Kinda hard to disagree w/ Rusty

skip dog · Oct 19, 2008

<h1>Punchless Dogs need revamping</h1> <h2>MSU's shaky offense abysmal in Neyland Stadium nightmare</h2> By Rusty Hampton • [email protected] • October 19, 2008 <div class="article-tools"></div> <div class="article-bodytext">

Whether Philip Fulmer retains his job after this season remains to be seen, but the longtime Tennessee football coach bought himself some time Saturday when the Volunteers beat Mississippi State 34-3 on a chilly fall night at Neyland Stadium. <div class="articleflex-container"> Tennessee avoided its first 0-4 start in the Southeastern Conference since 1977 and probably silenced a few of the critics who have been calling for Fulmer's head. </div>

But while the chirping will quiet down a little this week on Rocky Top, it's sure to grow louder in Mississippi, where Bulldogs coach Sylvester Croom and offensive coordinator Woody McCorvey have had five years to put together an offense that didn't score a touchdown against the Volunteers and is challenging to become the most inept in all of major college football.

Mississippi State last won a game here 22 years ago, when Don Smith's long TD run stunned the 13th-ranked Volunteers.

It might be 22 more years - or longer - before State has an opportunity like it had Saturday. The Volunteers were reeling. They had quarterback problems and running game issues - they gained 1 yard at Georgia! - and were 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the SEC.

The Internet message boards and talk radio airwaves were filled with "Fulmer must go" chatter.

If ever there was a time for one of the SEC's little guys to beat one of the giants on their home turf, this was it.

And the Bulldogs whiffed big-time.

That's what happens when you combine 189 total yards of offense (with just 70 coming after intermission) with two pick-sixes. A 6-3 game suddenly gets out of hand and mushrooms into a 34-3 blowout. <h3>117th in country</h3>

The three points that State did score on Adam Carlson's 43-yard second-quarter field goal gave the Bulldogs (2-5) 101 for the season. That's 14.4 per game, which ranks 117th among the country's 119 major college football teams in fewest points scored per game.

Only Washington State (13.8 ppg), which dropped to 1-7 with Saturday's 69-0 loss to Southern Cal, and Wyoming (9.0 ppg), which is 2-5 and has been shut out twice, are averaging less than the Bulldogs.

The thing about it is, State really did have a chance Saturday - if the Bulldogs could just find a way to get the ball in the end zone. <h3>Confusing offense</h3>

Even last year, when State had a turn-around 8-5 season, many fans moaned about the lack of offensive production. The complaining has crescendoed in 2008, with McCorvey and Croom equal targets.

Croom has said repeatedly that MSU isn't going to change, but from week to week it's difficult to determine exactly what the offensive plan is. One week, it's the West Coast Offense. The next, Croom says State is an I-formation team and that the Bulldogs are going to win by pounding the ball on the ground with Anthony Dixon.

Changing quarterbacks from Wesley Carroll to Tyson Lee seemed to give the Bulldogs a spark in last Saturday's win over Vanderbilt. And the plan Saturday, Croom said, was to take advantage of Lee's arm when Tennessee stacked the box to stop Dixon.

Asked to assess where his offense stands, Croom intimated that if Lee had hit some open receivers early in the game that that question wouldn't have been asked.

"If we had hit those passes early in the game we'd be sitting here have a different conversation," Croom said. "We have gotten better because Tyson gives us some passing and the ability to throw the football that we didn't have."

Asked again later about the offense, Croom said don't expect any changes.

"We've gotta get better at the things we're doing," Croom said. "I don't see changing anything. We get better at what we do. That's what we're going to do, get better at what we do."

Unless that happens, Croom should expect the grumbling to continue and the cries for change to grow louder and louder, because what they're doing just isn't working. </div>

I guess all we need is Rick Clevelands approval to fire Croom
</a><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20081019/COL0508/810190374/1079">http://www.clarionledger....19/COL0508/810190374/1079

saddawg · Oct 19, 2008

"We've gotta get better at the things we're doing," Croom said. "I don't see changing anything. We get better at what we do. That's what we're going to do, get better at what we do."

Mr. Byrne, it's time.

3000lbchicken · Oct 19, 2008

Unless Greg shows me something at the end of the season, we won't be back.

That was a good read, but I don't care. Hey, I've reached apathy.

skip dog · Oct 19, 2008

it's time

Shmuley · Oct 19, 2008

because it is articles like this that will provide the politically correct cover for Byrne to take action.

Thanks, Rusty.

saddawg · Oct 19, 2008

how many practices have we had since 2 a days started?

And idiot says we just have to get better at what we do!!

Uhhh, Goof, the season is almost over. Is your dumbass gonna be saying that before the Ole Miss game?

Maybe you can petition the NCAA to let you practice year round. And play a few preseason games.

Hell, it wouldn't be an advantage to you, Croom.

They could let you do all that AND attend the opponent of the week's practices and you still would be Ned in the First Primer.

Mr Byrne, it's time.

falzaergo · Oct 19, 2008

I wish it had been more damning. This would have been a good one after the Auburn game. By now our newsprint representatives should be calling for is head on our behalf.

