I may get killed for this, but here goes.

[mstatefan88]

Let's say we get 8 or maybe even 9 wins this year. Would you be worried that weset theexpectations too high for next year? Do we expect 9 or 10 wins next year?I'm not saying that winning8 or 9 games this year isa bad thing.But would we be able to replicate the samething next year? I know this is a new era of MSU football with a different set of players and a winning mentality, but would you not be concerned about how we would be perceived by not reaching the same number of wins as this year if we do get 8 or 9?

With as many close games as we have had, I can't help but think about the 2007 season in terms of results in games we've won.The talent and coaching staffs are obviously different, but we are winning games in very similar fashion as 2007. Score just enough points andplay good defense to keep us in the game. I just wonder how fans will react if we win 8 or 9games this year and only win 7 or 8next year.

I personally expected maximum 7 wins this year with Ole Miss being the 7th.We have been the beneficiary of injuries to other teams and a down year with perennial powers in the SEC. Now have a chance to be favored against Arkansas and Ole Miss, and could get 8 or 9 regular season wins. No one could have seen this coming, and with road games against Georgia, Arkansas, Auburn, and Kentucky, and we still have to play SC, Bama, and LSU at home, I wonder if we can get the same results out of next year.

Just a thought to pose to the board to see what others thought.

 

[mstatefan88]

Let's say we get 8 or maybe even 9 wins this year. Would you be worried that weset theexpectations too high for next year? Do we expect 9 or 10 wins next year?I'm not saying that winning8 or 9 games this year isa bad thing.But would we be able to replicate the samething next year? I know this is a new era of MSU football with a different set of players and a winning mentality, but would you not be concerned about how we would be perceived by not reaching the same number of wins as this year if we do get 8 or 9?

With as many close games as we have had, I can't help but think about the 2007 season in terms of results in games we've won.The talent and coaching staffs are obviously different, but we are winning games in very similar fashion as 2007. Score just enough points andplay good defense to keep us in the game. I just wonder how fans will react if we win 8 or 9games this year and only win 7 or 8next year.

I personally expected maximum 7 wins this year with Ole Miss being the 7th.We have been the beneficiary of injuries to other teams and a down year with perennial powers in the SEC. Now have a chance to be favored against Arkansas and Ole Miss, and could get 8 or 9 regular season wins. No one could have seen this coming, and with road games against Georgia, Arkansas, Auburn, and Kentucky, and we still have to play SC, Bama, and LSU at home, I wonder if we can get the same results out of next year.

Just a thought to pose to the board to see what others thought.

 

[AzzurriDawg4]

That is all I have to say on the subject.

 

[biguglyjoe]

******

 

[hatfieldms]

.......

 

[mstatefan88]

But say we go to the Peach Bowl or the Cotton Bowl this year, and go to the Liberty Bowl next year with 7 wins. Does that affect how you look at the situation? It doesn't for me, but it concerns me that it may be the jumping point for Mullen to leave. If Mullen can't stay the sameor better than the previous year, that might open the chance for him to look elsewhere.

 

[retread44]

#

 

[pDigital32Dawg]

nm

 

[AzzurriDawg4]

From Chris Relf is the next Jason Campbell, to the SEC Draft, etc, etc, you consistently make some of the dumbest posts I have seen.<div>
</div><div>Honest question, do you have a college degree? If so, I am guessing you are just "book smart"</div>

 

[Coach34]

is normal, everyday football. We have caught some breaks for a change, but there are others years we havent caught any.

2007 and this season are two different animals though- 2007's offense averaged less than 20 ppg and we scored a bunch of defensive TD's to win games- we averaged less than 300 yards of offense per game. We were extremely inept.

2010's offense, while not spectacular, is very effective. We dominate TOP. Our defense has played 200 less snaps than Bama and LSU because our offense grinds and hammers on people. We dont turn the ball over- when was the last time a State team went 4 games with no turnovers? We also seem to score when we have to alot. Ask Kentucky, UAB, Georgia about that. I would even say that offense won the UAB game because the defense didnt play well at all.

We are winning games in 2010- not being handed games.

Next season, we will still have a good football team, and have a chance to go bowling again. We should get 4 OOC wins, and I have no doubts we will win 2 SEC games. It will be awhile before finishing 6-6 and going bowling will be a disappointing football season.

