Mullen is 17ed either way next Saturday on this board.

[Sutterkane]

If we lose, we hear the same ramblings about how we should fire him and replace the entire athletic administration.

If we win, then South Carolina isn't a good team and doesn't count as a signature win (they have injuries, down year, etc).

 

[AFDawg]

They wouldn't count anyway. Only ranked 21.

 

[johnson86-1]

Don't be 17ing ridiculou

If we lose, we hear the same ramblings about how we should fire him and replace the entire athletic administration.

If we win, then South Carolina isn't a good team and doesn't count as a signature win (they have injuries, down year, etc).

There are people with unrealistic expectations, but most people just want Mullen's team to show up and win one of the 6 games this year that are not gimmes and not lost causes. If he beats usce, beats ark, and competes against a&m and um, hell be fine in most people's boo

 

[engie]

If we lose, we hear the same ramblings about how we should fire him and replace the entire athletic administration.

If we win, then South Carolina isn't a good team and doesn't count as a signature win (they have injuries, down year, etc).

I'd consider it a signature win beyond the shadow of a doubt. If it happened, I would STFU -- and the "doom and gloom" from all but a select few that are never happy here would be gone. While it wouldn't be enough to put me firmly back on the Mullen bandwagon, I would then be against firing him at the end of the year unless he somehow still managed to miss a bowl. He would have shown me something for the first time since the Gator Bowl in 2010, would give our program a terribly needed shot in the arm, and would give us reason for optimism going forward. In terms of betting lines, it would probably be the best win of the Mullen era...

That said, the last 33, really all 58, games is a pretty good sample size -- and the near unanimity of the games tell me it's a very bad chance.

For me to be fully back in support of Mullen, I need to see 7-5(which obviously includes bringing home the Egg) and a top 30 recruiting finish. He gives us those two -- and I brand MYSELF an idiot for ever questioning him.

 

[Bro Montana]

6 and 6 I'm fine with Mullen sticking around. If that's wins against Arkansas and Mississippi, fine. Get a shocking win against SC or TAMU and get the usual loss at Arkansas, I'm fine with that too. But the last 13 games tell the story and until the bleeding is stopped, fans aren't going to be happy. Dan has to beat somebody worth a damn. Whether that's SC or A&M, or beating Mississippi to gain bowl eligibility, I think most sane fans will be happy with that.

 

[myusernamesucks]

Y'all can forget it. They are going to run us off the field.

 

[Dawg1976]

Probably correct.

 

[thatsbaseball]

If he coaches long enough at MSU he will eventually upset somebody. I don`t think the world will be turned upside down at that point. And I agree, 7-5 and a top 30 recruiting class and I`ll be looking forward to a good 2014 season.

 

[PBRME]

If we beat USC and knock them out of the top 25...how will that win be any better than UGA, FL, and Michigan? I'm tired of signature wins being brought up by everybody. Just win.

 

[DerHntr]

There will not be nearly as much bitching as you think if we find a way to beat USCe.

Mullen has to earn the ability to shut the fan base up. For the love of God Dan, please make us all eat crow for at least one week. I am tired of being right.

 

[xxxWalkTheDawg]

There are people with unrealistic expectations, but most people just want Mullen's team to show up and win one of the 6 games this year that are not gimmes and not lost causes. If he beats usce, beats ark, and competes against a&m and um, hell be fine in most people's boo

The just show up part would be a start. The team is soft. They take one punch to the nose and they fold for at least three games. Last year they went to Alabama and got gut punched and fell flat all the way though the 4 th quarter of the gator bowl. They got it again in the 4th quarter of the LSU game and then follow that up by nearly losing to BG and KY.

 

[was21]

Sometimes it seems that many who post on here are posers as opposed to posters. Mullen is not going away anytime soon so they may as well save a lot of keystrokes. Others remind me of the political tea baggers, a vocal minority that's going nowhere.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

When did your posted opinions on Mullen change so drastically? Has that been gradual, or the result of a certain game? I thought you were, to borrow Auburn words, all in with Mullen.

