Zachary Roberts wants to know what Coach Dan Mullen has in mind for the future of Gator football.
The UF exploratory engineering sophomore will get an opportunity to ask the head football coach March 20 in the University Auditorium. The discussion is organized by Accent Speakers Bureau. The doors will open at 7 p.m., and the event will begin at 8 p.m.
About 800 tickets will be available at the Accent office on the third floor of the Reitz Union beginning March 19, from noon to 5 p.m., Accent chair Shelby Buchanan wrote in an email. Students with a valid Gator 1 ID card receive two tickets.
Any remaining tickets will be distributed at the University Auditorium box office from noon until the start of the show.
Mullen will speak about his professional experience.
Mullen is not being paid to speak, and the estimated cost to host the event is under $5,000, Buchanan said.
“We have received several requests for a sports-oriented show, and we feel this show will definitely satisfy that demand,” Buchanan said. “We hope that this event can serve as introduction between Coach Mullen and the Student Body before next year’s football season.”
Buchanan said this event is a partnership between Accent and the University Athletic Association to allow for university sport officials to speak.
“While we love to bring speakers from all over the country and all walks of life, partnering with the UAA gives us the opportunity to showcase a little hometown pride,” Buchanan said. “We’re excited to bring Dan due to his history of excellence in the sports world, and we hope that students in attendance feel a stronger connection to him after the program is over.”
Roberts, 19, said he has been a fan of Mullen since he started as UF’s offensive coordinator in 2005.
“He seems to just be happy to be here at the University of Florida and some coaches in the past have not seemed excited or happy to be here,” he said.
Roberts said he’s curious to know why Mullen chose to come back to UF after his coaching job at Mississippi State University.
“I would probably ask him what his goals are for the next year and five years for the football program,” he said. “I want to know whether we are, as a program, reaching the goals that he sets out.”
Contact Christina Morales at cmorales@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @Christina_M18.
Dan Mullen added six more recruits Wednesday to round out his first signing class as the Gators' head coach. “I’m excited about the athleticism that we’ve brought in today and the flexibility those guys have,” he said.
