Calm down

[randystewart]

First, let me say that I fully expect the "we should demand better" responses to flood in here....
I think everyone needs to calm down a little and remember where we have come from. There is a lot of criticism of Mullen's coaching, but I think we have definitely improved from where we were. Prior to Mullen (Jackie's final years and the Croom Error) we would have lost the BG and UK game. Coaching has definitely improved and we have (except for some second half woes) improved the one thing everybody wanted, offense. I also think that a large part of this mass hysteria is based on what Ole Miss is doing, and is clouding basic logic on our situation.
To me, Mullen's main issue seems to be loyalty. Devon Bell should never attempt another field goal and I think our secondary actually improved when Nikoe got ejected. There are some questionable play calling moments, but overall play calling has been pretty good this year.
"If" we had won the Auburn game, we'd be in a completely different mindset right now. I know we took our foot off of the gas, but I blame that one on Bell too. If Bell makes the damn field goal, we are playing defense at the end knowing AU has to score a TD instead of playing thinking they are trying to set up for a FG.
Bottom line, we are not doing near as bad as everyone is making it out to be, and you can't fire a coach for one season that everyone predicted to be a down year anyway.

 

[Hanmudog]

There is a lot of truth in your post. Win/loss wise we are about where I thought we would be even though we have played like *** for the most part.

I think Mullen could potentially heal a lot of wounds with fans by benching Bell and just playing smart football these last few games (won't hold my breath on that).

We always expect players to show improvement but it is Mullen's turn to show improvement and willingness to adjust. The ball is in his court entirely.

 

[engie]

We're a top 40 revenue team now. On our way to the top 30 when the $10 mil additional revenue from the stadium rolls in. On the way to top 25 when the SECNetwork revenue rolls in. What we "were" when we were in the 80s no longer applies to us -- and no longer saddles our limitations. The sooner people join us in the reality that the poor ole MSU of yesteryear no longer exists, the better off we will be moving forward. We are EXACTLY where we started in 2009 right now. $100 mil invested -- and we're back at the starting line. On a different trajectory, no less.

Mullen's problems go ALOT deeper than what we are seeing on the field. Not only is he the worst coach in the west now -- he's also the worst recruiter in the SEC.

It's not mass hysteria over Ole Miss -- it's logical reasoning and seeing writing on the wall for the future.
MSU crootin(this class):


OM crootin(this class):


MSU vs Kentucky crootin(this class):


Who else are we supposed to beat with the coaches and regimes in place now? Because the only one I feel the least bit decent about right now in terms of what is in place and how recruiting is going -- is a guy that went to 3 Rose Bowls without ever having superior recruiting classes.

 

[maroonmadman]

I agree. The fact that ole miss handed us our asses last year and are looking like they may again this year has caused an inordinate amount of vaginal inflammation among our fan base.

I saw a lot of plays last night that were the right play at the right time but the execution of said play sucked. Missed blocks, guys not pulling fast enough to make the block, dropped passes, these things are on the players. Coaches can teach all they want but it's up to the players to execute. Dak taking that sack that set up the muffed punt safety was on Dak. He had time to get rid of the ball. Same for the sack toward the end of the game that almost gave UK the chance to win.

I also saw a lot of plays that left me scratching my head and going WTF? Why was Dak even going for it on 4th & long? Why Bell into punt? These are things that are on the coaches.

There's enough blame to pass around without going into full blown "Fire the Coach!1!" mode. I know that there's a lot of you who blame lack of player progress on the coaches but at some point in time the players themselves have to step up their level of play. By the same token I'd like to see some of the coaches step up their game as well and show some leadership by example.

Rant over.

 

[engie]

I agree. The fact that ole miss handed us our asses last year and are looking like they may again this year has caused an inordinate amount of vaginal inflammation among our fan base.

I saw a lot of plays last night that were the right play at the right time but the execution of said play sucked. Missed blocks, guys not pulling fast enough to make the block, dropped passes, these things are on the players. Coaches can teach all they want but it's up to the players to execute. Dak taking that sack that set up the muffed punt safety was on Dak. He had time to get rid of the ball. Same for the sack toward the end of the game that almost gave UK the chance to win.

I also saw a lot of plays that left me scratching my head and going WTF? Why was Dak even going for it on 4th & long? Why Bell into punt? These are things that are on the coaches.

