Maroon and White talk this week- Nov 9th

maroonmania

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Feb 23, 2008
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After listening to some of it I'm definitely in agreement with questioning a lot of what our coaches have done this season. In fact, I can't remember a season where I have more questioned what our coaches have done scheme wise with our team on both sides of the ball given our personnel. On offense it doesn't make sense with our play calling that we have no quick passing game, no screens, no draws, etc. and refuse to throw in a guy like Morrow on occassion to throw the deep ball just to give defenses something to think about. Every pass shouldn't have to be a long developing routes that takes 4 to 5 seconds to develop and have Russell holding the ball long enough to take a major lick.

On defense all year we have all lamented the soft zone coverages we have played when we supposedly have great cover guys and I fully agree that we don't have the DL personnel to play a competent 3 man front against much of anyone let alone a team with an OL like A&M. Yes we've had execution issues on both sides of the ball, yes we've had tackling issues, and yes we may even have had an "effort" issue at least last week but none of that diminishes the fact that I don't think our coaches have utilized our talent in the most optimum way this year.
 
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Coach34

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Jul 20, 2012
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After listening to some of it I'm definitely in agreement with questioning a lot of what our coaches have done this season. In fact, I can't remember a season where I have more questioned what our coaches have done scheme wise with our team on both sides of the ball given our personnel. On offense it doesn't make sense with our play calling that we have no quick passing game, no screens, no draws, etc. and refuse to throw in a guy like Morrow on occassion to throw the deep ball just to give defenses something to think about. Every pass shouldn't have to be a long developing routed that takes 4 to 5 seconds to develop and have Russell holding the ball long enough to take a major lick.

On defense all year we have all lamented the soft zone coverages we have played when we supposedly have great cover guys and I fully agree that we don't have the DL personnel to play a competent 3 man front against much of anyone let alone a team with an OL like A&M. Yes we've had execution issues on both sides of the ball, yes we've had tackling issues, and yes we may even have had an "effort" issue at least last week but none of that diminishes the fact that I don't think our coaches have utilized our talent in the most optimum way this year.

yep...as I said, I'm just at a loss on what we are trying to do. Makes no sense
 

Railin Jemmye

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Oct 29, 2012
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In Mullen We Trust, right?

I'm not so sure any more. In 2009-2010, I couldn't have imagined a better coach and situation for MSU.

My honest opinion? Mullen thought he was going to get out of Starkville at that point. When it didn't happen for him, he quit caring. I know for a fact Mullen's 'care level' went down in 2011. I think he thought we'd be better than we are at this point, and I also think Mullen pouts and quits when things don't go his way. But there again, I don't think we're in a bad position at all. I've also heard that we've been building everything since Mullen's been here towards next year, and I agree, we will be good next year. But not sure of the truth. I do know that our offense looks much slower the past two years than it did the first two years. Everything seems so slow to develop.

Wouldn't hurt my feelings to see Mullen go 9-3 and move onto another job. Then we hire Hudspeth and move on.
 

chew1095

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Feb 1, 2009
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I'm not sure what about our defense and losses on that side of the ball make anyone think we are going to be anything special next year.
 

maroonmania

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Feb 23, 2008
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I'm not sure what about our defense and losses on that side of the ball make anyone think we are going to be anything special next year.

Well our biggest loss on defense from this year to next is our cover corners BUT if we are just going to play soft and give up 5 to 10 yard cushions on receivers routinely playing soft does it really matter that you have good cover corners?
 

rugbdawg

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Oct 10, 2006
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Bingo! Our losses at corner will be meaningless. Our schemes requires

stud linebackers and a good pass rush from the front four. The secondary is pretty meaningless...as long as they tackle.
 

AROB44

Junior
Mar 20, 2008
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I'm not so sure any more. In 2009-2010, I couldn't have imagined a better coach and situation for MSU.

