Interested in yall's opinion...

[MSU_Dawg127]

I don't know if this has been a thread already but, what do you chalk the 2nd half absence of production up to? I don't want to think its coaching because in years past we've had production in the 2nd half, but I know the majority of adjustments are made at halftime. I don't want to think its physical conditioning of our guys because that has never been a problem under Mullen. I feel like we have a pretty simple and almost predictable game plan. I don't know if opposing teams cruise through the 1st half and exploit it in the 2nd half or what. Are our guys mentally weak? Or are we just too conservative in the 2nd half compared to everyone else?
I mean it could be a huge coincidence that we just come out of the locker room at half and play like *** pretty much every game except Auburn; however, I feel like that isn't the case. Something has got to be happening (or not happening) at halftime of these games that causes this. I'm just interested to see what yall think that something is because I sit there and watch our second halves and continuously stump myself every game asking myself that same question week after week.

 

[DerHntr]

I think one of the less often pointed out issues is that this year we have been able to go into the locker room at the half with a decent score as compared to last year against our quality opponents. I believe there is a strong chance that this discourages our staff from making major adjustments because what we are doing is working up to that point. The problem is the other teams go in and adjust and leave us with a damn blow out.

 

[chew1095]

Mullen appears to be incapable of adapting, adjusting, or evolving. These character flaws transcend the halftime of games.

 

[muddawgs]

I chalk it up to not having leaders on the field. We have to have players step up and we haven't had that yet in the 2nd half. Against Auburn, Lewis catches a wide open pass, we win, but instead he drops the ball. Lsu we were in the game in the 4th but nobody stepped up. South Carolina Perkins missed some easy passes and Dak gave Usc the ball 2 times in the 3rd qtr. You have to have leaders step up and make big plays or you aren't going to win many close games.

It seems this year instead of someone stepping up to make a big play we have a player or two that step up and make a dumb play whether it's a personal foul or holding on the offense or big Bell blowing a FG.

 

[Philly Dawg]

In past years, I've actually thought that we finally had a staff capable of making adjustments at half time. This year, I don't think its adjustments or lack thereof, moreso that that is when we've made our biggest mistakes. We've had turnovers and gotten into negative field position situations. And frankly, Dak just hasn't been as good in the second half. I won't guess at a reason, but he seems to lose some accuracy. It could be that teams simply turn up the pressure on him.

 

[MSU_Dawg127]

That's kind of what I was thinking too. I just don't understand if that strategy, maintaining what you did in the first half, has continuously failed this year, then why not change it up after half. I feel like we come out, try the same 1st half gameplan, it doesn't work, the opposing team starts finding a lot of success with their adjustments, and our sideline says, "hey we gotta change something." Only problem with that is when our sideline says that one of two things has happened.
1) They look up after saying that and there's 6 minutes left in the game
2) The opposing team has scored, gotten the ball back on a pick or fumble, and scored again so the game has swung 14 points and we have lost all momentum

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

To explain the production in the years past...

We lost Mark Hudspeth and the offense has consistently declined. We were 6th in 2011 (our first season without Hud) and 7th in 2012 and we are currently 9th.

I know we still have a few games but the are mostly against quality opponents. And I'm not too sure that Arkansas is just going to roll over and take it like they enjoy it.

To answer your other question...

I'm sorry, after explaining our production in the past you can't exactly start blaming the players. It is the coaches job to put the players in a position to win. We don't do the best job at that. TERRIBLE play calling + bonehead decision making is our special for this evening.

 

[Philly Dawg]

I always thought it was because our running game suffered when we lost Dixon and Ballard.

 

[121Josey]

State has had Thunder -n- Lightning with JRob and LDP for the past two seasons. LDP is still one of the 20 fastest people in college football. The problem is that State was determined to run JRob outside and LDP between the tackles.

 

[KurtRambis4]

Wasn't

Hudspeth just our WR coach? Did he really have that much input then, to cause such a drop after he left?

