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Dan Mullen shares his perspective on what sparked the halftime melee against Missouri
By Keith Farner
Published:
After a 41-17 win over Missouri, Florida coach Dan Mullen offered his perspective on what happened at the end of the first half when players and coaches met on the field, there were punches thrown and a melee ensued.
“From my understanding, I think our guys thought they took a late hit at our quarterback,” Mullen said on the SEC Network. “They’re going to protect him. That’s their guy. I think they were going to protect him. I think both sides were trying to get people off the field, but everyone was a little edgy and probably went a little too far with it. We were trying to get our guys off the field in the middle of it all. … It is what it is — an emotional game sometimes. I don’t condone it. I’m not real pleased about how it all played out, obviously.”
Mullen said he was glad that both sides showed composure in the second half, and returned to a normal football game.
Two Florida players and a Missouri player were ejected, and every player on both sides was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. It is unclear what additional penalties, suspensions or fines are coming out of this, but a decision is expected in the coming days from the SEC office in Birmingham.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