 

[HailState39110]

Im beginning to depise the 'who have they beaten' talk

If we lose, we hear the same ramblings about how we should fire him and replace the entire athletic administration.

If we win, then South Carolina isn't a good team and doesn't count as a signature win (they have injuries, down year, etc).

Who has South Carolina beaten this year? North Carolina, Vandy, Kentucky, Arkansas, and UCF are their wins. Do you see their fans clamoring about their wins? No . Our fanbase needs to chill the 17 out that discussion

 

[ByersFarm]

It would be easier to chill the 17 out if we showed up/made adjustments/or simply competed against the better teams in this conference. Look back at the number of big games that have been close for Dan. Had we been able to line up and take a win in a couple of those games, in particular the AU and LSU games over the years, then this conversation wouldn't be happening. However, we laid down time and time again. So here we are.

 

[was21]

Do you like those fried taters

 

[engie]

Who has South Carolina beaten this year? North Carolina, Vandy, Kentucky, Arkansas, and UCF are their wins. Do you see their fans clamoring about their wins? No . Our fanbase needs to chill the 17 out that discussion

Uh -- UCF is in the driver's seat for an automatic BCS berth and beat Louisville on the road. They are a pretty damn good team -- and would be, at worst, Mullen's 3rd best victory IN HIS CAREER here. You could make the case that it would be his best thusfar.

 

[CadaverDawg]

I'd consider it a signature win beyond the shadow of a doubt. If it happened, I would STFU -- and the "doom and gloom" from all but a select few that are never happy here would be gone. While it wouldn't be enough to put me firmly back on the Mullen bandwagon, I would then be against firing him at the end of the year unless he somehow still managed to miss a bowl. He would have shown me something for the first time since the Gator Bowl in 2010, would give our program a terribly needed shot in the arm, and would give us reason for optimism going forward. In terms of betting lines, it would probably be the best win of the Mullen era...

That said, the last 33, really all 58, games is a pretty good sample size -- and the near unanimity of the games tell me it's a very bad chance.

For me to be fully back in support of Mullen, I need to see 7-5(which obviously includes bringing home the Egg) and a top 30 recruiting finish. He gives us those two -- and I brand MYSELF an idiot for ever questioning him.

I fell the same exact way about this situation. It would definitely be a signature win in my eyes. We would still need to beat Ark and OM for me to be happy though

 

[CadaverDawg]

Who has South Carolina beaten this year? North Carolina, Vandy, Kentucky, Arkansas, and UCF are their wins. Do you see their fans clamoring about their wins? No . Our fanbase needs to chill the 17 out that discussion

Well, if coaches had 1 year careers you may be right. But how would you compare quality wins of Spurrier at SC vs Mullen at MSU? I'll hang up and listen.

 

[engie]

Sometimes it seems that many who post on here are posers as opposed to posters. Mullen is not going away anytime soon so they may as well save a lot of keystrokes. Others remind me of the political tea baggers, a vocal minority that's going nowhere.

A "vocal minority"? You must not have looked at the stadium on Thursday night.

What, exactly, makes you think he's retained after the stadium fills up with red and blue on Thanksgiving -- and we stay close for a half before, in typical Mullen fashion over what would be 25 straight games, bending over and taking it by 17-27 points?

 

[engie]

When did your posted opinions on Mullen change so drastically? Has that been gradual, or the result of a certain game? I thought you were, to borrow Auburn words, all in with Mullen.

I gave him the benefit of the doubt through the collapse lat year and fought for him through the offseason. I was wrong. Just didn't want to see it for what it was.

