GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- In his postgame press conference after the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Gators coach
Dan Mullen was asked 11 questions.
No. 6 centered on Mullen's plans to evaluate his coaching staff after the season.
"I evaluate everything in our program,'' he responded after Florida's 55-20 loss to Oklahoma. "This season is now over officially, so I evaluate every aspect of our program as we move forward."
On Friday night as the College Football Playoff semifinals unfolded, reports surfaced that Mullen had moved forward -- and quickly.
In the most challenging season since World War II due to COVID-19, Florida's offense blossomed in 2020. The defense did not. The Gators allowed 28 touchdown passes in their 11 games, the most in the Southeastern Conference. Florida also surrendered 30.8 points per game, with repeated issues in slowing down the passing game. In 2019, the Gators finished seventh nationally in scoring defense (15.5 points per game).
Veteran coach
Ron English, who just finished his third season, coached the safeties, while
Torrian Gray returned to UF after the 2018 season and coached the cornerbacks the last two seasons.
For more headlines of interest to Gators fans, here are some fresh items from the internet:
--
A look at every position group heading into the offseason from
Thomas Goldkamp of
Swamp247.com.
-- Former Gators linebacker
Jesiah Pierre has
announced on social media that he is transferring to Texas Tech writes
Zach Goodall of
SI.com. Pierre signed with the Gators in 2019 out of Mount Dora Christian Academy.
Here is an introductory story on him when he arrived for background.
--
Orlando Sentinel columnist
Mike Bianchi writes that in his view,
college football coaches deserve a free pass this season due to the extenuating circumstances that defined the game in 2020.
-- UF veteran defensive tackle
Kyree Campbell, who did not play in the Cotton Bowl, announced his departure on social media:
-- Another Gators defensive lineman,
Zachary Carter, announced plans to return as an important piece to the 2021 defense:
