This quote from Mullen has me VERY concerned....

[Columbus Dawg]

From the Clarion Ledger: Mullen, though, disagreed with the stance that pulling a quarterback during a drive is the wrong move.

“You do, I don’t,” Mullen said of the philosophy. “<font face="Lucida Sans">Vick Ballard</font> gets the bulk of the reps at tailback but<font face="Lucida Sans"> LaDarius Perkins</font> comes in and spells him. It’s the same situation. We treat it the same and practice it the same, the kids treat it the same and within the program it’s the same. You guys treat it differently, so I don’t know how to answer your question. That’s how we do it. I’ve done it before. Call T<font face="Lucida Sans">im Tebow</font> or <font face="Lucida Sans">Chris Leak</font>, that’s how they treated it. …”</p>

If Mullen was the coach at Bama, I bet he would rotate Phillips Sims and McCarron. Those 2 guys were neck and neck but in the end McCarron edged him out. So why doesn't Saban rotate them? According to Mullen it's the same as rotating WR's or RB's. They don't rotate because Saban understands how important consistency is with your QB. Consistency with the cadence, coordination and chemistrywith the Receivers and backs, consistency with your LEADER on the field who the players look to in the huddle or behind the center, and even the flow with the guy calling the plays.

Dylan Favre and Chris Relf aren't Tim Tebow. And even Urban Meyer and Mullen didn't use Tebow the way Mullen is rotating our 3 QB's. Tebow was a short yardage specialist, period. Come on Dan, don't sell me that crap.

Coach Mullen is sooo close to being the perfect coach for MSU, but it's decisions like the ones on Saturday and against AU that might hold him back from being that guy. Hopefully, he will takea step back and realize that his stance on the 3 headed QB rotation isn't the way to go. If not, get ready to see Russell, Favre, and Prescott next year.

 

[SnakePlissken]

giving him crap for it since Ralph didn't produce after Tyler took them down the field. Had Ralph scored a TD not a word would have been said. It worked everywhere he's been until the last few plays. He didn't really rotate 3 QB's either. Ralph was out with a concussion when Favre played and those plays were designed to have Favre at QB.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

so why does it bother you that he changes them out?
He gets paid the big $, and his *** is on the line.
It's his call.

 

[gravedigger]

what he is doing when it comes to preparing and building a team.

As far as making decisions on the field, I'm not completly sold yet.

But every time I get pissed about how some awful playcall gets made I remember: they are football coaches. Not statisticians. They trust their insticts from the week of practice, not the last game.

I do wonder at times if we couldnt get some statistics geek to examine our strengths, the opponents weakness on given downs and somehow be able to give the coach the best choices at a moments notice so he can make the call from the highest percentage plays.

hell that is all they really do anyway during the game, they just do it by instinct.

 

[jackstefano]

But every time I get pissed about how some awful playcall gets made I remember: they are football coaches. Not statisticians. They trust their insticts from the week of practice, not the last game.

That's a pretty good way of looking at it. Sometimes fans forget that the coach has seen these kids almost daily for months and years. They base their decisions on much more than just stats.

 

[gravedigger]

bastards should be able to predict the future.

Nature of being a fan I guess.

 

[Columbus Dawg]

It worked everywhere he's been until the last few plays. </p>

Did they rotate QB's at Utah with Alex Smith? What about Josh Harris?

This is only his 3rd year as a head coach anywhere. He rotated QB's his first year hereand we went 5-7 with our only good win coming against Ole Miss when we didn't rotate QB's.

Last year, it wasn't until we went solely with Relf that our offense started clicking.

This year we are 76th in the country in total offense. It's not just a few plays. It's a flaw in philosophy that I hope he isn't too stubborn to change.Based on his quotes today, I fear this may be more than a short term trend.

 

[Todd4State]

Tyson Lee played a pretty good bit in that game.

Personally, I don't mind the way he uses our QB's, but when Relf is in the game, I'd like to see more option and less QB draw.

 

[DAWG61]

and we don't have NFL type QB's if we DID we would only use that QB. Until then we will maximize each one of the QBs talents to give our TEAM the best chance to win.

 

[Griffdawg]

and Mullen's inexplicable play-calling at times during our "real games". Every winnable, program-changingopportunity we have seems to get pissed away by some of the most retarded **** in the world. Amazingly, after the game is in the rear-view mirror, there are fans saying things like "if Relf would have moved us into the end zone, nobody would be questioning the coaching move". Every game of any consequence this year has had moments like these that have left me wondering what in the hell we are doing.

Auburn game-- we spend our first 2 offensive seriesdeluding ourselves into thinking we have aprolific passing game(despite the fact that Utah State ran it all over Auburn the previous week). Before we know it, we are down 14-0 and have energized their home crowd. Ballard is basically a forgotten man until we now have to play catch up.We are not in control of the gamelike we should have been from the start b/c we got too cute with the playbook. Huge loss as a result.

LSU game-- at this point Relf is moving like molasses in the winter time and just bracing for impactby the LSU d-line as our defense does their part to keep us in the game. Mullen finally brings in Russell who gives us a spark. Down by 13 points at home and with Russell moving the ball down the field, Mullen keeps his TO's in his pocket and doesn't even attempt toscore near the end of game. Horrible message is sent to the team. Give relentless effort unless playing LSU??

Georgia game-- We finally give Darius Slay an opportunity and he responds with a pick 6, our only TD of the game.Funny thing is, where did he go? Is he hurt? He certainly did as good or better than Banks/Broomfield. Relf is his typical ****** self with horrible passing and ends the game throwing into double coverage for the pick sealing the win for UGA.

