Good article from SDS on Spring football

[Coach34]

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2013/spring-preview-sec-west-questions/



Dan Mullen is 29-22 in four years at Mississippi State, and he’s led the program to three straight bowl appearances. But is that good enough? Most Bulldog fans contend that Mullen will never be fired unless he’s sub .500 and loses to Ole Miss at least three years in a row. MSU looked very lethargic on offense to close out 2012. They lost five of their last six games, including the frustrating Egg Bowl and Gator Bowl losses. Mullen must be more innovative on offense and rely more on the running game with LaDarius Perkins. That starts this spring. Will eight wins remain good enough at MSU?

Seems like other people noticed our offensive problems besides the few of us here on Sixpack

 

[Seinfeld]

Yes, and even worse than the 1-5 record over the last 6 games is the fact that it's really hard to find a silver lining anywhere. The team got manhandled in Oxford, TR completely fell apart in the Gator Bowl, and our 2013 schedule is going to be rough. To even win 6 games, it's looking like we'll probably have to win at least one that we won't be favored to win. So to answer his question about whether 8 wins will be good enough, it sure as hell will be this year.

 

[FlabLoser]

Yes, and even worse than the 1-5 record over the last 6 games is the fact that it's really hard to find a silver lining anywhere. The team got manhandled in Oxford, TR completely fell apart in the Gator Bowl, and our 2013 schedule is going to be rough. To even win 6 games, it's looking like we'll probably have to win at least one that we won't be favored to win. So to answer his question about whether 8 wins will be good enough, it sure as hell will be this year.

We got manhandled in Oxford because Chris Wilson had no credible plan to cover Moncrief. That game is as much a strike on Wilson as it is a credit to Moncrief.

Russell lost his mind in the Gator Bowl. He had a very uncharacteristic outing. I don't agree with Mullen sticking with Russell to help Russell's psyche, but I understand why he did that. There is no reason at all to believe that Russell's bad game in the Gator Bowl is a sign of what he will do in 2013.

 

[Railin Jemmye]

Agreed. I know Moncrief is a good WR, but we certainly helped him. We were out of position the whole game. We made it easy for him.

 

[Railin Jemmye]

.... rely more on the running game with LaDarius Perkins.

I guess all you have to do is flip a switch, eh? That easy, huh?

People forget that our last two running backs are on NFL rosters right now. One started as a rookie, the other sitting behind one of the best in the NFL and on a Super Bowl team. I guess their talent really had nothing to do with it?

 

[Coach34]

but as the article mentions, we have to run the football. That will define our season

 

[57stratdawg]

I agree, but Dan had 3 years not to lead the offense down this path. We're here by his design. I don't think we're going to see very many changes from 2012 to 2013. He always said we would throw the ball much more with Russell/Farve at QB in these years.

 

[futaba.79]

the back we have rushed..........

for over 1000 yds. It appears we have a capable backup. We're bringing in a guy with potential. So, no, we don't have to flip a switch, we have to make a commitment.

 

[Coach34]

I guess all you have to do is flip a switch, eh? That easy, huh?

People forget that our last two running backs are on NFL rosters right now. One started as a rookie, the other sitting behind one of the best in the NFL and on a Super Bowl team. I guess their talent really had nothing to do with it?

our RB's in 2013 are more talented than our WR's. Perkins will be a 3rd down back in the NFL. I look at our roster on offense and it makes way more sense to depend on the RB's more than the WR's

 

[Coach34]

for over 1000 yds. It appears we have a capable backup. We're bringing in a guy with potential. So, no, we don't have to flip a switch, we have to make a commitment.

+1

 

[Railin Jemmye]

for over 1000 yds.

Wait, I thought our offense sucked last year? Now you're bragging that we had a back that went for 1,000 yards?

 

[boatsandhoes]

Two things. Moncrief is very good, no doubt. Things are a whole bunch easier for a big talented Wr like him when your free safety is sitting there with his thumb up his *** the whole second half. An NFL corner can't stop a skinny post by himself without safety help. Ole Miss coaches deserve credit for prison raping whitley's coverage skills or lack thereof.