My honest opinion? Mullen thought he was going to get out of Starkville at that point. When it didn't happen for him, he quit caring. I know for a fact Mullen's 'care level' went down in 2011. I think he thought we'd be better than we are at this point, and I also think Mullen pouts and quits when things don't go his way. But there again, I don't think we're in a bad position at all. I've also heard that we've been building everything since Mullen's been here towards next year, and I agree, we will be good next year. But not sure of the truth. I do know that our offense looks much slower the past two years than it did the first two years. Everything seems so slow to develop.
Wouldn't hurt my feelings to see Mullen go 9-3 and move onto another job. Then we hire Hudspeth and move on.

And exactly how has he done at La-Lafayette? Are you positive this would not be another Rocky Felker type hire? I'm not sold.
 

cheewgumm

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Sep 15, 2012
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Exactly right...who gives a **** if u have good corners if u play this D.

Damn good point.


Well our biggest loss on defense from this year to next is our cover corners BUT if we are just going to play soft and give up 5 to 10 yard cushions on receivers routinely playing soft does it really matter that you have good cover corners?
 

Railin Jemmye

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Oct 29, 2012
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No, not sold at all. Just throwing a name out there.....

....and a guy who would likely come to MSU and put everything he has into it, similar to Freeze at Ole Miss. I'd be happy with a Malzahn or any other innovative offensive guy, I think that's the key to winning at MSU with the athletes this state produces.
 

Railin Jemmye

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Oct 29, 2012
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I've said this 1,000 times......

We don't lose a single person from our OL, QB and TB 2-deep. Losing WRs and DBs doesn't mean that much to me. I care about the trenches. We lose Boyd, that's it. Plenty of talent to step in and take over.
 
Nov 30, 2009
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Bingo! Our losses at corner will be meaningless. our schemes reguire stud linebackers and a good pass rush from the front four. The secondary is pretty meaningless...as long as they tackle.

I've been saying this all year. Our scheme works against us. It plays down our strength and relies on our weaknesses. This is why short quick passes kill us. See Troy and A&M games. Scheme wise we match up with LSU and Arkansas much better than Ole Miss. Now LSU's talent will win the game and I like to think our offense and talent will win the Ole Miss game.
 

cheewgumm

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Sep 15, 2012
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This is right. I always bought in to the "we are playing zone to not show anything". I was wrong. If our DBs are so good, we put them on an island, to have more people to stop the run. If we are not going to do that, then having "great" corners, is pointless.
 

johnson86-1

All-Conference
Aug 22, 2012
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I'm not so sure any more. In 2009-2010, I couldn't have imagined a better coach and situation for MSU.

My honest opinion? Mullen thought he was going to get out of Starkville at that point. When it didn't happen for him, he quit caring. I know for a fact Mullen's 'care level' went down in 2011. I think he thought we'd be better than we are at this point, and I also think Mullen pouts and quits when things don't go his way. But there again, I don't think we're in a bad position at all. I've also heard that we've been building everything since Mullen's been here towards next year, and I agree, we will be good next year. But not sure of the truth. I do know that our offense looks much slower the past two years than it did the first two years. Everything seems so slow to develop.

Wouldn't hurt my feelings to see Mullen go 9-3 and move onto another job. Then we hire Hudspeth and move on.

Mullen hasn't quit; this past year is the first year we have actually done what we need to do in recruiting. We are better talent wise from when Mullen got here in the sense that we don't have any glaring holes (no little people playing qb, an OL with 5 competent OL (although we still don't have an adequate backup OT), a competent person at each place on the DL), but we're missing playmakers. When Mullen got here, he had to coach around glaring holes, but he had some pieces to do that with. He went two classes where for the most part he didn't replace those players. Unless people like Quay Evans and Morrow turn into forces next year, we will unfortunately probably plateau for another year or so. We need another class like last year's with a yaer for them to develop. At that point, hopefully we can take the next step to being able to compete athletically with the top tier SEC teams.
 

chew1095

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Feb 1, 2009
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I'm pretty sure most would agree that games are won and lost up front. I'm prertty sure most would also agree that the OL has played better than expected and there is excitment about that group next year. However, I have seen nothing, absolutely nothing, out of the DL that gives me the warm and fuzzies about next year. The problem with the DL is either scheme, personnel or both. Frankly, I think its both, but I am not sure we will ever find out because Wilson seems incapable of making adjustments.