My opinion began to change in the complete shitshow that was the OK State offensive gameplan. It was sealed in the manner in which we lost to Auburn(haven't learned a damn thing in 5 years -- leading me to believe that even when teed up, we will lose to good teams via bad late game coaching). I waited another couple of weeks to "go public" with it -- so I could be sure that I wasn't being an overly-emotional roller coaster fan. Nothing that has happened since has done a thing to change my mind. I still think we've got the opportunity to be good defensively -- but Mullen is messing with that side as well(we are seeing "his" defense -- not the ones that these coaches want to run necessarily) per someone close to Collins, which I'd also heard but didn't believe from Chris Wilson's camp.

The amount of success Hudspeth is having admittedly has an effect as well...

 

[thatsbaseball]

Run out of excuses and resorted to insults ? Classy

 

[RocketDawg]

I think it really is the vocal minority ... actually just a few on this board (including you, the kid in NY, and a few others). As I said before, neither during the game, during halftime, or during pregame have I heard anybody say anything about firing Mullen. I'm sure everybody is getting a bit frustrated, but they're not vocal on firing the guy. And I've never heard Hudspeth's name anywhere except on here and on television when ULL plays. Of course, I don't live in Mississippi and don't hear the water cooler talk there during the week, so maybe firing him is the consensus of the fans ... but I haven't heard it at the games.

I get the distinct impression that many, perhaps most, of the posters here don't go to the games. Some have said so. Don't know if you do or not.

And it was a Thursday night game, against Kentucky. Many people couldn't go to the game because they had to work the next day. And students started fall break. I'm surprised there were as many there as we had. The stadium was as sparsely filled as I've seen it in a long time but we still had about 40-45K. Had it been on a Saturday, and not on fall break, I'm sure it would have been as full as usual (there are always a few empties in the upper reaches ... happens everywhere).

 

[was21]

See rule (1)G ..thanks. Your agenda is past getting old

 

[SkullCandy.sixpack]

They wouldn't count anyway. Only ranked 21.

True he would still have the "beat a ranked team" monkey on his back, but it would end the "haven't beaten a BCS team with a winning record" streak.

 

[mcdawg22]

In his first 5 years he had two wins against against quality teams

Well, if coaches had 1 year careers you may be right. But how would you compare quality wins of Spurrier at SC vs Mullen at MSU? I'll hang up and listen.

Georgia and Clemson, he also had some embarrassing losses to Vandy and a bad Tennessee team. His overall record was also worse in a much weaker division of the SEC.

 

[121Josey]

Who has South Carolina beaten this year? North Carolina, Vandy, Kentucky, Arkansas, and UCF are their wins. Do you see their fans clamoring about their wins? No . Our fanbase needs to chill the 17 out that discussion

You do understand that USCe can still win the SEC East?

 

[121Josey]

If we lose, we hear the same ramblings about how we should fire him and replace the entire athletic administration.

If we win, then South Carolina isn't a good team and doesn't count as a signature win (they have injuries, down year, etc).

Last Saturday, if State beat UK, I would have been happy. If State lost to UK, I would have been happy that everyone would have opened their eyes to Mullen.

 

[Philly Dawg]

I really wish they were at home, because I'd love to get a win so that a win over Arkansas would be six. And Ole Miss has a tougher opponent in Missouri than they anticipated.

 

[mcdawg22]

Well, if coaches had 1 year careers you may be right. But how would you compare quality wins of Spurrier at SC vs Mullen at MSU? I'll hang up and listen.

Oh and Spurrier just made as bad of a call if not worse than the two 4th down calls Mullen has made.

 

[CoolDawg]

Dan was hired to win football games. He is paid damn good money to do so. If he beats South Carolina, he is deserving of no pat on the back, since winning football games is what he was hired to do. The way South Carolina looks this year, it isn't asking too much of him to win that game. However, if he loses the game, then hell should be unleashed on him, because it will be a loss to another team that he could or should have beaten.

 

[Sutterkane]

Exactly. We beat Carolina and they could easily end up 7-5 with games against Florida and Clemson left and our win will be very undervalued just like the victories in 2010 you mentioned.

