Mullen hopes seniors make lifelong memories
Participating in final home game, 20 will be honored — and might play
GAINESVILLE — The outcome was never in doubt against Western Carolina. But the sellout crowd at the Swamp still had a question — more like a demand — for Florida coach Urban Meyer.
The fourth-quarter chants from the student section for walk-on Tim Higgins did not fall on deaf ears back in November 2006.
Meyer and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen were not going to deny Higgins or UF fans a lifetime memory on Senior Day.
With time running out on the Gators’ 62-0 win, the 5-foot-7, 172-pound Higgins took a hand-off and made it back to the line of scrimmage. It was the only touch of Higgins’ UF career, but one of many touching moments sure to arise each year on a day when the Gators’ senior class plays its final home game.
“It’s always great for everybody,” said Mullen, now the team’s head coach. “Guys put so much work in, and the reward to get into a game and play in a game, be out there in the Swamp and get to play, I think, is a pretty special deal.”
When the No. 13 Gators (7-3) host overmatched Idaho (4-6) at noon Saturday, 20 seniors will be honored about 10 minutes prior to the kickoff.
Martez Ivey and CeCe Jefferson were five-star recruits and team leaders. Nick Vilano and R.J. Raymond are former walk-ons awarded scholarships this season. Tyler Jordan and Fred Johnson have started at least 25 games each. Meanwhile, Dre Massey was a promising juniorcollege transfer who tore his ACL on the opening kickoff in 2015 and moved from receiver to cornerback this season and has just one career touchdown.
Every UF senior has a story. Saturday is a chance to add one more chapter.
The Gators are 39.5-point favorites against Idaho and should be able to name the score.
Mullen has shown the willingness on Senior Day to name who scores.
The 46-year-old vaguely recalled the Gators’ 70-19 win against the Citadel when he dialed up a fullback dive from the 1-yard line for defensive lineman Javier Estopinan. A fifthyear senior who had overcome three season-ending ACL tears easily crossed the goal line.
Always willing to try something new, Mullen said earlier in the week he had not received any requests from his seniors for the football.
“I don’t have any of that schemed up yet,” Mullen said. “But it is only Monday and no one has been in my office asking for that yet.”
Mullen is sure not to dig too deeply into his bag of tricks until his team is well in control of Saturday’s outcome against Idaho.
A week after the Gators gained 528 yards during a 35-31 win against South Carolina, it should be just a matter of time before they pull away from the Vandals.
Fresno State, 8-2 and the leader of the Mountain West’s Mountain division, scored 79 points on the Vandals. Idaho State, 6-6 and fourth in the Big Sky, beat Idaho 62-28.
When the time comes to turn to the bench, Mullen also could turn his eye to the future and get some experience for some of his younger players.
“This is an opportunity for guys to go play because you’re not limited on who can dress,” Mullen explained. “In SEC games, you’re very limited on the number of guys that can play in a game within all the rules. The next three games, we don’t have those limitations on us, so there’s going to be more opportunities for those guys to get into a game, whether it’s special teams or whatever the situation is.”
Fans are hankering to see more of first-year quarterback Emory Jones. Under a new NCAA rule, Jones can appear in two more games and still redshirt.
But since backup Kyle Trask broke his foot last week and is questionable for the bowl game, Mullen might decide he needs Jones as the team’s emergency quarterback in case Feleipe Franks is injured next week at Florida State or during the bowl.
Asked if he would use Jones against Idaho, Mullen did not tip his hand.
“We always have a plan for Emory,” he deadpanned.
First-year receiver Jacob Copeland, the highestrated member of UF’s 2018 recruiting class, recently returned from injury and headlines a group of players in need of snaps.
Florida fans are unlikely to convince Mullen one way or the other. After all, no one on the 2018 roster fits the profile of Higgins.
For a day, he was the most popular player in the Swamp named Tim, including a freshman fan favorite with the last name Tebow.
“Guys have put a lot of time, blood, sweat and tears into the program,” Mullen said. “Their last opportunity to play at home in front of the home crowd in this stadium, it’s always a special day.”