Dan Mullen seems to be much less patronizing with the Gainesville media

First off, let's not get twisted, I'm no fan of the media, but in this day and age of sports, they are a reality. May as well be respectful of them and go Belichek on them if you're not up to speaking

Anyways, he's much more open with details with them here lately. Dude might really be invigorated, and sheds more light on the fact that the guy was just burnt out. I think, had he not gotten out now, he was headed for a Jackie type fate, and that most likely would have been 2020 when the trench guys ran out, specifically the offensive line.

Enter JoMo, with new energy, and he's already well underway correcting that issue

I think I'm just going to settle with saying Merlot was a good program builder, and kept our players out of trouble. His offense was overrated, but he was great with quarterbacks. He was totally at the mercy of his defensive coordinator, but at the same time always managed to have us ready to play. He clammed up in big games, but took care of business in most of the others. He flirted constantly, but he also stayed 9 years

Guess what I'm saying is that I don't hate the guy, he was who we needed at the time, but he's not our best ever. JoMo has a great chance to get us to the next level, thanks in large part to Merlot

But it really was time for him to go, best for all parties, in hindsight. I think we'll have a better 2018 due to this. We'd have went 10-2 with him next year, but now we have a shot to get higher (or lower)

Rambling thought over

Maybe he just didn't trust the media because they were often times up to some bullshit and giving Ole Miss a pass constantly.

Possible but I remember him being much more willing to do the dog and pony show like Road Dawgs back in the day

Dude totally changed after 2010, then again after 2015, then put the quick fix together after 2016 so he could make his exit

Those down years of 2011-2013 and then 2016 were when he hated the media the most

He was the same way here when he 1st got to Starkville. As his tenure went on it changed.

Appreciate most of what he did, but disagree that he always had us ready to play. Even giving him a pass on the dirty play on Fritz, he wasn't ready at least 3 of the last six games against UNM. We are much better off now than when he got here, but he wanted out for years. And it's not where you got (#1 year, which was great while it lasted), it's where you finish and we seldom ever finished strong under him. Hail State!

It is year one...

I remember the “Dan the Man” year, too.

It seems to me a total personality change.

If Dan Mullen had coached all nine years with a raging hard-on like he did in 09 and 10 we'd have a crystal football and a Heisman winner playing for the Cowboys.