UF football coach Dan Mullen met with the media on Monday to discuss his team’s upcoming bout with Towson, injuries, scheduling and more. Here are a few of the most interesting takeaways:
Mullen focused on Towson despite the looming Auburn matchup
Oct. 5 has been circled since the moment the schedule was announced.
No. 7 Auburn will make its first trip to Gainesville since 2007 for what is the most anticipated home game on Florida’s schedule. The matchup was recently slotted for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff as the CBS Game of the Week, and there’s a good chance ESPN’s College Gameday comes to town as well.
Mullen, however, isn’t getting ahead of himself. He knows his team has to beat FCS-opponent Towson on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium before it can worry about Auburn.
“Obviously, there will be a lot more hype on (the Auburn) game,” Mullen said. “But for us to even have an opportunity to win that game, we have got to improve this week.”
Led by redshirt senior quarterback Tom Flacco – brother of NFL veteran Joe Flacco – Towson is no pushover. The Tigers are ranked No. 10 in the FCS Coaches Poll.
“They know how to win. They expect to win. And you can see that on how they play and how they are in games,” Mullen said. “Front to back and top to bottom, their roster is very solid.”
Injury update
Florida was without a number of key players in its 34-3 win over Tennessee on Saturday but managed to avoid further damage in that game. There is more news on the injury front:
“I think everybody (besides athlete Kadarius Toney) is going to be getting close to a game-time decision,” Mullen said.
That includes defensive back C.J. Henderson and pass-rusher Jabari Zuniga, two stalwarts of UF’s defense who have missed the last two games. There’s a good chance they will be back for the Auburn game at the latest.
Quarterback Feleipe Franks, who is out for the season, underwent surgery on his right ankle Monday; Mullen said the procedure went “really well.”
Mullen unhappy with schedule
Towson will be UF’s second FCS opponent this month, something Mullen isn’t a fan of.
“I think one (FCS team is enough),” he said. “We’re trying to play more Power 5 teams.”
Mullen appears to be getting his wish: Later on Monday, the Gainesville Sun reported that UF and Utah had agreed to a home-and-home series in 2022 and 2023. Florida also has future home-and-homes scheduled with Miami, Colorado and Texas.
Mullen’s push for more Power 5 games extends to conference scheduling as well.
“I think we should mix up the league schedule more,” he said. “You should play more teams from the West and get the opportunity to play more SEC games.”
Follow Sam Campisano on Twitter @samcampisano. Contact him at scampisano@alligator.org.
Cornerback C.J. Henderson missed the past two games, but Mullen said he is a game-time decision.