There's enough blame to pass around without going into full blown "Fire the Coach!1!" mode. I know that there's a lot of you who blame lack of player progress on the coaches but at some point in time the players themselves have to step up their level of play. By the same token I'd like to see some of the coaches step up their game as well and show some leadership by example.

Rant over.

How is all that, ultimately, not on the coach?

Execution is the ultimate incrimination of coaching. The fact that these are 3rd, 4th, and 5th year players making these mistakes makes it even worse.

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

I'm just pleasantly surprised what we pulled it out.

Go dawgs

 

[abitadawg]

We are sitting at 4-3. We make a couple of plays and we are 5-2. Ole Miss is also at 4-3. They don't make 3-4 plays and they are at 2-5 (although the same can be said for us). If we were 5-2 and they were 2-5, we would be reasonably expecting an 8-4/7-5 finish and them staying home in December and the fanbase would be somewhat satisfied. We just plain **** the bed in the Egg Bowl and the Gator Bowl last season or we would have had a 10 win season. 10 last year, 8-9 this year and they would be picking the spot for Mullen's statue in the Junction.

I have to agree with engie, though, if we are getting beat by Kentucky and Vandy in recruiting then we aren't going anywhere. We need a recruiter on staff in the worst way. All the money in the world spent on video screens and stadium expansions isn't going to matter if we are the cellar dwellers of the conference. As it stands, we are fighting to stay in the middle of the pack. As you saw last night, you might find 35-40k people who are going to show up no matter what, but you aren't going to get 60k in the seats every game if the ultimate goal is the Liberty Bowl.

 

[engie]

We are sitting at 4-3. We make a couple of plays and we are 5-2. Ole Miss is also at 4-3. They don't make 3-4 plays and they are at 2-5 (although the same can be said for us). If we were 5-2 and they were 2-5, we would be reasonably expecting an 8-4/7-5 finish and them staying home in December and the fanbase would be somewhat satisfied. We just plain **** the bed in the Egg Bowl and the Gator Bowl last season or we would have had a 10 win season. 10 last year, 8-9 this year and they would be picking the spot for Mullen's statue in the Junction.

I have to agree with engie, though, if we are getting beat by Kentucky and Vandy in recruiting then we aren't going anywhere. We need a recruiter on staff in the worst way. All the money in the world spent on video screens and stadium expansions isn't going to matter if we are the cellar dwellers of the conference. As it stands, we are fighting to stay in the middle of the pack. As you saw last night, you might find 35-40k people who are going to show up no matter what, but you aren't going to get 60k in the seats every game if the ultimate goal is the Liberty Bowl.

We're a gnats *** away from 2-5 with 2 bad losses right now too. So, let's not ignore that.

The fact is -- we beat who we are supposed to(lately in less than convincing fashion), lose to who we are supposed to lose to, and since 2010, we lose EVERY toss up game.

Well, with everyone outrecruiting us now, we are staring in the face of being favored in zero SEC games in the immediate future. And he can still "beat everyone he's supposed to beat" as we go 4-8.

Writing is on the wall IMO.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

We're never losing to that team again. Seriously this time.***

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

And to add to that, people keep saying just look at where we were with Jackie and Croom, were light years ahead of them as a program. Well that may very well be but so is the rest of the sec. We can't sit by and be content with where we're at based on the past state of the program when the rest of the sec is stepping up their game. If we stay with this horrible in game coaching and porous recruiting we'll be back to rock bottom of the sec in 3-4 years.

 

[Philly Dawg]

I didn't think the problem was so much execution as penalties. Penalties killed our drives as much as their defense did, and we extended several of their drives and gave them great field position from penalties.

We've been pretty good at this under Mullen overall, although there have been some games here and there where they've killed us. But even then, all teams have those games where they have a lot of penalties, even in the NFL with players with much more experience than college players.

 

[Tin Cup Cowboy]

I stopped reading right here

remember where we have come from

Because if you don't think we are slowly heading back there, you are wrong.

 

[Lettucexxxx]

I don't think the players buy into Dan's motivational tactics. I just don't see the kind of love/respect from our players to the head coach. Never have. Whatever the disconnect may be, it's obvious. I see no fire from Dan. Yeah, there's his stare, hand over mouth cuss out sessions to the assistant coach's or players but nothing seems to resonate. I just don't think Dan can get on the players level. He is intimidated by other SEC coach's, it's obvious when he shakes there hands, pictures in the media, SEC media days. The players can read that. We need a coach who can hold himself responsible. We need a coach with competence......we need a coach who can get on the same level as an SEC athlete.......the product he is selling is just not being bought by the players. I wish Croom was still coaching somewhere.....and we could schedule MSU to play against him...Murlens needs a Croomin.

