Simply put, we'd LIKE to just focus forward, but the media, fans of both teams and history itself conspire to keep us glancing back.
Yeah, this has long been a "rivalry game" for MANY reasons--on top of which there's ANOTHER "streak": I think we've beaten the Vols something like 16 out of the last 17 times we've met--always this 3rd week of September, often to open up both teams' SEC play (tho' not this year), for many years the inside track to end-of-season leadership in the once dominant SEC East--early meaningful game, always crazy close, often decided at the very end, the outcome with Conference and therefore NATIONAL implications.
There are those in the media now drumming up additional drama with the idea that one or another team, another new Coach, "needs it more"...For example here, that in this one OUR team, program AND "new Coach" needs the win here more "after ONE BIG STREAK was broken..." a coupla weeks back.
Now frankly, with everything else happening and the concerns he has about his own squad, how it learns and progresses week-to-week, I figure the LAST thing Coach Mullens is thinking about, or wants his PLAYERS considering on any level, ANY way, shape or FORM, is some artificial connection with the performance and/or outcomes of other games, by squads under other Coaches, in the past.
He knows and understands though that there is no escaping such concerns being raised, run into the GROUND by lazy TV "reporters" casting about for a "handle", some ear-catching issue they can fill broadcast time and space with. And OUR coach can't worry about or focus on this particular irrelevancy--and he has no control over whether the opposing Coach grabs onto it as a motivation tool (one of uncertain value, by the way: His guys of course are aware of it, but exploiting it emotionally could cut either way).
Mullens is AIMING for a consistently poised and balanced approach, steady growth and progress each week hopefully finding his squad ready and approaching peak potential, composure and rhythm on gameday--"...Never MIND what happened to other squads on other days in other years!". More and more it's other guys on BOTH sides, new systems and for SURE (as much as the new staffs can manage) new attitudes.
'Course, the FANS think, talk about it, the "coverage" (TV, radio and internet) just won't let go, so the players are aware of it too--so how the Coaches realistically HANDLE it may or may NOT be a factor. I like OUR guy's shrugging, low key, turn-the-page approach this week: "It's a new day, new season, always a big rivalry game--we just gotta get better, go out and play our game."
The players all manage to DO that, continue to more fully gel as squads, even as individuals more fully develop and improve, the Coaches install an effective gameplan and are able to see offense, defense and special teams able to execute it with any kind of efficiency, and we'll more and more see this Gator team not only take this one, but compete effectively in EVERY game, even the ones ahead that currently appear "difficult at BEST".
That's who we are GOING to be, eventually, under Coach Mullens and staff: We aren't there yet (he doesn't have near enough of "his kind of players" at enough positions across-the-board yet, for one thing), but it is where we're heading, and in the meantime he and his people EXPECT the players at hand to take their attitude and required approach, work hard to master and APPLY it all, in practice during the week and in FACT at gametime.
The rest is superfluous. I hear Mullens is at times INTENSE at practices, especially when he is teaching--introducing and installing a new set of plays, for example, or focusing on changing, or at least sharpening UP some technique or approach he thinks is somehow LACKING...and that that "intensity" grows in urgency the later in the week he seems to percieve that lack. For eg, it is said that last week he yanked Franks during practice, sat him down, relegated him to the backup role for a while--explaining later to reporters' questions about it by saying, "Well, he was POUTING, for one thing..." and going on as to what that indicated to HIM, what it tells him as a Coach, as well as what it says to his team, that "...it's unacceptable...", and expanded on its implications, etc.
Interesting...But the main point here is that our Head Coach has a PLAN, a "big picture" view of what he wants and needs to see from his players as individuals at their positions and AS A TEAM--is installing a limited version of what is a "work in progress", building towards a COMPLETE PACKAGE that he too will have to be flexible about as to its "final form", depending ON who they in fact bring in the coming seasons, their particular skills and personalities and how all THAT must and will affect the exact form and nature of the eventual "product on the field": In this way, it will NEVER be "final", and even now we all must take the approach of, "This is who we are now; we do the best we can with who we ARE and what we've got, and do all we can to reach our peak potential each week NOW."