I was in J'ville, and it was absolutely mentally handicapped that Dak didn't play the whole second half. we were inept on offense at best. I like Tyler as much as anyone else. Some days it's is just not your day. It wasn't his. I would have run the piss out of the ball at them with Dak/Perk/J robinson. It's not a knock on Tyler, he is still your starter day one next year. I also don't think it would have damaged him in the least. Next year is a whole new deal. Hell, high school athletes have to deal with being pulled sometimes. It is part of the game.

 

[Railin Jemmye]

Of course we won't see much changes, at least in scheme. The changes we WILL see will be because of better execution and play-making, due to a Sr. QB and a veteran, seasoned OL.

 

[Railin Jemmye]

So? We should always depend on the running game. We tried to run the ball last year too, but it just wasn't good enough against the top defenses.

My point is, we are doing the best we can with what we have. You don't agree. OK, that's fine. But you're not going to convince me otherwise.

 

[ronpolk]

Coach, I think our RB's are more expierenced in 2013 but I'm not sure more talented. I like what we have at WR. But I agree we need to run the ball more. A good ground game should make Russell all the better.

 

[BogeyGolfer.sixpack]

Robinson should get as many carries as Perkins next year....

You can't run the ball effectively with a small back in the SEC unless you have Bama's O-Line. We must allow our physical backs to get carries and work in Perkins for speed to the edge and quick hitters...

 

[tenureplan]

Perkins will be a 3rd and long back in the NFL. On x and short, Perkins does not need to be in there next year.

 

[SignalToNoise]

The two are not mutually exclusive. Norwood had over 1100 yards his senior year (2005). Without bothering to look it up, I'm sure that offense overall was nothing special.

 

[Coach34]

Coach, I think our RB's are more expierenced in 2013 but I'm not sure more talented. I like what we have at WR. But I agree we need to run the ball more. A good ground game should make Russell all the better.

Perkins has 2,000 yards in his career and the 4th leading returning rusher in the SEC- JRob may even be better than him when all is said and done. Together, they are easily in the SEC's top 10 as a position group- coming in around 5-6. 7th at the very worst

Our WR's dont even break the top 10. You can even make a claim for it. So yes, it's easy to say we have more talent at RB

 

[FISHDAWG]

I have wondered the same thing ... now I'm HOPING it was because of his bad toe all along

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

Coach, I think our RB's are more expierenced in 2013 but I'm not sure more talented. I like what we have at WR. But I agree we need to run the ball more. A good ground game should make Russell all the better.

The issue is not talent, it's usage. We don't use Perkins in a way that maximized his talents. It's obvious to everyone he's a 3rd down type back. Well why are we not throwing it to him more? Where are the screens? Our O-line is experienced enough (or should be) to be very effective in the screen game. I would love to see Perkins getting more passes, even if it meant he got fewer overall touches throughout the game/season.

 

[chew1095]

This times a 1000. Running a 190 pound back between the tackles against some of our SEC opponents is stupid. He was completely ineffective on the ground against aTm, Bama, and Ole Miss. Of his 1000 yards last year, he picked up over 300 of them against Troy and MTSU. I would really like to see Robinson almost split carries with Perk. Its a damn shame about Griffin. I think the light finally went off with him. Anyway, I predict we will NOT see any evening out of the carries in the fall. Hope I'm wrong, but if our HC proved anything in 2012, its that is lacks the ability to fully adapt.

 

[tenureplan]

Why don't you leave the prognosticating to those who have coached eh?

 

[JackShephard]

few? are you that narcissistic? scratch that, i know that answer. The vast majority of people who watch MSU football know our offense sucks. It's sucked under Mullen every year but one. The disagreement stems more from "why does it suck".

 

[chew1095]

My bad.****

 

[Koldfire]

Two things. Moncrief is very good, no doubt. Things are a whole bunch easier for a big talented Wr like him when your free safety is sitting there with his thumb up his *** the whole second half. An NFL corner can't stop a skinny post by himself without safety help. Ole Miss coaches deserve credit for prison raping whitley's coverage skills or lack thereof.