 

[randystewart]

Because if you don't think we are slowly heading back there, you are wrong.

I really don't think we are. We are having a down year, on a year where everyone and their cousin predicted us to be down. I have no idea what the second half problems are, but we need to get them worked out. I remember the Ole Miss fans a few years ago fawning over what Mullen had done for us and saying that they had fallen so far behind us it would take years to catch up.... Well, it took one year, and I honestly think that is because they have Wallace. I know that makes most of you think that if we bring in a new coach, we'll be in the same situation they are in now, but that is rarely the case. Teams are going to have down years, period. Now, this could turn into a multi year downward spiral but you can't fire the coach in year one of being down. Also, like has been mentioned, we are still winning the games we are supposed to win, so what in the hell do you fire him for?

 

[JackShephard]

How is all that, ultimately, not on the coach?

Execution is the ultimate incrimination of coaching. The fact that these are 3rd, 4th, and 5th year players making these mistakes makes it even worse.

here's a guy that gets it

 

[NCDawg.sixpack]

We are sitting at 4-3. We make a couple of plays and we are 5-2. Ole Miss is also at 4-3. They don't make 3-4 plays and they are at 2-5 (although the same can be said for us). If we were 5-2 and they were 2-5, we would be reasonably expecting an 8-4/7-5 finish and them staying home in December and the fanbase would be somewhat satisfied. We just plain **** the bed in the Egg Bowl and the Gator Bowl last season or we would have had a 10 win season. 10 last year, 8-9 this year and they would be picking the spot for Mullen's statue in the Junction.

I have to agree with engie, though, if we are getting beat by Kentucky and Vandy in recruiting then we aren't going anywhere. We need a recruiter on staff in the worst way. All the money in the world spent on video screens and stadium expansions isn't going to matter if we are the cellar dwellers of the conference. As it stands, we are fighting to stay in the middle of the pack. As you saw last night, you might find 35-40k people who are going to show up no matter what, but you aren't going to get 60k in the seats every game if the ultimate goal is the Liberty Bowl.

Don't think a "recruiter on staff" is going to help our situation very much, although I guess Brewster when he was here did give us a boost. But, ultimately, it's what the recruits think of the head coach.

 

[MaronMatters]

I really don't think we are. We are having a down year,

Holy ****. Really? C'mon man....Every year since the first Gator Bowl has been a "down year".

 

[engie]

Well, it took one year, and I honestly think that is because they have Wallace.

If you honestly believe that, the reports I've heard from the level-headed factions among them imply that you aren't going to like what comes next.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7851259

 

[skb124]

Kentucky never lead us. And at worst, BG and Auburn are a wash. 4-3 is about what we should be at this point.

My view is Mullen gets next year, if he doesn't win 8, he should be gone.

 

[randystewart]

Not sure if you are serious or not.... but if so, this just proves that half of your Anti-Mullen agenda is based on Ole Miss. Also, since 2003, I've been hearing about an Ole Miss QB who was "going to be better than Eli." Truth is, that will probably never happen. Their fans and our fans have gone overboard hyping so many Ole Miss QB's over the past few years that I have lost count. Turns out the one that not many people even talked about is by far better than the others. Wallace is good, period.

 

[was21]

Delusional?

 

[engie]

Not sure if you are serious or not.... but if so, this just proves that half of your Anti-Mullen agenda is based on Ole Miss. Also, since 2003, I've been hearing about an Ole Miss QB who was "going to be better than Eli." Truth is, that will probably never happen. Their fans and our fans have gone overboard hyping so many Ole Miss QB's over the past few years that I have lost count. Turns out the one that not many people even talked about is by far better than the others. Wallace is good, period.

How many of them were coached by Hugh Freeze and Dan Werner? One -- the one you have right now. Wallace is a system QB. That's it. Plug and play. Ryan Aplin had similar success in the same system before him.

I'm telling you right now that Kincade will be better than Wallace. And he'll be running the offense behind an OL chock full of guys with committable Bama offers.

