Eyes forward

Mullen: Gators remain focused on preparing for season opener

The idea of a 2020 college football season has gone from wishful thinking six weeks ago to back on schedule.

In a little less than six weeks UF coach Dan Mullen plans to return to the field with his players for the first time since the Gators Dec. 30 Orange Bowl win against Virginia.

The NCAA is expected to approve a plan allowing a window of activity from

July 24 to Aug. 6 that would help players get up to speed after missing spring practices and off-season training due to the coronavirus shutdown.

From there, Mullen expects to open training camp Aug. 7 and kick off the 2020 season on Sept. 5 at home against Eastern Washington.

Things certainly could change at a time when nothing is predictable due to the pandemic. But Mullen, speaking via videoconference Tuesday, said he sees no alternative but to take a business-as-usual approach despite all the remaining unknowns and potential obstacles to playing football this season.

“I’m trying to focus on with all our guys — which is really hard to do with everything going on with the pandemic right now — is worrying about what we can control … what we know and what we can control,” Mullen said. “As of right now, we’re planning a training camp as normal. We’re planning a normal regular season because that’s what we can know at this point. I think it’s a waste of energy sometimes to speculate on all the different things that can happen.

“What we have to do is be prepared to adjust to whatever does happen.”

Whether a surge in positive tests for COVID-19 during the past week, including in Florida, is cause for long-term concern or a byproduct of Memorial Day gather

MIC SMITH/AP UF coach Dan Mullen acknowledges it is difficult to focus on football with so much going on in the world, but he said Tuesday he is proud of the Gators for pushing to prepare for the season opener.