I kinda think he was below average.
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Why does Tennessee (the state) not have "the talent"? They're almost as big as Alabama and Mississippi combined.
Y?all gimme a bit, I gotta break away but want to continue this discussion.
Y?all do your homework ***.
BBL
Tennessee has money but they aren't about to invest $45 -50 mill in contract money to attempt to steal Mullen and it'd take that much when you consider that Dan would need a considerable raise from $4.8 mill per year, he'd need a max years contract (5 years), they'd have to pay Butch's buyout and they'd have to pay Dan's buyout. Simply put nobody is dropping $50 mill to sign someone that has never beaten Alabama. That is the standard they MUST hire the next guy with. Someone that can beat Saban. It's a small pool to choose from.
Hey Tusk maybe they?ll hire Les****
It would be a step up from Butch....
Lots of folks on here are calling UT a "shit job"... and that may be (real time, factual), but lemme ask yall this:
If Dan Mullen (above average coach) had Top 15-20ish talent (like UT has), how would he do vs UT's '17 schedule?
I'll hang up, and listen.
Dan makes 4.8M/yr? wow... I thought it was a bit lower...
That being said, IF UT thought CDM was "the guy":
1) UT will stroke off a check for Butch's buy out at $6M (they are going to fire him and pay him that, regardless... so, buyout is a non factor).
2) UT won't bat an eye at paying "the guy" $45-50M to coach and pay his former employer's buyout.
3) "The guy" would have a better chance of beating Bammer with UT talent and ancillary support.
that being said, I don't think that UT thinks that CDM is "that guy".... but I do know this:
CDM at UT is more dangerous than:
1) CDM at MSU or,
2) Butch Jones at UT.
Les would be a step up. I don?t like butch at all but when he was hired he was considered on the rise. He won 4 conference championships(albeit 2 Mac and 2 big east) in 3 years at central Michigan and 3 years at Cincinnati. So it was considered a good hire at the time. And Dan has proven what he can do with even above average talent.
I know it's not your intent but it's disrespectful when you say "wow...I thought it was a bit lower". That line of thinking is just another example of how other fanbases prefer to keep viewing MSU as if it's still 2005. Dan Mullen makes $4.8 mill a year in Starkville, Mississippi which is about $6.5 mill worth in Knoxville (cost of living and shit). MSU took Dan off the table for everyone else with that salary.
Nobody bats an eye at dropping $50 mill unless they are Bill Gates. $50 mill is $50 mill.
MSU has been a better football program than Tennessee for almost a decade straight now. It isn't 1996 anymore when Fat Phil was clearly cheating his ass off to recruit nationally for Tennessee. He didn't share his cheating ways with the new coaches and about 5 other football programs started in Florida since then so Tennessee can't pluck those players away anymore like they used to be able to do back in the 90's. The aren't nearly the same national brand they still hang onto being back with Peyton as their QB. If Tennessee doesn't spend stupid money to grab Gruden or Kelly (and I am not sold Kelly will work either) they aren't going to get much better than their current level. Sooner or later they're just gonna have to face the fact that they are in a subpar talent level state and 15-25 other programs within their recruiting area have all improved significantly since 1996. Knoxville ain't Nashville.
Pretty obvious Finebaum achieved what he wanted here. There’s no chance Dan goes to TN. It’s not even remotely possible. Let it go.
If we finish up this class like it looks like we are and we recruit 2019 well you will find out because that's roughly what our rankings will be. I think ultimately Dan can get us from 6-8 wins a year that we are currently at to 8-10 consistently with top 15-20 recruiting. He's averaging 8 a year as it is with what he is currently doing.
So, basically improve o-line and WR recruiting which he is doing and I think he gets us there. Which is why I think the "we'll never be more than an 8 win program" mantra is wrong.