Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Dan Mullen Faces His Toughest Test As Florida’s Head Coach
Dan Mullen has coached in some tough games so far throughout his two years at Florida. Though, that is a given considering Florida plays in the SEC.
So far, through 2019, the Gators have played three top 10 ranked opponents: Auburn, LSU, and Georgia. Florida beat No. 7 Auburn, but then followed that up with a loss to No. 5 LSU and then a loss to No. 8 Georgia just last week. The October 12th victory over Auburn feels like an eternity ago, as today’s world is all about what have you done for me lately.
Since the loss to Georgia, Mullen has been under the microscope of fans and social media. The Gators were not prepared well for the game, and there were a couple of questionable decisions that started to fuel the fire under Mullen’s seat. For the record, Mullen is not officially on the hot seat, but that is why Florida’s game against 2-6 Vanderbilt this week will be Mullen’s toughest test yet as Florida’s head coach.
Our own Zach Goodall wrote a fantastic piece about how "The Sky Isn't Falling" for Florida, and he is right. However, a poor showing against Vanderbilt, or worse, an upset loss would inevitably bring the sky crashing down in Gainesville. I will also add, a key reason Zach even had to write about the sky not falling is because there is definitely an odd feeling in the air for some Florida fans.
Gators fans are still trying to remember the great 2008 championship team and it gives them a false sense of hope when the Gators start winning games in present time. The 2019 Gators are not even close to a championship-caliber roster and Mullen has actually done an excellent job coaching this football team in my opinion. The only problem is that people want to see actual results, not give a pat on the back for doing all you can with the little that you have.
Vanderbilt is not a good football team. They have shown signs of life, as they upset No. 22 Missouri a couple of weeks ago, but they are still not a good football team. That is why this is such a tough test for Mullen.
The Gators' meaningful season is over. They will not be in the college football playoff, so it will be interesting to see what kind of team the Gators are this week. That will be a direct reflection of Mullen’s coaching abilities. Can he motivate his team to keep playing hard and still reach its full potential in 2019?
Mullen needs to coach his best game of the season and the Gators need to blowout the Commodores. The Gators need to show that they are well-coached throughout the game too, limiting mistakes and penalties. This may look like an easy game to many for the Gators, but it will not be.
"Obviously great challenge playing Vanderbilt," Mullen told the media on Monday. "...seems to always be a tough game. I remember being here before, some tough battles. Last year was a tough battle."
There is no doubt that there are some players that will not want to work as hard or try as hard now knowing that the ultimate goal cannot be achieved. There is also no doubt that the outside noise that has started about Mullen being questioned has made its way into the Florida locker room. Mullen needs to be the one to make sure none of that matters by taking care of business this week against Vanderbilt.
"The desire to go win this week's game, if you're a competitor, you shouldn't need a whole lot of leadership for that," said Mullen.
You can critique Mullen all you want after a loss to Georgia, but the game to truly critique Mullen on as a head coach is this one, against 2-6 Vanderbilt. How will the Gators respond this week against Mullen’s toughest test yet as the head coach of the Florida Gators?
