Florida will face a test of focus this week when it travels to winless Vanderbilt and will play in front of the smallest crowd of the season. That doesn’t change how the Gators will approach this week’s game.

Coach Dan Mullen explained why that’s the case on the SEC coaches media teleconference.

“If you want to be a great football team, you have to get better each week… the focus has to be on us improving… are we improving as a team? Are we tackling better?… You focus on improving as a team,” Mullen said.

Florida has already dealt with a different kind of adversity which came out of the extended layoff. Having a veteran group helps, he said.

“I think one, experience at key positions,” Mullen said. “You look at the fact we rotate running backs, a veteran quarterback and offensive line, a tight end that is a returning starter… we rotate a lot of guys (at wide receiver)… one of the things we always try to do is create great depth. When you have a veteran group like that, it’s easy to handle adversity.”

Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson may be in the running for some head coaching jobs this offense and Mullen explained why he’s a valuable coach.

“He’s a great coach at his position, smart, involved in game planning… he’s mature, even though he’s young, very mature for his age… he’s going to be a great head coach as soon as someone gives him his opportunity,” Mullen said, and added that Johnson played in a BCS bowl at the age of 16, although he was not sure if he was 16 or 17 during the time of the game. Mullen said he was the youngest quarterback to ever play in a BCS bowl.