It is inexplicable that someone with no offers out of high school and no offers out of JUCO is taking meaningful snaps from a 5 star DT that has demonstrated the ability to be disruptive. Yes, I am picking on big Dewayne, but I think this is just one of many examples of "WTF personnel decisions" that seem to be made on the defensive side of the ball.
 

was21

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May 29, 2007
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And exactly how has he done at La-Lafayette? Are you positive this would not be another Rocky Felker type hire? I'm not sold.
I'm not sold either. I doubt (hope) that the job will be "given" to him if and when a vacancy occurs and that a bona fide search would ensue. Right now, I'm not looking forward to Dan going anywhere.
 

coach66

Junior
Mar 5, 2009
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If I compare Ole Miss with us the difference I see is that they are willing to

gamble and do things to create and advantage for themselves while we are doing the opposite. The hurry up offense gives Ole Miss an edge, and it makes it easier to compete against better talent. Why aren't we doing that, hell we used to when Mullen first got here. Ole Miss gambles constantly on defense and so far it has paid off for them from time to time and kept them in games. We don't gamble at all on defense and we are playing defense, well "defensively". We have got to get an aggressive in you face mentality back on both sides of the ball.
 

maroonmania

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Feb 23, 2008
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gamble and do things to create and advantage for themselves while we are doing the opposite. The hurry up offense gives Ole Miss an edge, and it makes it easier to compete against better talent. Why aren't we doing that, hell we used to when Mullen first got here. Ole Miss gambles constantly on defense and so far it has paid off for them from time to time and kept them in games. We don't gamble at all on defense and we are playing defense, well "defensively". We have got to get an aggressive in you face mentality back on both sides of the ball.

Well if you remember, after Mullen's trip to Oregon, we tried some of the fast paced offense last year but it ended up being a disaster because our OL play was so bad. Due to that our defense wasn't even getting a breather before being forced back out on the field. Maybe this year's team could be more effective with it.
 

coach66

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Mar 5, 2009
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I would think so, I believe both Ole Miss and State will have develop niches

and master them to allow them to be consistently competitive with the big boys. We are never going to have the same level of personnel as the top tier programs. Virginia Tech did it for years with their outstanding special teams play for example, it won them a lot of ball games. We can't line up and play vanilla on either side of the ball and beat the elite teams so you have to develop an edge and Freeze is doing a better job of that right now and yes I know he hasn't beaten anyone yet that is elite but I can see the improvement.
 

chew1095

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Feb 1, 2009
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I agree Coach and this has been my biggest gripe of Mullen and company this year, including all of the 7 wins. We, as a team, have no balls. Its as if Mullen thinks he can compete playing the way Alabama does, very conservative, error free football. Success with that formula will never be the case at MSU, or Ole Miss for that matter.

I dont care what it is you do in life whether you are a doctor, a lawyer, a condom salesman or a college football coach, you must have some identity, or brand if you will, that differentiates you from everyone else. If you do not, there is nothing that sets yo apart from every other ******* walking down the street. This is what is desparately lacking with our on the field product. We have no damn identity on either side of the ball.

I tip my hat to Scott and his group for trying to create the MSU football brand from a marketing perspective, but marketing only takes you so far. There has to be substance behind it. Take last weekend for example: we had fake snow, different unis, had a white out game, we were all in with the "experience"; BUT, the product on the field was unbelievably ****** from a preparation standpoint and an execution standpoint.

My point to this rant is really nothing more than to agree with you Coach. Its time that Mullen figure out what the niche is going to be and then execute it giving a "relentless" effort.