 

[Philly Dawg]

These guys are solid running backs, but aren't in the same league as Dixon or Ballard, and the NFL draft will show me as correct. And we've been running LDP to the outside this year and he can't make the cuts, he just runs to the boundary and out of bounds.

Ballard and Dixon made explosive plays based on their own talent, either breaking big runs by breaking tackles in Dixon's case, or breaking big runs with speed in Ballard's case. If there was a hole, there was a chance at a 30+ yard run or even a touchdown. The biggest weakness in our running backs now is the lack of big play ability.

I hope one of the younger guys develops that ability, because we need it to keep the defenses honest when running the option. South Carolina began letting the running back go and focusing on Dak in the second half, knowing that their safeties could come up and limit the running backs whereas Dak could break a long play.

 

[tcdog70]

we have lost our identity

We had a badass blocking fullback and either Dixon or Vic plus Relf, we were physical. people knew what we were gonna do, but we did it anyway. Now we put everything on Dak with an offense designed for Tyler. We on dink and dunk, we are pussified. Take that big *** 85 put him at fullback with Shump or Robinson and let Dak go back to the Relf offense. Throw deep to Wilson and use Perk as a third down back. Keep throwing to Tubby. Run till the stop us, bring the safeties up then you can throw it deep. We can now be defended with 6 or 7 in the box and the safties stay deep, it is no wonder we can only dink and dunk. Plus Dan looks befuddled, and I think scared. I don't think He has an asst. coach he trust.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

That Stansbury and Mullen are starring in a remake of Freaky Friday. **

<nm>

 

[Strike.sixpack]

Hud was WR coach and passing game coordinator. Of which has gotten better the last two seasons than they were under Hud. Personnel has a lot to do with it but a steady decline is not quit true either. Points per game has been 25.6, 29, 25.3, 29.5, 28.4. Our total offense rank was lower in 2012 although we did score slightly more points. But even that wasn't a steady decline. 73, 48, 73, 61, 70 (right now). Passing offense from 2009 to present 113, 86, 94, 58, 57.

 

[DawgsOnTheWing]

This season we have scored on our fist offensive possession of every game except Auburn, where we missed a FG but scored on the next. I can't remember this happening very much in the past. We apparently are a decent scripted offense, with a good initial game plan well developed based on what the scouting reports provide. We obviously are not a very good adjusting offense or improvising offense based on the oppositions changes in the 2nd half. I don't know, maybe we go in a half and they try to script out a 2nd half plan and simply can't develop a decent plan without more prep time. Then we stubbornly stick to it too long, and then are forced to start making adjustments, at which point all continuity and efficiency evaporates.

 

[QuadrupleOption]

I don't know if this has been a thread already but, what do you chalk the 2nd half absence of production up to? I don't want to think its coaching because in years past we've had production in the 2nd half, but I know the majority of adjustments are made at halftime. I don't want to think its physical conditioning of our guys because that has never been a problem under Mullen. I feel like we have a pretty simple and almost predictable game plan. I don't know if opposing teams cruise through the 1st half and exploit it in the 2nd half or what. Are our guys mentally weak? Or are we just too conservative in the 2nd half compared to everyone else?
I mean it could be a huge coincidence that we just come out of the locker room at half and play like *** pretty much every game except Auburn; however, I feel like that isn't the case. Something has got to be happening (or not happening) at halftime of these games that causes this. I'm just interested to see what yall think that something is because I sit there and watch our second halves and continuously stump myself every game asking myself that same question week after week.

1) Stupid, drive-killing penalties
2) Turnovers.
3) Conservative 2nd half play-calling (Auburn mainly).

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

He was also our co-offensive and passing game coordinator

Hudspeth just our WR coach? Did he really have that much input then, to cause such a drop after he left?

He could very well have been the one really making decisions on offense, because he actually has had head coaching experience... and success. He knows what he wants and what he is trying to do. He did it at UNA and he is doing it at ULL. Is is possible that he did it at (poor ole) Mississippi State?