 

[DerHntr]

highly disappointed when going to bowl games, especially withourtough SEC schedule, especially with our history of not goingto bowl games, etc.

also, worrying about him looking to leaveafternot winning as many games in 2011 as in 2010 isodd. wouldn't you be more worried about him winning the same amount or more? then other teams would actually be after him.

</p>

 

[klerushund]

...always go up. period. There will be a part of the fanbase that will be disappointed if we don't increase our win total each year. Just how it goes.

 

[FlabLoser]

Winning 8 or 9, hell even winning 7, is an aberration. An aberration based on the fact that the SEC is in a huge down year. While the SEC has 1 or 2 teams contending for the big trophy, the rest of it is down. In no normal SEC year do we beat UGA and UF in the same year.

If the majority of the SEC returns to its rightful place next year and we simply repeat our record, it would be a good year.

 

[mstatefan88]

I never said Relf was the next Campbell, I said he had similar skill sets. I also never said SEC draft. I think i used the word combine instead of campand it got completely blown out of proportion. I'm not too worried about you guys though. It was just a thought as to how people would perceive us if we accomplished less next year than we do this year. And trust me, I am not book smart at all.

I put my hard time in to get a degree from State just like most everyone else did. Don't question what I did at MSU or how I did it. I just posed a question, but to come after me when you don't know **** about me. Keep your "honest questions" to yourself.

 

[o_GuitarDawg]

Definitely a logical thought that no one has posted yet, so you are a forward thinker but perhaps a little too forward. Save this and come back when football season is over with. Would be a great topic for next summer during the boring months.

But a quick response is some will expect the same or more, some will think this year was a fluke and we're still "Mississippi State" and some will not think about such things and take the season one game at a time. That's all I've got to say for now.

Hit this topic up next summer (or baseball season).

 

[Todd4State]

If we were to win 8-9 games, I'm sure expectations would be high, especially since I think the schedule will argueably be easier because we drop Houston and pick up La Tech, and then we drop Florida on the road for South Carolina at home, and the fact that we will have most of our team back.

But I think you have to look at the whole picture in that we may lose a game or two because people will be starting to really focus on us more because we're a better team, and if that were to happen, I think I would probably look at it as a team and a program learning how to deal with being good. Of course, it depends on how we lose those game and how good the teams that we lose to are. But if we lose some games next year, and our team learns from it and wins 8-9 the next year, well, that's just part of building a program.

Think about our 2000 season vs our 1999 season. We won 10 games in 1999, and then the next year we won 8 games and we had some losses that were disappointing, at least to me- South Carolina, LSU in OT, Arkansas in OT and botched a field goal, lost the Egg Bowl, but at the same time we had some very good wins like over Florida, Auburn, Alabama, and then we won our Snow Bowl game. Obviously, we had a worse year in 2000 than in 1999, but I also remember that after that year, expectations and I think the general feeling about the football program was perhaps the wooliest that it had ever been. I don't know that that will necessarily happen, but winning fewer games doesn't necessarily mean that there will be turmoil from the fans.

If we were to win seven games and that's it next year, I think I would still be pretty happy in general about the program because after next year, we're going to start to have first units that are going to be more and more junior and senior laden- and a lot of those guys are going to be experienced players by the time they are juniors- Tyler Russell, Gabe Jackson, Tobias Smith, Marcus Green will get a medical redshirt, Bumphis, Micheal Carr, Arceto Clark, LaDarius Perkins, Fletcher Cox, Josh Boyd, Cameron Lawrence, Nikoe Whitley, Jonathan Banks, and Corey Broomfield are all guys that are playing a pretty good bit and most are playing pretty well and all are sophomores or younger. And after next year, they will be that much more experienced and that much better. Then you add in some of the guys that we're recruiting and some of the guys that we're redshirting.

But if we fail to reach a goal as a team, the coaches have to look at why we didn't meet whatever that goal was and try to correct it. And to this point, the coaches that we currently have all have done a pretty good job as far as identifying what we do well as a team and preparing the team, and trying to correct problems as best as they can. So, until they prove me wrong, I have faith in them.

 

[KurtRambis4]

upset that this years offense isn't as good as last years...

 

[biguglyjoe]

I heard that when someone is on defense you're supposed to do this.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

[AzzurriDawg4]

You are essentially saying that we shouldn't win too much because then people might actually expect things out of us. Sorry, but that is just ghey.

