what are your thoughts on Mullen? We are playing - as it stands now - the #8, #6, and #5 teams in the country in the next 3 weeks.
If we end up 3-3 after the next 3 games...
- Thread starter dawgstudent
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Mullen has a built-in excuse for 3-3 with those rankings. Even though we have about as good of an opportunity against LSU as ever.
But knowing us, if we beat them this year, we'll probably wind up losing to UK in some dumb fashion.
But knowing us, if we beat them this year, we'll probably wind up losing to UK in some dumb fashion.
3-3 isn't impressive at all. If we can make it 4-3 in the next 7, I'd feel better. Mullen has to win one of lsu, aTm, auburn, or Alabama with this team IMO
Read the question wrong. Thought I read if we go 3-3 in next 6 games. Boy, my reading comprehension really sucks
Read the question wrong. Thought I read if we go 3-3 in next 6 games. Boy, my reading comprehension really sucks
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Then I will know once and for certain that Mullen's max is to beat however many bad teams are on our schedule, and he better hope and pray there are at least six or seven of them every year. If he starts losing those games he is going to be in real trouble, because he won't have anything on the other end to balance it out.
That we will never be more than a middle of the pack (6-7 win) program that is incapable of beating legitimate teams unless they are having a down year while we are simultaneously having an up year.
That he/we lost to 3 top right teams and mullen is still searching for his "landmark" win. No more, no less.
Plus, it really would depend on how we lost. Are we getting blown out? Close losses? Injuries? Etc...
Plus, it really would depend on how we lost. Are we getting blown out? Close losses? Injuries? Etc...
I see where you are coming from, but after six years, does that matter any more?
First off, you misspelled 'when'
I don't think it tells us anything other than we played three of the best eight teams in the country and that we aren't quite at that level yet. I certainly don't think those three games are going to tell us anything about Mullen that we don't already know.
You could be a Top 15 team and lose to all three of those teams - especially playing them in consecutive weeks.
I don't think it tells us anything other than we played three of the best eight teams in the country and that we aren't quite at that level yet. I certainly don't think those three games are going to tell us anything about Mullen that we don't already know.
You could be a Top 15 team and lose to all three of those teams - especially playing them in consecutive weeks.
I have been one of Mullen's biggest critics from the very beginning. I think he has been very good for MSU, re-energizing a fractured fan base and creating a generally positive attitude for the players and fans. Heck, the endzone expansion probably should be named for him. But, I hate his offense, I don't think he makes good in game decisions, and his recruiting needs to improve.
That said, I cannot believe the responses so far that basically say if Mullen is not ready to break through with a big win in the next 3 weeks, then he never will! Come on, we are about to play three really good teams (although I believe Auburn is terribly over-rated). MSU is not as talented and deep as those teams, and winning any of those games will be considered an upset. Our offensive line will get exposed (and if our CENTER gets called for a false start again I might be in the market for a new TV), and our DBs are likely to get burned a bit, too. Our lack of a decent #2 RB is going to be a problem as well.
I realize the talent gap is Mullen's fault (see my complaints, above) but that doesn't mean he will NEVER be able to attract enough talent to be considered an SEC contender.
The SEC is at an amazing level right now, and being a coach at one of the lower-tier teams is really tough. If MSU was in the Big 10 this year, we would be one of the favorites to play in the championship game....but that isn't nearly good enough in the SEC.
If we lose all 3 games, I will be disappointed, but I won't write off Mullen as never being able to improve. I won't get upset until I see the program moving backwards. For now.....#SHITTERSFULL!!!
That said, I cannot believe the responses so far that basically say if Mullen is not ready to break through with a big win in the next 3 weeks, then he never will! Come on, we are about to play three really good teams (although I believe Auburn is terribly over-rated). MSU is not as talented and deep as those teams, and winning any of those games will be considered an upset. Our offensive line will get exposed (and if our CENTER gets called for a false start again I might be in the market for a new TV), and our DBs are likely to get burned a bit, too. Our lack of a decent #2 RB is going to be a problem as well.