 

[FlotownDawg]

A big problem is our lack of big play ability

We have very few plays that get a lot of yardage at once, at least against quality competition. The only big play I can think of in an SEC game was the long pass from Tyler to DeRunnya in the LSU game, but that was greatly helped by the fact that the LSU DB fell down. We dink and dunk so much that it is going to take 10-15 plays per possession to score. The more plays you run, the better chance you have of making a mistake like a holding penalty or turnover, two things that have killed drives for us. Also, long drives mean we have less possessions per game and will have less opportunities to score. Until we start throwing more downfield and having more explosive plays, it's not going to change.

 

[HD6]

We have over 50 plays of 20 yards or more this season.

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

Counterpoint

Hud was WR coach and passing game coordinator. Of whichhas gotten better the last two seasons than they were under Hud. 1. Personnel has a lot to do with it but a steady decline is not quit true either.
2. Points per game has been 25.6, 29, 25.3, 29.5, 28.4. Our total offense rank was lower in 2012 although we did score slightly more points. But even that wasn't a steady decline. 73, 48, 73, 61, 70 (right now). Passing offense from 2009 to present 113, 86, 94, 58, 57.

1. I agree. The passing game got better. Chris Relf throwing the ball doesn't really cut the mustard. Tyler was actually a passer, not a runner like Relf. We have inflated numbers because we are typically playing from behind at the end of a game and are forced to throw it.

2. You do realized that those statistics are skewed because they take OOC games into acct. I'm talking about SEC football here. The only games that really matter. The league that we are in, and whose championship is our goal, allegedly.

Because if we aren't too concerned about ever beating ALA, LSU, A&M, decent FLA/UGA teams, and just getting to a bowl is our goal, we can just drop it down to the Big 12 American or Sun Belt conference.

Although the loss of SEC status would leave only OM to be the "flagship SEC school" in-state, and they would dominate in recruiting and return to power.

 

[operch]

Something I have not heard addressed is; Did anyone hear the lady announcer say after the half that Mullen did something different at half time. That he usually gathers the coaches around him but that against he went straight to the players and talked to them.

 

[Strike.sixpack]

I know that it included our OOC opponents as well. I didn't have time to break it down just SEC numbers. But the rankings also includes every other teams OOC opponents as well. So since it includes everybody's inflated and deflated numbers because of weak opponents it is still a good indicator.

 

[kired]

Would you believe we average more 20+ yard plays per game vs. SEC opponents than UM? They have 23 in 5 games, we have 20 in 4 games. We're 7th in the SEC for the record.


Auburn: 61 yard pass to Robert Johnson, 34 yard pass to Lewis, Prescott 47 yard run

LSU: 59 yard pass to Wilson, Dak 28 yard TD run, Robinson 20 yard run, Perkins 32 yard run, Lewis three receptions for 20 or more yards

Kentucky: Perkins 35 yard run, 60 yard TD pass to MJ, 28 yard pass to Samuel

 

[KurtRambis4]

The point

is, Hudspeth did not have as much input on our offensive playcalling/ability as you seem to believe.

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

If either of those two were to break a tackle it would have been/be Ballard. Dixon always dances and tries to make people miss; he's incredibly athletic, so for a guy his size that is a good quality. But sometimes you need to know when to put your head down and power through. He just never quite picked that up. (Call me an idiot of you want, it's the truth. Go back and watch his games. Not his HIGHLIGHTS. Entire games. But you seem like the person who would say "but it was Croom's fault". Playcalling/philosophy had a lot to do with it -- I know, it sounds eerily familiar -- but this big play ability you speak of should have shined through that, instead of dancing, waiting, waiting, waiting...)

Ballard had an intrinsic running style. Seemed like ran through or around anyone. I love watching him play.

 

[Strike.sixpack]

I know that it included our OOC opponents as well. I didn't have time to break it down just SEC numbers. But the rankings also includes every other teams OOC opponents as well. So since it includes everybody's inflated and deflated numbers because of weak opponents it is still a good indicator.

