This is not your father’s Florida football team.
It is not a reincarnation of Steve Spurrier or a duplication of the Tim Tebow era. These Gators are different, not much like even last year. They are balanced and very assertive. They really could have beaten Alabama.
Dan Mullen
Coach Dan Mullen is quirky but amazing. He actually adjusts his system to fit the players. Lots of coaches talk about that but keep trying to force square pegs into round holes.
Mullen has convinced his team that he knows what he is doing. Sixth-year linebacker Jeremiah Moon says “He’s definitely probably (great combination of words) the smartest coach I’ve been around. There’s no surprise that he’s able to just flip the switch when it comes to whoever comes into this program. He’s a mastermind; he’s a genius.”
Florida threw the ball all over the fields in 2020. It had Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts and led the nation in passing.
It now has a big-boy ground game and quarterbacks who can run or throw. The scheme is almost exactly opposite how Tennessee conducts business. The Gators deploy their offense to help the defense. Florida’s three second-half possessions against Alabama went 10, 11 and 12 plays, by design or because the Tide was tough enough.
Dullsville? No way. Those drives ended in touchdowns.
If you are saving statistics, Florida outrushed Alabama 245 to 91. That was an eye-opener. For only the second time in 96 games, the Crimson Tide ran for fewer than 100 yards.
Gator quarterback Emory Jones gained 77. He is Florida’s second-best running quarterback. Sophomore Anthony Richardson, 6-4 and 232, is the probable future face of the program. Best I can tell, Tennessee does not yet have one.
For old times’ sake, let us remember the ties that did not bind …
Mullen and John Currie once exchanged messages about the possibility of Dan becoming Tennessee coach. He had decided to leave Mississippi State. He expressed an interest in the Volunteers while waiting for Florida to make a better offer.
That was before Currie created the Greg Schiano disaster, before he switched to panic mode, before Aunt Bev sent him packing, before Phillip Fulmer took over and gave us Jeremy Pruitt.
Indeed, that was how the cookie crumbled.
I never believed Mullen really wanted the Tennessee job. I believe he used the Vol vacancy to help Florida hurry. It was a shrewd move. The landing turned out OK.
The Tennessee outlook for Saturday is not particularly encouraging. Those who invest in projected outcomes now think the Gators are 20 points better than the Vols. The line opened at 16.5.
There is a chance Florida will endure some kind of letdown after coming close against Alabama. There is a good chance the often-volatile Florida crowd will say ho-hum in response to the visiting Vols.
Florida has won eight in a row over Tennessee in the Swamp, 15 of 16 home and away. The last time the Vols won in Gainesville was 2003. Twenty years ago, our shade of orange pulled a significant upset.
Most Florida fans can read. They know the Tennessee running attack didn’t do much against Tennessee Tech. They know the Vols have some gimpy linemen. They know Vol quarterbacks overthrow open receivers. They know the Florida secondary is better than it has recently been. Mullen brought in new coaches.
As you know, Tennessee has an entire cast of new leaders. Defensive line coach Rodney Garner has rare insight into what once was a major rivalry. He coached against the Gators while at Auburn and Georgia.
He sees the Saturday situation clearly.
“Obviously this is the best offensive line that we’ve faced, it’s the best group of running backs, best group of receivers, quarterback – it’s the complete package, so we’ve got to elevate our level of play.
“We’re in the conference now, so it’s going to be much more intense.”
Sixth-year senior defensive lineman Ja’Quain Blakely has been to the Swamp twice. He has told naïve teammates what to expect.
“This is going to be a hostile game. There’s going to be a lot of noise, a lot of talking … Just keep your cool and composure … It’s going to be very intense, but it’s going to be a great game as long as we keep our mind straight and keep going.”
No doubt you caught that Rodney Garner line about “best group of running backs.”
Two five-star runners, Clemson transfer Demarkcus Bowman and Miami transfer Lorenzo Lingard, came to Florida to make the Gators better. They have struggled to get on the field. Malik Davis, Dameon Pierce and Nay’Quan Wright are doing just fine, thank you.
Here’s the clincher: Quarterbacks are leading Florida in rushing.
Kickoff is set for 7. Watch on ESPN. Don’t go near the Swamp. The environment will be at best impolite and maybe as Blakely said, hostile. Depends on whether Florida fans have recovered.
Marvin West welcomes reader questions or comments. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com