Remember 2018, when Dan Mullen spent his first spring game as Florida Gators head coach making a mockery of the format by pulling legends off the sidelines to catch touchdown passes? That was fun, yeah, but it was also frustrating. As I wrote then: There were things for Florida fans to be excited about for the fall and for the future in this game, yes — but you had to squint to see them, and sit through the silliness to even have that opportunity. But, you know, on the other hand: I also wrote up Antonneous Clayton having a good day in that game. So it’s not as if the serious portions of the game meant anything, either. The 2019 Orange and Blue Debut, happening this Saturday at 1 p.m. and streaming online via the SEC Network Alternate channel, should probably follow suit. There are not nearly as many questions about the sexy positions for this year’s Gators — Feleipe Franks is entrenched as the starting quarterback, Lamical Perine as the clear No. 1 back, etc. — and the things that can be gleaned from watching line play in a spring game are suspicions about which players aren’t treading water rather than conclusions about which are clear-cut contributors, for the most part. If Florida, which enters this game remarkably healthy, leaves it with the same hale roster, then the game will almost certainly be a success no matter what happens on the field. Drafted rosters for the Orange and Blue teams seem to my eye to give the Orange a significant advantage, especially on offense — Franks, Perine, Dameon Pierce, Van Jefferson, Trevon Grimes, and Kadarius Toney are all on the Orange squad, as are corners CJ Henderson and Marco Wilson. But the Blue team, with supposed spring standouts like Kyle Pitts, Kemore Gamble, and Trey Dean among its ranks, may be the more interesting watch for most fans, given its number of less-known quantities.<doc-sep>The Florida Gators are concluding spring football this Saturday with the Orange and Blue spring game. The spring game will be fans first look at the 2019 squad, who looks to improve upon their 10-3 record from a year ago. [What's next for the Gators? Make sure you're in the loop by signing up for our FREE Gators newsletter now!] Orange vs. Blue Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium TV: SEC Network Alternate Live Stream: WatchESPN.com Radio: Gators IMG Network (Station List) Listen Online: HERE Live State Updates: HERE TV Replays April 15, 1 p.m. (SEC Network) April 17, 9 p.m. (SEC Network) April 19, 5 a.m. (SEC Network) May 2, 9 a.m. (SEC Network) May 7, 9 a.m. (SEC Network) May 29, 1 a.m. (SEC Network) June 8, 6 p.m. (SEC Network) June 29, 5 p.m. (SEC Network) Florida head coach Dan Mullen said a big part of Saturday's spring game is a chance to find more quality depth that can be relied upon on the roster. "You're hoping to see a foundation of guys who are ready to go play,'' Mullen said. "Obviously you already feel good about a bunch. For us, the biggest thing is we've got to continue to build depth." The game will also be an opportunity to see Florida's nine early enrollee freshmen. That group includes quarterback Jalon Jones, cornerback Chris Steele, linebacker Jesiah Pierre, offensive tackle Michael Tarquin, center Kingsley Eguakun, offensive tackle Will Harrod, offensive lineman Ethan White, linebacker Mohamoud Diabate, and cornerback Jaydon Hill. The young offensive linemen getting on campus a semester early has been huge for the Gators, who were facing serious depth issues up front otherwise. “I am pleased with their development,” Mullen said of the early enrollee freshmen linemen. “I’m pleased with where all those guys are at, how they’re picking things up and how they’re performing. Also, by experience, if you do throw guys in—not everybody—but if you do throw guys in and they’ve gotta go with the 1s and 2s and a lot of times they do accelerate really fast.” The Gators return Feleipe Franks at quarterback. A season ago, his first under Mullen, Franks completed 188 of 322 passes for 2,457 yards and 24 touchdowns to only six interceptions. Mullen sees continued improvement from Franks this spring. “He’s gotten a lot better,” Mullen said. “I think he’s done a good job of working off his frustration. If he makes a bad throw, he doesn’t make three bad throws. If he makes a bad throw, say ‘alright, that was a bad throw’, it’s not real hard to see that was a terrible throw. Don’t worry about that one, worry about the next one. I think he probably used to get frustrated with it.”<doc-sep>In his second season, Dan Mullen led Florida football through another successful spring. What should we be watching for during the spring game? The 2019 Orange and Blue game marks the first opportunity for Gator Nation to gauge the progress of some of the most pressing questions heading into the upcoming season – a season all in Gainesville hope ends in a College Football Playoff appearance. Of course, performances at the spring game must be taken with a grain of salt considering the game is often little more than a semi-serious exhibition. Nevertheless, for the observant fan, important tidbits of information can be gleaned, and progression-benchmarks can be set from which to judge future performances. What sort of value can we realistically expect to find during the Orange and Blue game? Mullen knows what he hopes to see: “You’re hoping to see a foundation of guys who are ready to go play. Obviously you already feel good about a bunch. You probably felt pretty good about a bunch of guys before we even started spring practice, that they’ve played a bunch of football.” Giving players – veterans and rookies alike – the opportunity to compete at the Swamp and earn a few more reps in the offensive and defensive scheme is plenty valuable. With that in mind, here are five things to watch for during Florida’s spring game.<doc-sep>
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 29: Feleipe Franks #13 of the Florida Gators looks to pass against the Michigan Wolverines in the first quarter during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images) There’s plenty to look forward to in the 2019 Florida spring game. Here’s how you can watch all the spring game festivities online. Feleipe Franks has his supporters, and he has his doubters. On Saturday afternoon, he’ll get an opportunity to silence one group. Florida’s 2019 spring game is finally upon us and football fans have been waiting about three months for the return of gridiron action. Dan Mullen has a talented Florida team returning — the same team that walloped Michigan in the Peach Bowl, winning 10 games. The Gators are a far cry from the Jim McElwain teams which featured essentially no offense will above average defenses. It’s only been one season, but Mullen is changing the culture for the better and he has this team on the verge of contending for the SEC title and potentially a spot in the College Football Playoff. All that talk may be premature since it’s only April, but there’s plenty to be excited about for Florida fans, including that improvement from Franks. He has Emory Jones nipping at his heels, but Mullen likes what he sees from his veteran passer. Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s Florida spring game online: Date: Saturday, April 13 Time: 1:00 p.m. ET Location: Gainesville, Fla. Venue: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium TV: SEC Network Alternate Live Stream: WatchESPN The Gators have high hopes for the 2019 season but you’ll need to tune in on Saturday afternoon to see just how far away they are from contending for a national title.