South Carolina-- Russell is moving us down the field and gets dinged up. He comes out for a play and we insert Favre.Double reverse with a "heave it up for grabs" throw by Favre during a crucial drive.What-in-the-hell??? It should have been picked off. Critical goal line seriesand everyone in the stadium realizes that with Lattimore injured,USC will go to their other offensive weapon, Alshon Jeffrey.Oops, everyone apparently knows this except the MSU coaching staff. TD Cocks. Huge opportunity lost-again AT HOME!!

Alabama-- Cam Lawrence picks off McCarron and takes it to the Bama 4 yard line. We attempt to throw a fade with our 5' 10" receiver. Huh?? Really?? Brilliant plan. After moving backwards on Offense, we are forced into a field goal try. In comes DePasquale to kick it. Wait a minute that guy's a lefty. It's our kickoff kicker who has 0 FG attempts on the year. He promptly gives a knuckleball that has no prayer. Total embarrasment. Again. What in the hell is Mullen thinking at that point?

Ireally hope that Mullen is learning from his previous mistakes, but I do wonder about that. He certainly is leaving that up for discussion. I realize that every coach makes his share of stupid mistakes, but let's just say that I am really concerned about his game time decision-making.

 

[Mullenation]

Which is why they use 1 starting qb.

 

[Mullenation]

The only time Relf should ever enter the game at this point is on very short yard situations and when we are deep in the red zone. However, Mullen still seems to want to use him in regular situations.<div>
</div><div>******** when he implies the QB is like every other player on offense. The QB is the leader of the offense and touches the ball every single play. Receivers get in rhythm with a certain QB, and QB's get tendencies through their WR's not just in practice, but in the game itself, which can vary week to week. And as far as next year goes, unless Dak is some rarespecimenMSU QB, I don't even want to see him on the field unless Russell is injured or playing completely god-awful, boo-worthy football</div>

 

[DAWG61]

you forget the 3 tds Relf had vs UK and how he makes Russell more effective because they attack the defense differently. Why copy what the mass does with their QB? Relf is one of our best weapons and he needs to see the field still. Russell isn't good enough to warrant permanent snaps.

 

[EAVdog]

Arkansas has had trouble with running qb's this year. Relf may get some snaps if he's healthy. But there is certainly no reason to announce that Arkansas should go ahead and just prepare for Russell since he's going to get 85% of the snaps. We actually played 3 qb's Saturday, nobody is complaining about Mini-Favre playing because that A-11 crap worked. Had those plays busted and Relf converted the 3rd down we'd all be calling for Mini-Favre's head.
Frankly I think everyone is hyper ventilating way too much. We played Alabama who has a stellar defense. Mullen may make someunorthodox calls but we've won some games because of his play calling too. Last year Florida game was an example, if we would have lost everyone would have been going mad because we didn't even try to pass the ball. But we won, and everyone was fine. We just need to win.

 

[Griffdawg]

where we are actually moving the ball down the field, picking up first downsand the qb (Russell) is finding his rhythm with our receivers. I can't believe I'm actually having to explain that this was a stupid/terrible idea.

 

[NashvilleBulldawg]

but I agree that changing in the middle of a series seems really odd to me. I'm not totally against switching out each series either. But I also understand each down and yardage requires a special player to be in place for a particular play. We've traditionally looked at the QB as the mainstay on the O, but Mullen is bringing something different. Different can't hurt (especially at MSU!).

 

[Shmuley]

Not a good comparison. Saban's apparent offensive philosophy is "Do not F up by turning it over. Do not get my defense in trouble with field position. Get the F out of the way so I can win this game."

 

[Foronce]

he does a lot of playcalling based on trends rather than just instinct, but some gut calls have to come from instincts also

here is a video of mullen talking to a class during the bye week this year

 

[FISHDAWG]

moving the ball, but sooner or later the field and play calling conditions change as you get closer to the goal line the secondary and passing zone becomes much more restricted ... or if you are backed up on your own goal line you have different concerns / plays ..... I think Dan is trying to use these guys to their strengths and at the same time, try to keep the opposing defense guessing .... and that part I DO agree with .... however, we have the benefit of hind-sight while he is still in a "learning-curve" ....Dan will mature as a HC just as this team (with all of the redshirts and freshmen)will mature in a year or so .....and now, I'm about to turn the sunshine pump off ... let me know when you need a refill

 

[lazlow]

I don't think Aaron Rodgers gets you any more points against bama unless he's kicking Fg's. And after the 2nd time hightower knocks his dick in his watch pocket he says"eff that I'm going back to the nfl where it's safe".That said LSU's 2 QB's > Bama's 1.

 

[klerushund]

<div>...isn't that we use 2 QB's. The problem is how we use them.</div><div>
</div><div>There seems to be little rhyme or reason as to when we insert Relf. Several times this year, we've had goal to go opportunities and not brought him in, only to bring him in other situations that seem less suited to his talents. I know some of that has to do with him being injured, but the Alabama game is a great example. Why bring him in when we are rolling? Then we do, and he gets hurt. Sure enough, we get a first and goal from the four, but now we can't use him because he's injured.</div><div>
</div><div>On top of that, there's been a definite lack of execution in clutch situations under Mullen (LSU '09, Auburn & SC '11, etc.) We've had some great chances to get a "signature" win against ranked teams and failed to come through.</div><div>
</div><div>Maybe these are the growing pains of a young head coach, but I can see why people are frustrated. MSU doesn't get a lot of opportunities to take it to the big boys, so when we have a chance, it's paramount that we capitalize upon it. Under Mullen we've yet to do that. We beat inferior or equal teams, we lose to better teams. That's actually a step in the right direction for MSU, but I'm anxious to see if we can start winning some "signature" games.</div><div>
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