Mullen must ace Year 2 opener
HOOVER, Ala. — Dan Mullen excitedly told a small group of reporters at SEC Media Days on Monday about recording his first hole-in-one on the golf course a couple of weeks ago while on summer vacation, but vacation is over now and the time has come for Mullen to ace his second season as the head coach of the Florida Gators.
And it all starts against Miami on Aug. 24 in Orlando during the Camping World Kickoff — a game that will either set the stage for Mullen’s highly anticipated second season or set fire to it.
In college football, especially in the SEC, it doesn’t take very long to get humbled. Mullen found that out when he told resident Gator legend and avid golfer Steve Spurrier about his hole-inone — a 7-iron on a par-3, 173-yard hole — and Spurrier’s initial response was something like, “That’s great, but I’ve had six of them.”
Likewise, even though Mullen birdied his first season at UF with 10 wins, blowout victories over Florida State and Michigan to end the season and a longawaited offensive renaissance, that success will soon be forgotten if the Gators don’t build upon it this season.
We all know how quickly things can turn in Gainesville. Mullen’s predecessor, Jim McElwain, went to the SEC Championship Game in his first two seasons at Florida and was fired before his third season was even complete. The SEC’s official mantra is, “It Just Means More.” It’s unofficial mantra is, “What Have You Done For Me Lately?”
That’s why the Miami game is so important for Mullen and the
Gators. The fact is, they got everybody’s attention last season. The question is, can they keep everybody’s attention this season?
“I think it’s huge,” Mullen said Monday when I asked him about opening the season with the Hurricanes in Orlando. “It’s going to be a catapult for one of the teams. Whoever wins that game ends up really kicking off the season on the right note with a big win in a big game with a lot of national exposure.”
In essence, even though there are a couple a lesser games scheduled for Aug. 24, Florida and Miami will have the opening weekend of college football to themselves. In just 40 days at Camping World Stadium, all eyes will be on GatorsCanes in what is being billed as official kickoff to college football’s 150th anniversary celebration.
Most of those eyes, however, will be on the Gators, who will likely be ranked in the preseason top 10. Florida fans haven’t been this excited entering a season since Tim Tebow was a senior, and the crowd at sold-out Camping World Stadium will undoubtedly be pro-Gator.
“I get chills just thinking about it,” Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks said of the season opener against the Canes. “How can you not be excited about a game when the entire nation will be watching? The stage is set and now we have to go out and perform.”
Mullen obviously did everything right in Year 1. He took over a dysfunctional program that went 4-7 in McElwain’s final season and completely changed the vibe in one season. He won games, he turned the much-maligned Franks into a confident, capable quarterback and he awakened an offense that had been comatose for a decade. He improved UF’s offense from 109th in the country during McElwain’s final season to 42nd last year — its highest ranking since Tebow’s senior season a decade ago.
Now, of course, Gator fans expect even more. They expect Mullen to step up in weight class and compete with Georgia coach Kirby Smart on the field and on the recruiting trail. Smart has turned the Bulldogs into a national power in just three seasons and has shown he is one of the top recruiters in college football.
I don’t think there’s any question Mullen has the coaching chops to compete with Mullen. However, he still needs to prove he can not only lure big-time recruits to UF, but keep them there. Especially after an offseason filled with discord and defections.
The Gators had two players (true freshman quarterback Jalon Jones and junior defensive back Brian Edwards) and a since-fired staff member (Otis Yelverton, an assistant director of player personnel) accused of violence against women and two of their star recruits (Jones and five-star defensive back Chris Steele) leave the program. Two recruits failed to qualify academically and two others are on the academic bubble. Mullen’s recruiting class that was ranked No. 8 in the country on National Signing Day doesn’t look nearly as formidable as it once did.
Then again, none of this controversy and consternation will matter in 40 days when Florida and Miami kick off the season in Orlando.
In the aftermath of his first hole-in-one, Mullen needs to hit it on the screws yet again and ace the first game of his muchanticipated second season in Gainesville.
In college football, no mulligans allowed.