GAINESVILLE, Fla. – This is not
Dan Mullen's first rodeo. Or more specifically, spring camp.
The Gators open their first camp under Mullen on Friday afternoon, but for the 45-year-old Mullen, this marks his 10th consecutive year as a head coach in the Southeastern Conference. Moreover, his 10th time trying to establish a tone heading into the offseason.
The difference this time, though, is that he is trying to establish a new standard for a program that is coming off a 4-7 season that included a coaching change midseason and then a housecleaning afterward. Mullen has made significant strides in that mission away from the field in his brief tenure as Florida's head coach.
However, the dynamic shifts from fans and boosters to the players once camp opens. Mullen will try to balance his expectations against the reality of players learning new systems once the Gators get started.
"I try not to judge too much,'' he said. "You'll get me coming off the practice field one day and I'll be like, 'It was terrible, it was the worst,' '' he told the media this week. "Then you go watch the film and it really wasn't that bad. Then there are other days I'm going to come off really encouraged and I'm all excited. Then I turn on the film and I'm like, "What did I miss? I missed all of this. This is awful.' It's usually somewhere in the middle."
Mullen said he is not overly concerned about the depth chart or having a starting quarterback named in spring practice. He is more interested in seeing those trademarks all coaches preach: passion, commitment, effort.
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Those traits are always important, but when a new coach takes over, the urgency level usually shoots up as players try to make a favorable impression and perhaps change the perception about their ability.
"Hopefully we're motivated,'' Mullen said. "I know there's a lot to be motivated for. I know they're going to play hard because they're not going to have an option. I know that they're going to learn to go hard. I now that we're going to be physical. A lot of the guys are transforming their bodies already."
The first order of business is to install new offensive and defensive systems.
Mullen and co-offensive coordinators
Billy Gonzales and
John Hevesy will install a spread offense that Mullen's teams at Mississippi State used with success. Meanwhile, first-year defensive coordinator
Todd Grantham teaches a 3-4 scheme that is versatile and uses different fronts and players in different positions.
The goal is to install at a brisk pace this spring.
"We have an installation plan in place,'' Mullen said. "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.
"It's different, so that will be a challenge for the guys. I'll try as best as I can to be patient and make sure they understand and we teach it the right way. If they're not living up to our expectations at practice right way, it's not maybe because of effort or desire or any resistance. It's more than maybe they just don't understand the tempo of what we except to go at."
Grantham came to UF after working for Mullen only one season at Mississippi State. However, the Bulldogs made a huge jump from 110th nationally in total defense to 10th.
A veteran with experience in the NFL and college football, Grantham didn't expect to pick up and move again so soon. Still, he didn't hesitate when the opportunity arose.
"I enjoy my working relationship with Dan. I had a lot of respect for what he had done at Mississippi State," Grantham said. "I believe in his program, and to me it's exciting about creating a change, changing a culture, developing an identity, being able to hold that crystal [trophy] up here."
The Gators are opening the first two practices of camp for fans to come and check out the new program. Much will look familiar. Much won't. That is what a program in transition looks like.
Mullen is eager to get a look at the players on the field as much as fans are.
"I'm excited to get out there and get started on some football and coaching some ball,'' he said. "I want to see our players' reaction, that's a big part to me. Hopefully they are excited to get out there and go start playing."
