Dan Mullen Talks Team Injuries and Upcoming Game against Kentucky in Press Conference

Florida football’s head coach Dan Mullen discussed team injuries and this upcoming weekend’s game in a recent press conference. On Saturday, Oct. 2, the Gators will play Kentucky for the first out of state game of the season. The Gators have to remain focused with huge games back to back to back.

Coach Mullen’s Injury Report

“Kaiir Elam met with the trainers this morning. We will know later this week, but I’d say he is probable. They feel pretty good about him being back in the game this week,” Mullen said when asked about team injuries.

Stewart Reese was cleared to play against Tennessee, but the coaches decided to hold him as he wasn’t 100% healthy. Josh Braun filled in for Reese. “This is one of those situations where we felt Josh at 100 percent was going to be better than Stewart at 75 percent,” Mullen said.

As for quarterback Anthony Richardson, Coach Mullen said that he was cleared to play against Tennessee but they decided to keep him back for another week to prevent further injury.

“When you eliminate every mental error and you play at a high level, you’re gonna be a great team,” Coach Mullen said.

Looking at the Kentucky Wildcats

Coach Mullen was asked about Kentucky’s head coach Mark Stoops and what he brings to the defense. Stoops started off as the defensive coordinator at the University of Arizona and then Florida State University.

“He’s done a great job of building the program with identity.”

Constantly playing teams in the SEC can be difficult, especially with 8 SEC teams in the AP Top 25. “It is all about embracing our plan and making sure we know how to execute it and making sure we are putting guys in the position to do what they do well. Those guys need to embrace the plan and execute it,” Mullen said.

Mullen explained that playing a team like Kentucky, a big, physical run team, you’ve got know how to control the tempo of the game. Mullen pointed out how they do really well with their play action pass package.

Malik Davis, a redshirt senior running back has contributed a lot to the team this year. Davis played as the starting running back against Alabama and rushed 10 times for 86 yards and one touchdown. He also added one reception for five yards during the game.

Mullen discussed the importance of recognizing and celebrating triumphs but also recognizing and correcting mistakes that are made along the way.

Next Up

The Florida Gators will travel to Lexington, Kentucky to face the Wildcats. This will be the first time the team has travelled out of state this season. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be aired on SEC Network.