GAINESVILLE, Fla. _ Dan Mullen would love to see the Florida Gators playing football again in September, but recognizes it will take a lot for that to happen.
"I would say I'm much more hopeful than optimistic," Mullen told reporters Monday via videoconference. "To say where we'll be in four months is hard to do. But I'm certainly hopeful. I'm sure as everybody is out there."
Mullen said four months ago he never would have imagined the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down the nation, including a UF football program looking to build on an 11-win season and top-10 ranking.
The Gators canceled spring practices and shifted classes online. Players returned home to their families, but they have remained in contact with coaches so the program can keep progressing despite the trying circumstances.
"One of the things we talked about, the coaches and our players, was just worry about what we can control," Mullen said. "And the big thing is, when this is over, are we gonna be the team that's prepared? Are we the team that continued to stay in great physical shape. Are we the team that put in extra conditioning, extra training. Are we the team that spent extra time learning and maximizing what we can do and maximizing ourselves of what we can do so we're a better football team when we get back together than we are when we left."
Mullen said the consensus among SEC coaches is once teams are back together, eight weeks would be the ideal amount of time needed to prepare for a season, though six weeks would be workable.
"I think you're pressing it, once you get down to four weeks," Mullen concluded.
Whenever the Gators are able to get back on the field, Mullen said it will be uplifting for everyone.
"I think when football hopefully gets back, it'll make everybody feel pretty good about life and getting back to some normalcy to see some football," he said.
Mullen said the moment could be similar to the 2001 World Series after 9/11 when President George W. Bush threw at the first pitch at a Yankees game.
Mullen even seemed to choke up a bit at the memory.
"After you go through massive tragedies there's so many things that sports bring back together," he said. "Just the lasting memory of what sports are that are so special."
For now, Mullen is glad to report no one involved with the program has been stricken by Covid-19.
"I think the effects are a lot more emotional, psychological of helping guys that way," Mullen said. "We've dealt a lot more with that than any physical ailments of the disease."
