I've slept on it and still confused....

[drail14me]

I'm proud of our team, especially our D. They played with relentless effort and held the #3 team in the nation to nothing but field goals for 3 1/2 qtrs. I'm also proud of our fans. That stadium was electric and bell control seemed spot on!!! I was amazed at the noise from the bells and how it would just stop in unison when the ref signaled the clock to start then the roar would start. Good job to the fans for giving relentless effort!!

Now, Coach puzzles me! He puts Russell in on the last two series. Good call! We needed to try something else to see if we could get something going. What I want to know is why didn't Coach give Russell every second of that clock to make some plays???? On the last series, we were almost to the red zone with over a minute left. Yes, we were down by two possessions but we still had a chance to score and at least TRY to win. If nothing else, we score one touchdown to give Russell and the team a little confidence to carry on through the season. Plus, 13 - 19 looks a lot better that 6 -19!!! It would also have re-energized the fans who were already filing out of the stadium!!! Why not use those time outs to let Russell make a few more throws down field and try to score?????

I really felt like I was back in the Croom Clock Management era. I'm not buying the risk of getting someone hurt excuse as we would have only been talking about 4-6 quick plass plays! It really seemed to me that Coach just gave up!

 

[jbulldog]

it really irked me to see us get to the 32 yard line, down two scores, and we proceed to just let the clock run out. I think Coach Mullen is an awesome coach who will lead us to a ton of success on the field going forward. However, last night he just simply gave up when we still had a chance to score and try an onside kick with perhaps 25 or 30 seconds left. LSU was better than us, much better. But, that aside, we still had a chance and just laid down. Seems that is not the message to send our players.

 

[randystewart]

Countless times in history, teams have scored twice with only seconds left. I always thought Mullen was a "fight to the end"kind of guy, but last he just quit by taking three timeouts to the house.
I'm still 100% glad that we have Mullen, but color me disappointed in the quitters mentality last night.

 

[poolot]

I like Dan Mullen but last night just seemed like an ego thing for him.

Reminded me of the kid who gets pissy when he starts to lose, then takes his ball and goes home.

 

[MaverickAG]

I'm thinking he realized that chances were we weren't going to be scoring. So, why not get out of the game without any further injuries so we can regroup and try to make a bowl this season. I don't like essentially giving up either but I can understand where he is coming from. The bottom line is we are an up-and-coming team that is unfortunately making its move at a time when our division is better than any other conference in America. We HAVE to recruit better, but I'm also not as delusional as many of the shitheads on this board to think that we should be knocking of teams like LSU already. Auburn, on the other hand, should have been a win and I'm still pissed about that.

 

[FireworksForJeffy]

Scott Field was loud as hell, y'all should be impressed with the performance your fans put on TV.

The fact that some of 'em looked like morons wearing giant cardboard boxes is mostly irrelevant.

 

[Dawgzilla]

We weren't going to win. I'm sure of that. Russell had already shown that sticking him in at QB did not suddenly change this team into the Fun N Gun. But you HAVE to try. Let your players know that you will never, ever give up. Make those fans who left early feel bad. Get your 6 and just TRY the onside kick....

 

[EAVdog]

Assuming we'd have gotten an onside kick. Obviously we didn't score, not did Ballard get out of bounds so the clock kept ticking. Maybe he should have used one TO.OK, he definitely should have used one. But I don't think they just quit.

 

[Shmuley]

and then just said F it. The move to throw Russell out there in that situation was about as stupid a move as I've seen him pull. That was f'n insane. So, it's obvious that we still have a lot of growing up to do, don't we Coach Mullens? Note to Mullens: Don't ask your players to give relentless effort if you're going to lube up with 2 minutes to go.

 

[EAVdog]

Why not try a change at QB? Seeing the results I don't think it was a great idea but Relf was getting nothing done. I just don't see it as being a quitting move.<div>
</div><div>And I'm not Russell lover but damn nothing was working. I might have put in Favre after Russell thre the INT. No, I definitely would have put in Favre. Might as well see what they can all do.</div>

 

[Shmuley]

nm

 

[tenureplan]

nm

 

[EAVdog]

don't know what to say. Clock management late in games is a little iffy. Was last week too. Can players not call timeouts?

 

[DeeADubyaGizzle]

I guess I don't really have a problem with subbing Russell in at QB. Although, Relf had just hit Green in the hands with a freaking pass that would have been a big first down. Our receivers just couldn't get any separation at all, and when they did, the pocket had collapsed on Relf.

I don't think Russell will ever start for State, but he did get a little momentum going at the end. I was furiousthat we let the clock run out. That madeno sense. You play to win the game you're in. ItFelt like Mullen sheared his own wool with 7 minutes left(at this point I kind of picture a deflated Mullen standing in front of a mirror alone in the locker room shaving his own head Britney Spears style). There was no excuse for sending three lucky fans home with brand new, unused timeouts. That'sjust sad.

Finally, not to start a refs screwed ustirade, but there was obvious holding in the endzone on Lee's big pass play, right infront of the ref. Should have been a safety.That said, wewere in the game until we decided we weren't anymore.
</p>