ATLANTA — Florida coach Dan Mullen met with the Gators beat reporters Tuesday before his appearance at the main podium during Day 2 of SEC Media Days. Some quick hitters:
Mullen said transfer wide receivers Trevon Grimes and Van Jefferson have yet to be cleared by the NCAA.
“Hopefully in the near future we’ll be able to explain what’s going on,” Mullen said.
Mullen on QB situation: Says it’s “50/50” right now that UF uses more than one quarterback against Charleston Southern. “I would love to name one today if I could,” he said.
Mullen on possibly running QBs in preseason practice through live simulations: “They’re going to get hit a little.”
Mullen on getting offensive lineman Martez Ivey and defensive lineman Cece Jefferson to come back as seniors and what he’s seen: “Since they made their decision, I don’t think there’s been one day where I haven’t seen them working.”
Mullen on the Gators: “They’ve had two four-win seasons and have played in two SEC Championship Games the last five years. That shows me that individual teams are playing at a high level, but the program itself isn’t performing consistently at the level it needs to be.”
What the heck is the hold up on getting Grimes and Jefferson cleared. There seems to be a precedent for both getting approved. Maybe a little less for Grimes but Jefferson should already be cleared given multiple Ole Miss transfers in the same situation have been cleared already. The Gators could really use both of them next year.
@ Rob – I am inclined to agree about the hold up. Must be something about both so maybe they are waiting to announce both at the same time. Either way, it doesn’t make too much sense because other Ole Miss transfers have already been approved, as you stated. Who knows, but I want to hear some good news soon. Go Gators!!
NCAA has treated UF deplorably over the years. No surprise here….Hopefully they will HAVE to allow the transfers based on previous treatment of players to other programs….
Jefferson was a 2015 signee and the rest of the Ole Miss transfers were 2016 signees. No doubt he’d be cleared by now if he was in their same class, but it’s hard to argue you were lied to when not only are you the only member of your class who would be making that argument, but Ole Miss didn’t even receive the first notice of allegations until January 2016. If you read the article below you can see in more detail the timeline of events that happened a year after Jefferson signed. He has to be coming at it from a different angle. I’ll actually be surprised if he’s cleared to play immediately.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/shea-patterson-details-scope-of-ole-miss-deception-in-lengthy-letter-to-michigan/
Thanks, Joe.
I agree Rob. Man with both of them , plus the speed of Cleveland , and the elusiveness of Toney…. hope they clear soon. I know coach Dan is bringing excitement back to the “o” . I can’t wait.. Go Gators 🐊
I think the future of Gator Football is the best with Coach Mullen it has been since the HEAD BALL COACH first came to Florida. I am excited and ready to kick it off this year and let us find out what we have as a football TEAM!!!!!!!!!! I am an older man 82 1/2 , so I have seen the bad times and the great times in Florida Football. The best times is when Spurrier was playing and when he was coaching. And when Coach Mullen coached the offense Florida Football was pretty good. So lets get on with the fight and see where we are and where we need to improve!
You tell ’em Mr. Hatch!
Ditto, Mr Hatcher. Never lose the faith; a good lesson in gatorship for all of us.
Wilbur it is great to know there are still some true blue Gator fans like you who stick with the Gators through the good and bad. Here is hoping you are still a Gator fan when you hit 100!
I don’t go back quite as far as Wilbur, only 67, but he nailed it. Had to go through a ton of “Wait til’ next year” summations of Gator seasons. As for Jefferson and Grimes, it’s a big stretch to imagine either of them being denied by the NCAA. Some of those decisions, as I recall, extend into very early August. Gotta believe those two will be in the thick of our offensive attack come September. And no coach has embraced being a Gator since Steve Spurrier’s homecoming in 1990 except for Coach Mullen. He even dons a visor!
I think UF intentionally waited to seek the blessings from the NCAA for Grimes and Jefferson to play this season, especially Jefferson. Florida wanted to see what the other schools were doing with the transfers first to learn from their example and how the NCAA would respond to that. Smart. No big deal at this point. They aren’t missing anything re workouts.And thanks Mr. Hatcher. I agree. Faith and patience. We will get there and sooner than most think. We have been through this before. Spurrier realistically put us on the map. All seemed lost with Zook and then we hired Urban and his crew, with Coach Mullen, and they spoiled us again. I like being spoiled. By the way, did they have to get a translator for Orgeron ? I expected him to show up in overalls and chest clips.
I won’t mention the version of English he (Orgeron) speaks, mkf, as it would surely be misinterpreted, but even Cajuns don’t always understand each other. Sometimes even they just have to nod their heads and keep eye contact!
Jefferson’s biggest obstacle for appeal was supposed to be the SEC transfer rule. But, thankfully, the SEC wisely changed it, and Jefferson is ”eligible” with the SEC (as earlier reported here). Now the ”NCAA is holding up Jefferson’s eligibility”!?!? That’s crazy, considering the NCAA has approved all the other ”Ole Miss transfers” to date.
But the new ”NCAA knee pad” rule was so needed in football today. Now maybe, despite the 1/100 of a second (sarcasm intended) in the speed lost without knee pads, the football players won’t be as likely to have shattered knee caps.