I realize the talent gap is Mullen's fault (see my complaints, above) but that doesn't mean he will NEVER be able to attract enough talent to be considered an SEC contender.
The SEC is at an amazing level right now, and being a coach at one of the lower-tier teams is really tough. If MSU was in the Big 10 this year, we would be one of the favorites to play in the championship game....but that isn't nearly good enough in the SEC.
If we lose all 3 games, I will be disappointed, but I won't write off Mullen as never being able to improve. I won't get upset until I see the program moving backwards. For now.....#SHITTERSFULL!!!
I think the better question is: what are we going to do now that Arkansas, OM, and UK don't look like automatic wins anymore?
Another question...how many teams in the country are good enough to go 3-0 in those games? Maybe one or two?
Are there more than five to ten teams that could even go 2-1 in those three games?
How many teams even have a chance to win ONE of those games? Twenty or so?
So really the question is are we one of the best five, ten, or twenty teams in the country?
Kinda cool we get to find out on the field I guess.
Are there more than five to ten teams that could even go 2-1 in those three games?
How many teams even have a chance to win ONE of those games? Twenty or so?
So really the question is are we one of the best five, ten, or twenty teams in the country?
Kinda cool we get to find out on the field I guess.
Mullen, obviously has been very consistent for us, for the good and bad. Would you rather beat some top 20 teams from time to time, while also losing to some mediocre, non conference teams sprinkled in? Of course obvious solution would be keep winning the games we're suppose to win while also pulling an upset or two a year.
Pretty simple. He would be
the Rich Brooks of the SEC West. I'm not happy with that. The potential is clearly there, see Ole Miss and Freeze. Hell, even Stoops appears to be making a move this year. If Kentucky beats us too, it's CLEARLY time for Mullen to go.
the Rich Brooks of the SEC West. I'm not happy with that. The potential is clearly there, see Ole Miss and Freeze. Hell, even Stoops appears to be making a move this year. If Kentucky beats us too, it's CLEARLY time for Mullen to go.
I think arkansas could be our best friend this year. We match up with them really well. Plus they play aTm and OM before we play them. I think arkansas' physicality could really help us against both
I think we are built to handle a team like Arkansas. We are the prototypical defense to shut down a power run game from a team that is not a big threat to throw the ball. I also think we can handle OM as they are a pretty one dimensional team too. They have midgets for RB's so they have no power running game. CBS still hasn't shown me he can get the ball downfield without winding up like he's about to throw a shotput. Their offense is almost exclusively lived on the edges in the forms of sweeps and screens. Jury is still out on my opinion of UK.
+1. Against this level competition, I am looking hoping for us to be competitive in all 3 games, be in a position late to win the games, and don't have an obvious letdown in preparation over the stretch.
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Ditto. I'm not a moral victory kind of guy, but the only way I'm pissed at Mullen four weeks from now is if we blew chances to win through stupidity, or got run off the field in at least two of the games.
As info, I looked it up and by ranking total alone (and assuming Auburn and TAMU don't fall before we play them), this is the toughest 3-game stretch in MSU history. We've never played 3 top 10 teams in a row, and on the occasions we've played 3 ranked teams in a row, the total ranking has always been above 19 (I think the next closest total was 24 in 2012).
As info, I looked it up and by ranking total alone (and assuming Auburn and TAMU don't fall before we play them), this is the toughest 3-game stretch in MSU history. We've never played 3 top 10 teams in a row, and on the occasions we've played 3 ranked teams in a row, the total ranking has always been above 19 (I think the next closest total was 24 in 2012).
We absolutely must go at least 1-2 in the next 3 games. Or the fans will have had it. That's just the way it is fair or not. This is our year.
If we win one of the next three, I'll be happier than Jurgen Klopp with a smile on his face.
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You SOB. That's exactly what I was thinking. Rich Brooks is the perfect example if we go 6-6 or 7-5
This + 1
I don't think any rational person will blame Mullen for being 3-3 at that point, but if we can't find a way to win at least one of these next three games(2 of which being at home) with our current roster, then for me it will confirm that we've reached our ceiling with Dan. The relevant question at that point will be whether the status quo of 6-8 wins per year along with a bowl game is still good enough for the majority of the fanbase.
