Dan Mullen knows expectations are high.
He knows fans want results right away. But he also has expectations of his own, and they have nothing to do with wins and losses.
With spring practice opening today at 4:25 p.m. with full public access at the Sanders Practice Fields, Mullen is expecting some bumps. He’s expecting his players to struggle with learning a new offense and defense. And before they even get that far, he’s expecting them to have to adapt to the new law of the land.
“It’s always a challenge because it’s just not learning the offense or defense and special teams but learning what we expect in the speed of practice,” Mullen said. “How practice is going to go. Running from drill to drill and just how things work. It’s different, so that will be a challenge.”
A challenge that will surely be full of hurdles under a radical change of philosophy and process, but one Mullen is hoping produces results by the Orange and Blue Debut on April 14. With that in mind, here are three questions Mullen could address in spring ball.
1. Will the new conditioning program make that much of a difference?
Director of strength and conditioning Nick Savage has been hailed as a savior to a program that has been ravaged by injuries in recent years. Last year, running back Malik Davis, receiver Tyrie Cleveland, guard Brett Heggie, defensive lineman Jordan Sherit and safety Marcell Harris were just some of the players who missed significant chunks of last season for Florida.
Athletic Director Scott Stricklin wasn’t shy about noting the strength program’s deficiencies when former coach Jim McElwain parted with the school, and Stricklin said it would be an emphasis moving forward. Players believe that so far, Mullen and Savage have delivered on that promise.
“It’s really their team,” safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson said of the strength staff. “Everything flows through them. Once we go in that weight room, it’s all lit.”
It’s impossible to predict if fewer injuries will occur as a result, but Gardner-Johnson believes having players who are bigger and stronger certainly won’t hurt.
“You tell coach Savage and his crew,” he said, “they know what they are doing.”
2. What will the new offense look like?
This one should be answerable by the spring game. It might not be as fine-tuned as Mullen would like, but by April 14, his offense should be ready enough to show off.
It’ll be hard to judge its capabilities based on a scrimmage, but quarterback Feleipe Franks claims the new offense is very graspable and easy to learn, especially for quarterbacks.
“It’s something different than what we had with coach Nuss,” Franks added.
One would hope so after former offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier’s Gators were 108th in points per game and 110th in yards per game last season.
At Mississippi State, meanwhile, Mullen’s Bulldogs ranked 41st in points per game and 46th in yards per game.
“They were able to put a lot of points on the board in big games,” UF wideout Josh Hammond said, “and, you know, we are just really excited.”
3. Who will start at quarterback?
Someone has to start the spring game, but it’s very unlikely Mullen commits to that starter, whoever it ends up being, before the fall.
“I don’t worry about that,” he said. “It’s spring to me.”
He’s more concerned with getting players to give maximum effort and getting as many deserving guys on the field as possible. But again, someone has to do it.
His options are Franks, redshirt sophomore Kyle Trask, redshirt freshman Jake Allen and true freshman Emory Jones. Mullen said while he’ll be all over the field during spring practices, he’ll pay special attention to that group, so he’ll get a thorough chance to evaluate them all. And he’ll give anyone who earns it time on the field.
“We might play more than one,” Mullen said. “It’s guys earning the right to get on the field.”
Follow Ethan Bauer on Twitter @ebaueri and contact him at ebauer@alligator.org.
Coach Dan Mullen and the Gators will hold open practices on Friday and Saturday afternoon.