Someone stole the wheels off of our bus!

cowbellpresident · Oct 19, 2008

I would still be surprised to see Rick Cleveland write that Article. As long as Chris Low thinks Croom is doing well we are screwed in the national media.

skip dog · Oct 19, 2008

And that is by hiring a proven winner. Yeah, there will be some backlash, but instead of hiring a shrimboat captain, we have to make a hire w/ a proven background in the college ranks, & be in a position where at the end of this, yet to be announced, proven winner w/ a proven background; all the media can say, is we made a good decision.

So they will then say that this success is w/ Croom's recruits, & we say, please go back and reference offensive production in all 5 years of Croom, paying special attention to year 5. Croom has proved he can't coach.

Dawgbreeze · Oct 19, 2008

I assure you he wouldn't put up with this crap. For all his shortcomings, he knew the former AD was an idiot and we are paying for sorry *** leadership at the top and have for decades. While most of our stupid fans want to blame Ole Miss or something else, it all boils down to weak leadership. Lee and Watson are simply more of the same and maybe just maybe, we can get a bright young President and give Byrne the support to run this sorry *** coach and his staff out of town. We are clueless and can't do anything very well. Offense is a joke, can't kick, game plans are so predictable even my kids can figure them out. Before you scream at Byrne, you better scream at the IHL to get us a strong President who refuses to put up with this crap. Last and not least, I am glad LT made it to another game ot keep his streak alive of never buying one ticket and watching his mediocrity in full bloom. Tenn is awful and we made them look great. And before you Stansbury haters get to ranting, you better be glad we have him because we can forget football.

Dawgbreeze · Oct 19, 2008

I assure you he wouldn't put up with this crap. For all his shortcomings, he knew the former AD was an idiot and we are paying for sorry *** leadership at the top and have for decades. While most of our stupid fans want to blame Ole Miss or something else, it all boils down to weak leadership. Lee and Watson are simply more of the same and maybe just maybe, we can get a bright young President and give Byrne the support to run this sorry *** coach and his staff out of town. We are clueless and can't do anything very well. Offense is a joke, can't kick, game plans are so predictable even my kids can figure them out. Before you scream at Byrne, you better scream at the IHL to get us a strong President who refuses to put up with this crap. Last and not least, I am glad LT made it to another game ot keep his streak alive of never buying one ticket and watching his mediocrity in full bloom. Tenn is awful and we made them look great. And before you Stansbury haters get to ranting, you better be glad we have him because we can forget football.

skip dog · Oct 19, 2008

And not needing Watson goes beyond that Landscapegate stuff, I don't appreciate LT being given an office & title of Athletic Director Emeritus, or whatever, his time is up, you got a building named after you, & that should be enough. We can't settle for this same old crap, from a coach, athletic director, president, & especially the college board anymore
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Croomp · Oct 19, 2008

I just wish they would have put that on the front page. But we need more of it. Tupelos paper has brad locke giving crxxm hell. Now have the whole clarionledger against Crxxm things will form together soon. I think i have decided to not attend the game this weekend and i live on campus.

josebrown · Oct 19, 2008

"Mississippi State last won a game here 22 years ago, when Don Smith's long TD run stunned the 13th-ranked Volunteers." I think I may still have my best kept secret poster somewhere.

Count me in the apathy crowd. I stopped buying tickets after 2006. I thought maybe my lack of presence and my lack of giving a damn was what the Dawgs needed last year in lucking into 8 wins. This year I just figure we will lose and have been surprised twice, but have been right 5 times. Until Croom is gone and takes his lack of smarts with him I just will not care anymore.

RebelBruiser · Oct 19, 2008

skip dog said:
And that is by hiring a proven winner.

I hear Tommy Bowden is available.

Seriously, he wouldn't be all that bad of a hire. He was just stuck in a position, much like Arkansas, where the fans want to bring back the 1970s/80s, when the reality of their program is not there anymore.

ArrowDawg · Oct 19, 2008

....at the C-L has said or done in a while. So I have to give him props.

DerHntr · Oct 19, 2008

"We've gotta get better at the things we're doing," Croom said. "I don't see changing anything. We get better at what we do. That's what we're going to do, get better at what we do."

interpretation:

"I am right. You are all wrong. My players messed up even though I saw them 'practice' well. I am the almighty and all-knowing Croom. My players have got to get better at taking my perfect instruction during practice and translating that perfect instruction to the football field."

sigh....the character myth continues...

ArrowDawg · Oct 19, 2008

.....basically putting all the blame on lack of execution by the players. After 5 years this mother17er still thinks his **** don't stink.

The Lord Humongous · Oct 19, 2008

Most of us were just too damn sheepish to see it during the pick 6 fall fest last year. They've always given him far more slack than he's deserved.

DerHntr · Oct 19, 2008

he is a man of character. a father figure. i fear not when with thy croom.

patdog · Oct 19, 2008

I only missed 2 or 3 home games in the Sherrill era (and not many more than that in the Felker era). But I haven't been to an MSU football game in years. I usually (not always) watch them when they're on TV and I never listen to them on the radio when they're not on TV. I just really don't care any more. And the sad thing is, now that I've gotten into the habit of doing things other than go to MSU football games on fall Saturday's, I really can't say for sure whether I'll be back even with a new coach. I'd like to think I will, but I really can't say for sure. Thanks for killing my love for MSU football, Crxxm you son of a *****.

Kinda hard to disagree w/ Rusty

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