I was in J'ville, and it was absolutely mentally handicapped that Dak didn't play the whole second half. we were inept on offense at best. I like Tyler as much as anyone else. Some days it's is just not your day. It wasn't his. I would have run the piss out of the ball at them with Dak/Perk/J robinson. It's not a knock on Tyler, he is still your starter day one next year. I also don't think it would have damaged him in the least. Next year is a whole new deal. Hell, high school athletes have to deal with being pulled sometimes. It is part of the game.

You, my friend, know football.

 

[JackShephard]

the thing that worries me is how poorly we ran the ball against bad defenses early in games last year, as well as in obvious run situations. It felt like our passing game had to open up the run game, not vice versa. That's a bad sign for any offense. If it remains the case next year, expect similar offensive results. It just seems that we are not very creative in the run game. We're a little more creative with a running QB, but not as much as I expected after watching Florida's offense when Mullen was OC there.

 

[CadaverDawg]

We got manhandled in Oxford because Chris Wilson had no credible plan to cover Moncrief. That game is as much a strike on Wilson as it is a credit to Moncrief.

Not so fast my friend. While I agree our defense blew *** in that game and many others last year...Wilson's defense DID give the offense 3 turnovers in the first half and the offense couldn't do **** with it.

I am in the camp that the defense was the worse of the two units, but the offense was close to being as bad. And if it weren't for MSU standards, many would put the offense at the same level as the defense last year. But we're used to better D, and we're used to ****** O, so the defense was more noticeably bad to our fans. The main reason I pinned more on the Defense was because the talent was there, but the coaching held us back. We lacked a little in both of those categories on offense, and the play calling was horrible outside of the Tennessee game where we actually looked to have a "game plan"

 

[121Josey]

Not so fast

Perkins has 2,000 yards in his career and the 4th leading returning rusher in the SEC- JRob may even be better than him when all is said and done. Together, they are easily in the SEC's top 10 as a position group- coming in around 5-6. 7th at the very worst

Our WR's dont even break the top 10. You can even make a claim for it. So yes, it's easy to say we have more talent at RB

Our senior WR played most of the snaps last year. We don't know what we have with the returners. But I don't buy that the RBs have more talent. Their recruiting rankings are pretty much the same. We can't replace Bumphis' production. But we can improve on their ability not to get separation.

I'll take the potential of RoJo and Morrow over the known quality of Perkins and JRob. That's not to mention the rest of the ranks: Tubby, Batman, Holloway, Chappelle, or Fred Ross. But apple and oranges I know.

 

[TheOMlawdog]

We did rush for 233 yards versus 30 yards on the ground for MSU...

It wasn't just Moncrief that put up yards on MSU's defense.

 

[blacklistedbully]

Two things. Moncrief is very good, no doubt. Things are a whole bunch easier for a big talented Wr like him when your free safety is sitting there with his thumb up his *** the whole second half. An NFL corner can't stop a skinny post by himself without safety help. Ole Miss coaches deserve credit for prison raping whitley's coverage skills or lack thereof.

I was in J'ville, and it was absolutely mentally handicapped that Dak didn't play the whole second half. we were inept on offense at best. I like Tyler as much as anyone else. Some days it's is just not your day. It wasn't his. I would have run the piss out of the ball at them with Dak/Perk/J robinson. It's not a knock on Tyler, he is still your starter day one next year. I also don't think it would have damaged him in the least. Next year is a whole new deal. Hell, high school athletes have to deal with being pulled sometimes. It is part of the game.

+1 emphatically! Not bringing Dak in had me shaking my head at Dan. Love the guy and what he's done for our program, but this past season was a clear step back. I really hope it was a learning experience for Dan & staff. Hoping the departure of Wilson means the departure of a B12 defense, and hoping the play-calling/decision-making is vastly improved on offense.

 

[RougeDawg]

Fixed it for ya...

Agreed. I know Moncrief is a good WR, but we certainly helped him. We were out of position the ENTIRE YEAR. We made it easy for him.

.