I don't think any rational person will blame Mullen for being 3-3 at that point, but if we can't find a way to win at least one of these next three games(2 of which being at home) with our current roster, then for me it will confirm that we've reached our ceiling with Dan. The relevant question at that point will be whether the status quo of 6-8 wins per year along with a bowl game is still good enough for the majority of the fanbase.
If we're okay with 3-3 over the next 6 games, we might as well say we're okay with 6-8 wins every year with a mid-level bowl game. Which in M-State terms isn't a bad thing, but we'll never sniff Atlanta again.
Well Rich Brooks did beat #1 ranked LSU in 2007
so not sure if Mullen is even at that level yet.
so not sure if Mullen is even at that level yet.
Lets be honest on this point. If Mullen was playing against the LSU, Bama, and Auburn that we played back when we went to Atlanta then we would be a national title contender. Sherrill did not have to beat a 4-5 top ten teams to get to Atlanta.
We are not going to go 3-0 over the next 3 games. We would be arguably the #1 team in the country. Our program is not ready to handle that type of pressure/momentum. 2-1 is the best we can hope for and 2-1 is OUTSTANDING against our next 3 opponents.
I think you are right about Arkansas, but if you are right about OM too, then we really have no concerns defensively. I think OM is set up as a tough matchup for us this year just based on the fact that they can't run their way out of a wet paper sack but it appears that they have a pretty potent passing attack. With that said, it is THE rivalry game so it can always go either way. Also, I didn't see their Vanderbilt game, but I saw Boise and watched the ULL game last night, and they are not as dink and dunk as they were last year. They are throwing it down the field too.
Anyway, back on the main topic, if we don't win the games outright, I am a believer that we can enhance our program by playing tight games that we may end up coming up just short in as long as those losses are in the big name games this year (LSU, Aub, Ala and TAM) AND as long as we at least win one of these big name games. OM is primarily ranked because they have some big name players from that one recruiting class AND because they beat LSU last year. We need at least one win in those big name games or we are in exactly the same spot next year as we are this year. I honestly believe we can win 2 or more of those big name games this year, but we must win one and be competitive in the others to improve our national image (important for recruiting).
If we are 3-3 after 6 games, we could very well still be a good football team compared to most other conferences. The blessing and the curse of our football program is that we play in the SEC.
It has been mentioned that this is not the same SEC as it was in the 90s and early 2000s. It is also not the same MSU. A rising tide lifts all ships. We have benefited from the strength of the conference in recruiting and financially. We have reached a level of conistency with Dan where we have not experienced the annual surprise loss or losses that we had even with the King. I think this all we can expect in the future, if he doesn't beat one or two of the top teams this year.
It has been mentioned that this is not the same SEC as it was in the 90s and early 2000s. It is also not the same MSU. A rising tide lifts all ships. We have benefited from the strength of the conference in recruiting and financially. We have reached a level of conistency with Dan where we have not experienced the annual surprise loss or losses that we had even with the King. I think this all we can expect in the future, if he doesn't beat one or two of the top teams this year.
Curious, does anyone think any of these games is just not winnable ? I know these teams are highly ranked now but wouldn`t be shocked if none of them finished in the top 10. I doubt that we`ll be more than a 10 point underdog in any of the three. We should win at least 1 and be damn competitive in the other 2. The Mullen excuse factory is going to have to add a second shift if he can`t get this done. It`s time !
holy smokes
I can remember for most of MSU history KNOWING that we didn't have chance going into an LSU/Bama/Auburn game. Mullen has cured that and that is no small accomplishment. At least year in and year out I feel like we have a chance in most of these games. Would I like to feel like we are going to win, and then actually do it? Sure! But I'll take the hope that Mullen has provided and the direction of the program. Fire Mullen? NO WAY. It may come to that point one year, but we aren't even sniffing any good reasons to let him go...