Dan Mullen explains why Arkansas has found success, his impression of Feleipe Franks
By Keith Farner
Published:
Coming off a big win over Georgia, Florida gets set to play one of the hottest teams in the SEC in Arkansas, which has exceeded expectations already this season and drawn rave reviews for its coaching staff.
That coaching staff will be altered this week as coach Sam Pittman has tested positive for COVID-19, and defensive coordinator Barry Odom will serve as the interim coach. Odom, of course, is familiar with playing Florida from being the head coach at Missouri.
Florida coach Dan Mullen on the SEC coaches media teleconference explained how Arkansas has found success.
“Mental and physical toughness,” Mullen said. “There comes a lot in that, believing you can win and expecting to win. they could have a better record than they have. they fell down behind last week and the fought and climbed back in. There’s a lot to be said for that. Toughness doesn’t show on the stat line.
Mullen doesn’t believe there will be any drop off with Odom at the helm.
“I have a lot of respect for him… for him, when you’ve been a head coach, he has a certain experience… you can see the identity of the program and I think Barry will continue that,” Mullen said.
Florida, of course, will face former QB Feleipe Franks.
“I knew he would be successful wherever he went,” Mullen said. “When he told me he was moving on, he wanted to start. we had two guys that could start… I’m really happy for him, I’m not surprised, he’s a competitor, he’s a leader, he will push himself on and off the field.”
About the second half issues in the Georgia game, Mullen said, “We missed some reads in the pass game, we got a little more conservative… we were up 3 scores for a better half of the second half, so the mentality is different.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
