The Florida Gators have a new head coach in Dan Mullen heading into their 2018 spring game, but what should everyone be watching for on Saturday, April 14?
Last season was most certainly one that the Florida Gators would like to put behind them. They came into the year with high hopes that Jim McElwain would lead them to another SEC Championship Game appearance and potentially more. Instead, they were wrapped up in a huge round of suspensions that decimated their roster and ultimately sunk their season.
Florida finished the year with a 4-7 overall record, well out of reach of making a bowl game and with McElwain being fired as head coach in late October in another mess of ugly details. Now, they’re left trying to revive the program and get back to the heights that Gainesville is used to seeing on the football field.
The man tasked with making that happen is former Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen. Mullen built a solid program in Starkville throughout his nine-year tenure at the helm of the team, and now hopes to inject some life into the Gators. That will come with changes to the offense and defense.
On offense, Florida has struggled mightily in recent years. However, Mullen’s offenses have a history of success in the SEC and, with the recruiting prowess of the Gators historically, that could help turn their fortunes on that side of the ball. Defensively, Mullen will try to further strengthen what has been the strongest point for the Gators by switching to a 3-4 base defense.
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With all of these changes, things will be interesting right away in Gainesville, particularly in their spring game that will be played on Saturday, April 14. Given that, here’s what everyone should be watching on the Florida Gators during that contest.