I'm not sure how much the numbers are inflated because we are playing from behind. We shifted the run pass play percentage as well. I would think that would have a lot more to do with the increase. Would he have made a difference if he was still here? We will never know. You can only use the numbers while he was here. What we do know is the passing game went up and the running game went down. The points per game declined one year then went back up. The total offense went down bounced back some then back down some so far this year.

BTW. Since you want to narrow it down to SEC play only (approximate numbers) starting with 2010 19, 18, 25, 22.5 points per game.

 

[ChinaDogSunflower]

No, the point is...

is, Hudspeth did not have as much input on our offensive playcalling/ability as you seem to believe.

Whenever he was here our team had fire, passion, intensity. They tried to win games for 4 quarters.

I bet you really think that Koenning is calling the plays, don't you? I'm not saying that he isn't, but if he is there is probably some Mullen approval that everything has to pass.

Because, in my opinion, Mullen is DAMN SURE not spending all of his time coaching the ST. If he was, wouldn't he at least not have to have a grad assistant get the FG unit on the field? As a head coach first of all, but as the coach of the special teams how do you let this happen?!

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

These guys are solid running backs, but aren't in the same league as Dixon or Ballard, and the NFL draft will show me as correct.

I know for a fact that there are several NFL teams eyeing LDP. I'm not saying he bests Ballard or Dixon's draft position, but he's got some buzz in those circles.

 

[patdog]

Those were just meaningless titles. Do you really think anyone other than Mullen, and maybe Koennig to an extent, made any real decisions on offense?

 

[Strike.sixpack]

I agree I dont think he did either and from what has been rumored it was a point of contention on the staff. Again, just rumored.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

Really?

We have over 50 plays of 20 yards or more this season.

How many in SEC play? And how many passes?

We've lacked a vertical passing game pretty much all of Mullen's tenure. Not being able to take the top off the defense has hurt us. I used to think it was Relf's inability, but now I just think we don't have any playmakers that SEC secondaries have to respect. Russell has shown he can throw a nice deep ball. Prescott's isn't as good but he's more than capable. We never threaten vertically and it hurts our ability to run.

 

[Strike.sixpack]

Titles that helped reason why their salary was a little higher as well I believe.

 

[PBRME]

I have to agree with this. Hanrahan lead blocking could clear a path I could run through. I think Griffin would do well in that spot. The few times I've seen him in pass defense he's put up some massive blocks.

 

[starkvegasdawg]

I don't think this team (coaches included) has a killer instinct. MSU has never been an elite team and have rarely been able to compete against the elite teams. When we are close or ahead it is like we become a mouse in a room full of cats. We just cower down and hope we can get out alive and try not to do anything to call attention to ourself. The only time we come out and out like the bully on the block is when we are playing an Alcorn State level team when we know we are bigger, stronger, and faster.

 

[Seinfeld]

Out of curiosity, how many of those were in the first half? I know that the mob is wanting to blame coaching and half time adjustments for our 2nd half problems and by all means, our coaches due deserve some of it. But I have a hard time getting past the fact that in each of the games against OSU, Auburn, LSU, Kentucky, and SC, their guys came up with big time plays in the 2nd half while we just didn't. Whether it was forcing turnovers, busting big runs, or making phenomenal catches, they did it while we folded. Do our coaches deserve some of the blame for not getting our players in position to do so? Sure, but at some point, players just have to make plays in crunch time.

 

[futaba.79]

I miss Jackie................

I miss us being the team that did the intimidating.

 

[HD6]

I looked at Auburn, LSU, and South Carolina. 14 total in those three games, but 8 against LSU.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

I looked at Auburn, LSU, and South Carolina. 14 total in those three games, but 8 against LSU.

Small sample size but Russell didn't play in Auburn & SCe and we had six "big" plays combined. He played vs. LSU and we had 8. Maybe there is a correlation there. Maybe not.

 

[kired]

Not many. Best guess glancing through the play-by-plays... maybe 5 of the 20.

 

[patdog]

Completely agree. It seems when we're in a fairly close game against a decent team, we're scared to win. We do pretty good in close games against bad team, and blow out terrible teams.