 

[randystewart]

What you are saying about Freeze right now is the EXACT thing that Ole Miss folks were saying about Mullen when Tyson Lee was competitive and Relf was dealing. Truth is that you can NOT have sustained success at MSU or Ole Miss. Saban could be our coach and we would have down years. Do I think we should recruit better? Yes. Are there questionable things that Mullen does? Yes. Should we fire him for having the season we were predicted to have, or because internet chicken littles think we could hire "our version of Freeze?" Absolutely not. Bottom line is we are winning the games we are supposed to win under a coach who has (or damn near has) the best winning percentage in the HISTORY of our school.
I think Freeze is a good coach but your praise of him is a bit much. He did great in having the year he had last year with minimal talent, he also did great to beat LSU. However, he also lost at Auburn this year worse than Mullen did, made extremely poor coaching decisions at Alabama, underwhelmed against Southeastern Mo State, and was bailed out against a bad Vandy team by Jeff Scott having the game of the century. I only point this out to show that you are not going to ever be able to have a coach that you will not find something to criticize.

 

[engie]

What you are saying about Freeze right now is the EXACT thing that Ole Miss folks were saying about Mullen when Tyson Lee was competitive and Relf was dealing.

Would have remained true too -- had we not completely abandoned our identity as a team and offense -- and totally laid a goose egg for 2 years in QB recruiting.

Truth is that you can NOT have sustained success at MSU or Ole Miss. Saban could be our coach and we would have down years.

Yet they can at South Carolina, etc? Yes -- we should be able to sustain enough success to win 4 OOC games -- and 2 SEC games. The fact of the matter is -- we are the 12th best team in the SEC RIGHT NOW -- and we're recruiting 14th best. No -- we will never sustain success with those results. Yet, Ole Miss is producing results in recruiting that is not only teeing them up to sustain bowl eligibility -- but to jump up and compete with the big boys if the cards continue to fall right.

Do I think we should recruit better? Yes. Are there questionable things that Mullen does? Yes. Should we fire him for having the season we were predicted to have, or because internet chicken littles think we could hire "our version of Freeze?" Absolutely not.

Everyone predicted us to go 5-7? And that should be OK? And the empty stadium is not a problem? 7-5 is what it will and always was going to take to make me "happy" with our direction as a program. It ain't happening.

Bottom line is we are winning the games we are supposed to win under a coach who has (or damn near has) the best winning percentage in the HISTORY of our school.

Not even close -- but even as such, we have NEVER had a coach with the OOC ease that Mullen has had. His actual SEC record is less than 10% above our historical average. The problem with "winning what we are supposed to win" is the fact that the games we are "supposed to win" are becoming sparser and sparser.

I think Freeze is a good coach but your praise of him is a bit much.

How so? He has his faults as a game manager -- no doubt. When did I question it? The thing is -- he's won huge wherever he's been -- and that team has played HARD for him 20 times in a row now, even when down 40 to Texas and Alabama. Mullen can't get our teams to play hard these days winning by 20 on homecoming.

He did great in having the year he had last year with minimal talent, he also did great to beat LSU. However, he also lost at Auburn this year worse than Mullen did, made extremely poor coaching decisions at Alabama, underwhelmed against Southeastern Mo State, and was bailed out against a bad Vandy team by Jeff Scott having the game of the century. I only point this out to show that you are not going to ever be able to have a coach that you will not find something to criticize.

All that's fine and good.
- He went 7-6 with what we thought was the least talented OM team we'd ever seen before he started.
- He put together the best recruiting class in the history of recruiting rankings by a non-traditional power. And ALL of those kids have panned out thusfar as TrFR -- and he has them for 2 more years.
- He currently has 6 or 7 4* recruits to our 2 -- and he's going to get 4 to 6 more. It's OBVIOUS right now that recruiting last year for him was not a "one hit wonder". It's what we can expect going forward. Maybe not all the huge names on NSD to finish at the VERY top but being in the top 10-12 is a foregone conclusion at this point.
- He basically shut down Beckham and Evans -- with a TrFR WR recruit Mullen told he wasn't good enough to come to MSU, who was converted to CB last month

My goal here is not to "sunshine pump" for Freeze. It's to give our fanbase a CLEAR indication of what's coming -- and where we are at in responding to it. Putting our heads in the sand is NOT going to fix what he's building in Oxford. And there's similar stories all over the SEC right now. We're the ONLY team in the league that's really going backwards right now relative to our competition around the country.