 

[AzzurriDawg4]

games in 2010? That person will be banned. You have been warned. <div>
</div><div>Am I taking crazy pills right now? This is not "forward thinking" this is defeatist and everything that football isn't. You play to win the game. You don't worry about what it means for 17ing expectations next year. This is the type of post and thread that helps remind Stricklin how much hand holding he really has to do with our fanbase.</div>

 

[mstatefan88]

I never said that. I asked how would the fan base perceive less wins and a worse bowl game next year compared to this year, and wondered what realistic expectations wehave for next year if we do win 8 or 9 games this year. I never said we shouldn't win too much because you are right, that is very gay. All I did was ask how we as the fans would react if we didn't perform up to the bar we set this year. I think that is a legitimate question. Far in the future maybe, but it is definitely a realistic outcome for next years team.

 

[AzzurriDawg4]

I just don't think it makes sense to "worry" about the impact winning 8 or 9 games will have on expectations next year. That is what you said. Should we be worried that winning 8 or 9 will set expectations too high. To me, that is essentially saying "should we be worried that we are winning too much this year."<div>
</div><div>You don't worry about next year. That is the answer. Worst case under your scenario, we have fans that get upset that we didn't win 8 or 9 in back to back seasons, as opposed to fans that get upset that we only won 8 over the course of 2 seasons. I will take the former. </div>

 

[mstatefan88]

It may not make a damn bit of difference if we win 8 this year and 6 or 7next year. It was only a question to see how different people on this board would perceive a worse record next year than this year. I wasn't trying to be defeatist, and I certainly am not trying to say that I'm worried about winning too much. I just thought it was an interesting question to see what fans on this board might expect from next year given the possible outcome of this year. It was nothing more than that. I hope we win every damn game we play, and would never have it any other way.

 

[bryanwxbulldog]

There is no shortage of A-holes on the board. I'm sureplenty of die-hard state fans have wondered how we will do in 2011.Simply put,I'm blown away this year--the team exceeded my expectations. So, I'm even morepumped for next year. relatively young team + great recruits

 

[Coach34]

Winning 8 or 9, hell even winning 7, is an aberration. An aberration based on the fact that the SEC is in a huge down year. While the SEC has 1 or 2 teams contending for the big trophy, the rest of it is down. In no normal SEC year do we beat UGA and UF in the same year.

If the majority of the SEC returns to its rightful place next year and we simply repeat our record, it would be a good year.

Last year the SEC had two really good teams in Bama and Fla, then the next tier of pretty good teams in LSU, Georgia, Mississippi, then a few more bowl teams with winning records

This year, the SEC has two really good teams in Auburn and Alabama, the next tier of pretty good teams in SC, LSU, Arkansas, and State, and then the rest of the bowl teams of Fla and Georgia

If anything, the top 6 of the SEC are stronger this season than last

 

[GTAdawg]

You play to win the game.

Just trying to bring in a little humor....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs1lCSzMnl4

 

[407Dawg]

Not all may like it, but its a fair question. Just like in basketball, you wonder if you star player does too good in the tourney if he jumps early to the NBA. So you wrestle with the delimma. I would hope the guy wouldn't get tarred and feathered for going against the grain, I think that's why this board got started in the first place.

</p>

 

[patdog]

First of all, worrying that we're winning too many games??? WTF??? I'd much rather win 9 this year and then win 8 next year than win 7 this year and then 8 next year.

Second, let's just quit comparing this season to 2007. They're nowhere near the same. The 2007 team was blown the 17 out in several games, and statistically dominated even in some of the wins. This year's team has been in every game its played, and hasn't been dominated statistically by anybody.

 

[bulliegolfer]

Enjoy this year and take each year as they come. As long as Mullen is at the helm, I'm not so worried about the future.

 

[FISHDAWG]

we have a lot of the "tough" games at home next year ... we all know how our chances improve at home ... having said that, yes I think it would be disheartening to our fan base if we don't do as good next year as this year .... I don't see a defeatist attitude in the question ... I think it's a reasonable thought....JUST BAD TIMING

 

[klerushund]

...one of the under-appreciated parts of the Jackie Wayne's reign was that for a nice stretch we consistently kept improving our win total (5 in '96, 7 in 97, '8 in '98, 10 in '99). I think what the original poster is trying to say is that he's worried about us keeping our momentum going. That's a fair concern.<div>
</div><div>Right now we are the "program on the rise" in Mississippi. To keep rising we need to keep improving. In many's eyes that means improving the win total.</div><div>
</div><div>Let's say we won out, which I'm hoping for (but no expecting). If we went 11-2 and won the Cotton Bowl, and in 2011 went 9-4 and won the Peach, would recruits still perceive us as on the rise? I don't know.</div><div>
</div><div>I wouldn't mind finding out though. I'd take 20 wins in two years. That's only one fewer win than Croom's entire tenure...</div><div>
</div><div>
</div>

