SDS Article: Who's Doing the Better Coaching Job - Freeze or Mullen?

[NorCalDawg]

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2012/mississippi-head-coaches/

Mullen has pretty much lived up to expectations thus far in my opinion. Freeze is doing better than I thought he would for his first year. Go.

 

[RougeDawg]

Might want to compare cupboards first.... The Rebel Minions(alum)...

Recruited well for Nutt. He was just too damn stupid to develop and/or keep players on campus.

On the other had Mullen was handed Mini Lee and a Rag tag O-Line and told to go win some games.

Comparing peanuts to water melons if you asked me.

 

[FlabLoser]

Freeze has 5 wins as a perennial dumpster fire program. He is a miracle worker that should immediately be hired by Texas.

 

[shotgunDawg]

I think its way to early to define whether Freeze or Mullen has done a better job. The circumstances around their first year are vastly different. In Mullen's first year, he had a 5'9" Tyson Lee QBing the team, and also faced a schedule with Florida, Bama, Auburn, LSU, ARK, GA Tech, and Houston. Auburn and Ark, both of OM's SEC wins this year, were much better then, and, while OM has had to play Texas this year, a loss is a loss, and GA Tech and Houston, are two tough wins where as Texas was only one tough win.

Freeze, has done a good job, but inherited a more talented roster than Mullen and has had a much easier schedule. If Freeze had Mullen's '09 schedule this year, he would likely only win 5 game or less. Just like Mullen.

 

[was21]

too soon.

 

[Jacknut1]

Freeze has done a great job so far. Biggest difference this year for them is QB play. If they hadn't gotten Wallace they'd probably still be winless in the SEC.

Mullen has done a great job for us, too. 3 Egg Bowls in a row. Three bowl games in a row. He's surpassed what The Kang did through 3-3/4 years, 28-18 vs. 23-18-2. Pretty damn good!

 

[stinkfoot]

Some of you are missing the actual question raised, which is:

"But which one has actually done the better job this season up to this point?"

Freeze inherited only 65 scholarship players. He needed a qb and a left tackle bad, so he went out and got them himself instead of relying on Nutt's guys. He also had to convince a winless SEC team to buy into what he was trying to do. He installed a new offense and is working w/ all new coordinators except one. Mullen should be at 7-1 with that schedule and AU being so bad. Its easily Freeze for me.

 

[FlabLoser]

Some of you are missing the actual question raised, which is:

"But which one has actually done the better job this season up to this point?"

Mullen has the better record and better quality wins.

You can argue that Freeze is working with less, but in doing so you have to give credit for Mullen for establishing the talent he has to work with.

 

[InaccuratePredictionsDawg]

Can't answer until the Egg Bowl is played...

...over the next 4 games, both of these coaches are about to be tossed into some pressure-cooker situations. The month of Nov. will tell the tale of Mullen & Freeze. Get back to me after the Egg Bowl & I'll give you an objective assessment.

 

[slickdawg]

Mullen busted a Nutt, next he'll melt the freeze.

 

[Sutterkane]

That "rag tag" oline had a first round draft pick. Our QB and even our WR situation was indeed terrible but we had talent on our team. The biggest difference in now and then is that we have depth at every position. We also had 2 NFL caliber linebackers and an NFL caliber nose tackle.

 

[DAWG61]

I'll say this. Freeze might be the better offensive coach. His offense is outperforming Mullen's in his first year. Bo Wallace can't be Freeze's ideal QB so look out once he gets the QB he really wants. Mullen has built and created much more in his 4 years than I thought possible so it'll be difficult for Freeze to duplicate or top that. Freeze has been a much better hirer than I thought he was in January. Mullen has a huge head start on him.

 

[sickasadawg]

78 scholarships!

 

[HueFreeze]

just noticeable difference is greater with Freeze because you see it the difference easier from suck to ok, rather than 7 wins to 7,8,or 9 wins

You have to think Freeze is better this year, just for the simple fact Ole Miss was suppose to be 14th or were ranked 14th in like every category. At least his team doesn't think he is full of crap yet and haven't quit on him.

Mullen to this point is only 1 game better than what people expected or thought going forward... the next 4 will let you know if Mullen has done a better coaching job, but right now it is Freeze

 

[was21]

I'll say this. Freeze might be the better offensive coach. His offense is outperforming Mullen's in his first year. Bo Wallace can't be Freeze's ideal QB so look out once he gets the QB he really wants. Mullen has built and created much more in his 4 years than I thought possible so it'll be difficult for Freeze to duplicate or top that. Freeze has been a much better hirer than I thought he was in January. Mullen has a huge head start on him.

gimmicky.