Yeah, this has long been a "rivalry game" for MANY reasons--on top of which there's ANOTHER "streak": I think we've beaten the Vols something like 16 out of the last 17 times we've met--always this 3rd week of September, often to open up both teams' SEC play (tho' not this year), for many years the inside track to end-of-season leadership in the once dominant SEC East--early meaningful game, always crazy close, often decided at the very end, the outcome with Conference and therefore NATIONAL implications.
There are those in the media now drumming up additional drama with the idea that one or another team, another new Coach, "needs it more"...For example here, that in this one OUR team, program AND "new Coach" needs the win here more "after ONE BIG STREAK was broken..." a coupla weeks back.
Now frankly, with everything else happening and the concerns he has about his own squad, how it learns and progresses week-to-week, I figure the LAST thing Coach Mullens is thinking about, or wants his PLAYERS considering on any level, ANY way, shape or FORM, is some artificial connection with the performance and/or outcomes of other games, by squads under other Coaches, in the past.
He knows and understands though that there is no escaping such concerns being raised, run into the GROUND by lazy TV "reporters" casting about for a "handle", some ear-catching issue they can fill broadcast time and space with. And OUR coach can't worry about or focus on this particular irrelevancy--and he has no control over whether the opposing Coach grabs onto it as a motivation tool (one of uncertain value, by the way: His guys of course are aware of it, but exploiting it emotionally could cut either way).
Mullens is AIMING for a consistently poised and balanced approach, steady growth and progress each week hopefully finding his squad ready and approaching peak potential, composure and rhythm on gameday--"...Never MIND what happened to other squads on other days in other years!". More and more it's other guys on BOTH sides, new systems and for SURE (as much as the new staffs can manage) new attitudes.
'Course, the FANS think, talk about it, the "coverage" (TV, radio and internet) just won't let go, so the players are aware of it too--so how the Coaches realistically HANDLE it may or may NOT be a factor. I like OUR guy's shrugging, low key, turn-the-page approach this week: "It's a new day, new season, always a big rivalry game--we just gotta get better, go out and play our game."
The players all manage to DO that, continue to more fully gel as squads, even as individuals more fully develop and improve, the Coaches install an effective gameplan and are able to see offense, defense and special teams able to execute it with any kind of efficiency, and we'll more and more see this Gator team not only take this one, but compete effectively in EVERY game, even the ones ahead that currently appear "difficult at BEST".
That's who we are GOING to be, eventually, under Coach Mullens and staff: We aren't there yet (he doesn't have near enough of "his kind of players" at enough positions across-the-board yet, for one thing), but it is where we're heading, and in the meantime he and his people EXPECT the players at hand to take their attitude and required approach, work hard to master and APPLY it all, in practice during the week and in FACT at gametime.
The rest is superfluous. I hear Mullens is at times INTENSE at practices, especially when he is teaching--introducing and installing a new set of plays, for example, or focusing on changing, or at least sharpening UP some technique or approach he thinks is somehow LACKING...and that that "intensity" grows in urgency the later in the week he seems to percieve that lack. For eg, it is said that last week he yanked Franks during practice, sat him down, relegated him to the backup role for a while--explaining later to reporters' questions about it by saying, "Well, he was POUTING, for one thing..." and going on as to what that indicated to HIM, what it tells him as a Coach, as well as what it says to his team, that "...it's unacceptable...", and expanded on its implications, etc.
Interesting...But the main point here is that our Head Coach has a PLAN, a "big picture" view of what he wants and needs to see from his players as individuals at their positions and AS A TEAM--is installing a limited version of what is a "work in progress", building towards a COMPLETE PACKAGE that he too will have to be flexible about as to its "final form", depending ON who they in fact bring in the coming seasons, their particular skills and personalities and how all THAT must and will affect the exact form and nature of the eventual "product on the field": In this way, it will NEVER be "final", and even now we all must take the approach of, "This is who we are now; we do the best we can with who we ARE and what we've got, and do all we can to reach our peak potential each week NOW."