 

[mstatefan88]

All I said isI'm worried thatwe setting ourselves up for unrealistic expectations next year, and how will the possibility of less wins next year make fans feel. No one yet has shown me where I said that we should stop winning games, because I never said that. All I did was set up a scenario for next year, and wanted to see how people would react. I would never say we should not win too many games, but you have to wonder what expectations are going to be placed on the program next year if we win 9 or 10 games this year. Maybe no one wants to think about it now, but at some point in the spring and summer, people are going to start to project the outcome of next season. All I did was set up a scenario for next season to see how people would feel.

 

[ckDOG]

If we finish the year with 8+ wins, there isn't going to be any unrest amongst the masses if we only manage 6 or 7 next year. I think most MSU fans have a pretty good grasp at on reality and can accept 6/7 wins being the norm and 8+ being the exception/great season. Maybe Mullen will be able to raise those expectations, but even if he does, it's going to take several seasons of very solid football before we can get to that point. There is just too much extremely terrible football we've been exposed to in recent history. So short answer, no, I don't think we are setting an unrealistic expectation by have such a solid season this early into Mullen's tenure.

 

[klerushund]

...the sooner we win, the less likely we are to keep Mullen. If it takes him 2 years to get us relevant in the SEC again (as opposed to three or four years) then he's more likely to leave.<div>
</div><div>I say that because the longer you are in a place, the more you take root. Your wife makes close friends. Your kids get used to the school and friends. You just get comfortable the longer you stay. It's human nature. I can tell you from experience, moving a bunch is hard on you and your family.</div><div>
</div><div>I'm not saying I want us to win any less. Let's go ahead and win a bunch now. But the longer it takes Mullen to build his program the more Starkville becomes home and his departure becomes less likely.</div>

 

[RobbieRandolph]

.

 

[o_GuitarDawg]

<p align="left">No one said we could win too many games...

He simply asked if we, as fans, would expect so much of our team that if they do not reachbcs bowls orthe championship game annuallywill wegrow tiredand stop attending games. Or worse, try to find a "better" coach.

</p>

 

[Topgundawg]

The MSU football goal will be to win the West every year, compete for the SEC Championship and if the Gods of Football and computers let you compete for A National Title. From were we have been the last ten years the SEC West has got so good that you must work to win your SEC Home games and give em hell on the road. Of course win your Non-conference games and then go bowling. Next year as suggested earlier we get several of the West Best, but last year we should of won the LSU game and this year we should of won the Auburn game.

The SEC East this year could have a winner with 3 loses. I'm not sure that next year you might not see the same in the West. What is going to happen one of these days SEC is only going to get one in BCS series because we beat the hell out of each other. Lets just start go bowling each year and work on that top line.....

 

[J-Dawg]

Some people having bad case of the Mondays...

ETA /sarcasm

 

[kired]

mstatefan88[/b]]Let's say we get 8 or maybe even 9 wins this year. Would you be worried that weset theexpectations too high for next year? Do we expect 9 or 10 wins next year?I'm not saying that winning8 or 9 games this year isa bad thing.But would we be able to replicate the samething next year? I know this is a new era of MSU football with a different set of players and a winning mentality, but would you not be concerned about how we would be perceived by not reaching the same number of wins as this year if we do get 8 or 9?

Not sure why people can't read this & understand what you're asking. Will fans consider2011 adisappointment if we win fewer games than this year? Will some people not come to games if we start 3-4? Yes, some people will expect more wins, and anything less will be a disappointment. But I think the majority of us - after so many losing seasons over the past decade - will be completelysatisfied with7or 8 win seasons.

I really don't care much about next season right now. I am concerned about losing JC, Sherrod, White, Wright, and McPhee. But that's college football. Teams are constantly changing. And if we manageback-to-back bowl seasons, I'll bethrilled(even if it's Cotton this year, Liberty next year).

 

[mstatefan88]

Butno one yet who has said this was stupidhasexplained why this is a stupid question to ask. I never said we are winning too much. All I said is that wearewinning more games fasterthan we expected, so what does that do to expectations for next year, and if we don't meet those expectations, how do we react. I don't understand how that is an unreasonable question to ask.