 

[kired]

I'd say they've both done great jobs this season.

Going 7-0 is tough regardless of schedule. Mullen should be commended for doing that.

Freeze has exceeded all expectations to this point. That team lost so many players under Nutt I never imagined they'd be in the position they are. It has certainly helped that AU and Ark are having terrible seasons.

But truth is that both coaches & teams will be judged by what happens over the next 4 games. Mullen needs to win at least 2 of the final 4 or I expect we'll all be a little disappointed considering the great start. Freeze needs to win one more to be bowl eligible which would be a huge success in year 1.

And we badly need to win the egg bowl or this will feel like 2009 in reverse.

 

[TUSK.sixpack]

Mullin's year will be defined in three games.

In hindsight, I agree with you, NoCal... Mullen really hasn't had a chance to "exceed" expectations thus far because AU and UT suck so wonderfully... Mullin will have that chance this weekend, at LSU and in the EGG Bowl...

Freeze gets a lot of credit for simply "not being Houston Nutt", I think...

If Mullen finishes 3-1, 10-2 overall including a CONVINCING win in the Egg Bowl, I'd probably give him a slight edge...

 

[MrHooch]

not a huge deal, but why isn't there a #15 by our name on Ole Miss' upcoming schedule? I can't log in to post a comment or I would mention it to him myself... anybody wanna tackle that?

 

[BIG_SLEAZY_DAWG]

As of now I would say Freeze has done a better job but it is really an unfair question to ask at this point in the season. Ask again in December and I could give you the answer. Mullen has beaten everyone he is supposed to beat so far. If he beats A&M, LSU, and Ole Miss then he would have done the better job. So far he has beaten who he should have and only lost one game to a team that was much better than us.

 

[RocketDawg]

I wonder what a "veteran laid" team is? Perhaps he meant "veteran laden"?

No doubt Freeze has done a good job with the Bears. But it could be as simple as having fresh blood as the coach. There's no doubt the Bears have some talented players, and did last year. They just didn't want to play for Nutt. The players got to the point of disrespecting Nutt and not caring. That was obvious in last year's Egg Bowl. But they have certainly improved under him, regardless of whether it means he's a good coach or just "not Nutt".

The Alabama game isn't really a fair comparison though ... yes, they looked better than MSU did against Alabama. But I think, and am sure, that Alabama did not take them seriously after what they've been the past couple of years. But they took MSU very seriously, and had an axe to grind. And the game is always hard fought ... it's a rivaly game, especially to us. And hanging the MSU tee shirt on the Bear Bryant statue didn't help ....

So who is this "football expert" that wrote the article? I've never heard of him. And what does the little piece about SEC quarterbacks mean? It didn't make sense to me.

 

[studentdawg87]

Freeze has done a better job this year, but everyone here is scared to admit it.

The majority of State and Ole Miss fans I know thought y'all would win anywhere from 2-4 games this year. You've already won five. Granted Arkansas and Auburn will not be this terrible again for a long time, but that doesn't take away from what Freeze has accomplished. He took over a shittastic situation and, barring something unforeseen, will have y'all in a bowl game this year.

I think he inherited more talent than he was expected to, but y'all are still way under the scholarship limit and lack playmakers along along the DL and at LB. He's managed to field a good offense (probably better than anything has fielded in his four year here) with a JUCO transfer at QB and a spotty OL.

He's also recruiting really well.

That said, Mullen has done a good job this year, with the exception of the Bama game. Freeze has overachieved already, whereas Mullen could end up having done a great job or a less-than-impressive one. Considering we started the year 7-0, Mullen really needs to win two out of the next four for him to have done a great job,especially when you take into consideration how down Auburn and Arkansas are this year.

 

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

I wonder what a "veteran laid" team is?

Hooters wait staff next door to the VFW?

 

[PBRME]

I disagree. I think getting Bo bailed Freeze out the first year. Without him their season would be completely different.

 

[MedDawg]

OM is 3 games better than this point in 2011. But so is State....

Ole Miss was 2-6 after October last year and now they are 5-3. State was 4-4 and now we are 7-1. OM was unranked then and they are unranked now. Last year we were unranked and right now we are #15 in the country.

So State has just as much improvement over last season as Ole Miss.

 

[DAWG61]

Agreed Wallace has been a nice find for them but he's a less than avg QB in the SEC. I hope he starts there for 3 years.