 

[Sutterkane]

Sure they can. Just like we can still win the west.

 

[Sutterkane]

Carolina just beat a top 5 BCS team at their house, whether it was Mizzou or not does not matter. Why "should' we win next week against them at their place?

Sure Dan was hired to win games. But he's not Saban...he's not going to win every game.

 

[bgdog]

Dan was hired to win football games. He is paid damn good money to do so. If he beats South Carolina, he is deserving of no pat on the back, since winning football games is what he was hired to do.

That makes no ******* sense.

 

[UIUCDog]

Yep.

It is false to say that most would downplay a win as "USC isn't that good so whoopty-****." It'd be a huge win for us, no matter where USC is currently ranked or where they finish the season ranked.

However, I think we know by this point that with Mullen and the team he's put on the field this year, the question is moot.

 

[Dawgbite]

Mullen could go undefeated next year

Hoist the crystal ball with a team wearing Nike uniforms. Helmets with the interlocking MSU logo and no stripes. I guarantee that before the team has time to change clothes, there will be somebody on here bitching because Megan's earrings didn't match her top in the Deep South Pout commercial on the jumbotron. But it is very entertaining!

 

[HD6]

They did beat Florida Spurrier's first year.

 

[HD6]

Spurrier was the comparison everyone wanted to make to Mullen this summer, in terms of how long it took him to get his program going the right direction. This is Spurrier's fifth season at USC.

9/3	@	North Carolina State (5-7)	W	7	3
9/12	@	*Georgia (8-5)	L	37	41
9/19	vs.	Florida Atlantic (5-7)	W	38	16
9/24	vs.	*Mississippi (9-4)	W	16	10
10/3	vs.	South Carolina State (non-IA)	W	38	14
10/10	vs.	*Kentucky (7-6)	W	28	26
10/17	@	*Alabama (14-0)	L	6	20
10/24	vs.	*Vanderbilt (2-10)	W	14	10
10/31	@	*Tennessee (7-6)	L	13	31
11/7	@	*Arkansas (8-5)	L	16	33
11/14	vs.	*Florida (13-1)	L	14	24
11/28	vs.	Clemson (9-5)	W	34	17
1/2	vs.	Connecticut (8-5)	L	7	20	@ Birmingham, AL	PapaJohns.com Bowl
	7-6-0​		268	265

<tbody>
</tbody>

 

[engie]

Spurrier was the comparison everyone wanted to make to Mullen this summer, in terms of how long it took him to get his program going the right direction. This is Spurrier's fifth season at USC.

9/3	@	North Carolina State (5-7)	W	7	3
9/12	@	*Georgia (8-5)	L	37	41
9/19	vs.	Florida Atlantic (5-7)	W	38	16
9/24	vs.	*Mississippi (9-4)	W	16	10
10/3	vs.	South Carolina State (non-IA)	W	38	14
10/10	vs.	*Kentucky (7-6)	W	28	26
10/17	@	*Alabama (14-0)	L	6	20
10/24	vs.	*Vanderbilt (2-10)	W	14	10
10/31	@	*Tennessee (7-6)	L	13	31
11/7	@	*Arkansas (8-5)	L	16	33
11/14	vs.	*Florida (13-1)	L	14	24
11/28	vs.	Clemson (9-5)	W	34	17
1/2	vs.	Connecticut (8-5)	L	7	20	@ Birmingham, AL	PapaJohns.com Bowl
	7-6-0​		268	265

<tbody>
</tbody>

If we went 7-6 in year 5, with wins over 2 9-win BCS conference opponents including our rival and third SEC bowl team, I'd think we would be inclined to be patient with Mullen...Fact is, we haven't beaten a bowl-eligible SEC team since Kentucky on Halloween 2010.

He's been very close to silencing his critics(and never having most of us become critics) -- but it's been long enough and he's got to break through. IMO if he beats South Carolina OR Ole Miss at this point, he's broken through...