented roster didn’t know who they would play until mid-August and the team had to change their offseason program and acclimate to many new rules. In an interview with Steve Russell, head coach Dan Mullen said he was proud of how the Florida players and staff adapted the curveball for a successful 2020 season.

Spring Camp

College football moves so fast- the freshman are new, and the sophomore class had spring practice canceled the year before. Overall, he feels very pleased with how the team performed in spring camp.

Recruiting, Transfer Portal, and Playoff Rules Roundup

Typically, recruiting visits occur from January through May.

However, the NCAA opened up visits for June, to open doors for the first time and a year. Mullen and Florida recruits possess a four-week window to conduct all their visits.

Of course, the transfer portal is always open now to gather new players. Mullen says the transfer portal rule is a constant phase of adaptation, that sometimes, as he joked about UF’s academics and the portal “math,” doesn’t quite add up.

As far as playoff expansion, Mullen finds it inevitable. He believes the playoff system is stronger than the BSC at assuring the best team wins.

Quarterbacks

Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson make for a talented quarterback room. Mullen complimented their similar skill sets.

He touched on the developmental phase that incoming freshman quarterbacks Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Jalen Kitna are going through.

Mullen Looks Ahead to Fourth Year

Never satisfied, Mullen always wants to get better. But, he feels happy the Gators have made it to three straight New Year’s 6 Bowl Games and competed for the SEC Championship last year.  Florida plays in big-time games and now starts to compete for championships.

Mullen concluded by saying that the spring ball is time for lots of teaching, some experimentation, and finally lots of evaluation. The coaches take in this information to decide the specifics to set up the players in the best position to succeed in offense, defense and special teams.

Florida kickoffs the 2021 season against Florida Atlantic in The Swamp on Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m.