Dan Mullen and the Gators are urging UF students to show up early and create the vibe Saturday against LSU. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
Mullen's Challenge to Students is Clear: Set Tone Early
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Some were already in their seats clutching cowbells when the Gators arrived at Davis Wade Stadium about two hours before kickoff on Saturday.
As Dan Mullen entered the stadium in the corner of the end zone where they were seated, the clanging commenced. Once the Gators dressed and came back onto the field for warmups 45 minutes later, the student section was nearly full.
And yes, those cowbells echoed across campus.
The environment was exactly the way Mullen remembered, except this time he faced it as an opponent for the first time.
"We built it through the student body,'' Mullen said Monday, less than 48 hours after Florida's 13-6 win at Mississippi State not only quieted those cowbells, but launched the Gators into Saturday's game against LSU on a three-game winning streak.
In his first few months as Florida's head coach, Mullen spent several days and nights speaking to student groups on campus about the importance of students arriving early for games and setting the tone in the stands. He urged them once again on Monday to show up and make a difference when the No. 22 Gators (4-1, 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference) host No. 5 LSU (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m./CBS) at the Swamp.
As of Tuesday afternoon, a limited number of tickets remained for the matchup between SEC rivals.
This marks the second consecutive year the Tigers are in town following the schedule adjustment due to Hurricane Matthew in 2016. A year ago in front of 88,247 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, LSU escaped with a 17-16 victory. The loss was the first of five consecutive for the Gators, which led to the hiring of Mullen.
The Gators seek a different outcome Saturday.
"I don't want to lose in front of these great fans,'' sophomore defensive tackle T.J. Slaton said.
However, they seek a similar atmosphere as the one they faced a week ago in Starkville.
"The support, the crowd, it gets us going,'' defensive tackle Kyree Campbell said. "We look forward to everybody being there. I'm thinking full crowd, people standing, yelling and everything."
So is Mullen.
He is urging the students to lead the way. That was his mission when he first took over at Mississippi State in 2009 and in time, they came and caused chaos for opponents.
Mullen is working to build the same fervor among UF students.
"It should be fun for our student body,'' Mullen said. "It's a great challenge out there. If you look in college football, student bodies set the tempo and really set the atmosphere for every else. They come in and they're on their feet, jumping up and down, going crazy in the game. I think the rest of the crowd feeds off that.
"That's one of the things I want us to get back to, having the student body really dominate the environment."
Challenge accepted? The answer comes Saturday.
As Dan Mullen entered the stadium in the corner of the end zone where they were seated, the clanging commenced. Once the Gators dressed and came back onto the field for warmups 45 minutes later, the student section was nearly full.
And yes, those cowbells echoed across campus.
The environment was exactly the way Mullen remembered, except this time he faced it as an opponent for the first time.
"We built it through the student body,'' Mullen said Monday, less than 48 hours after Florida's 13-6 win at Mississippi State not only quieted those cowbells, but launched the Gators into Saturday's game against LSU on a three-game winning streak.
In his first few months as Florida's head coach, Mullen spent several days and nights speaking to student groups on campus about the importance of students arriving early for games and setting the tone in the stands. He urged them once again on Monday to show up and make a difference when the No. 22 Gators (4-1, 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference) host No. 5 LSU (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m./CBS) at the Swamp.
As of Tuesday afternoon, a limited number of tickets remained for the matchup between SEC rivals.
Get up! It's #Gameweek
— Gators Students (@GatorsStudents) October 2, 2018
Time to get fired up, and pick up your tickets at Gate 13 today - Thurs. from 8:30a-5p!
Need Tix? Limited amount still available here: https://t.co/L4iapgOdLm
🐊🏈🔥#Swamp18 #GoGators pic.twitter.com/Z4TdhmtR3O
This marks the second consecutive year the Tigers are in town following the schedule adjustment due to Hurricane Matthew in 2016. A year ago in front of 88,247 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, LSU escaped with a 17-16 victory. The loss was the first of five consecutive for the Gators, which led to the hiring of Mullen.
The Gators seek a different outcome Saturday.
"I don't want to lose in front of these great fans,'' sophomore defensive tackle T.J. Slaton said.
However, they seek a similar atmosphere as the one they faced a week ago in Starkville.
"The support, the crowd, it gets us going,'' defensive tackle Kyree Campbell said. "We look forward to everybody being there. I'm thinking full crowd, people standing, yelling and everything."
So is Mullen.
He is urging the students to lead the way. That was his mission when he first took over at Mississippi State in 2009 and in time, they came and caused chaos for opponents.
Mullen is working to build the same fervor among UF students.
"It should be fun for our student body,'' Mullen said. "It's a great challenge out there. If you look in college football, student bodies set the tempo and really set the atmosphere for every else. They come in and they're on their feet, jumping up and down, going crazy in the game. I think the rest of the crowd feeds off that.
"That's one of the things I want us to get back to, having the student body really dominate the environment."
Challenge accepted? The answer comes Saturday.
Players Mentioned
DT
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