Yeah the population base just doesn?t produce enough elite level players to depend on just your own state in smaller states.
^^^^^^^ This.
Hot seat articles, talk.... coaching carousel debates obviously get clicks and views etc. the media jumping on the hot seat talk as early as September and after every upset proves that. The Mullen talk...... Unfortunately he is "the name" to throw out there to look like they (media) know something and it is a story the blue blood fans will buy because their arrogant opinion of their own school and MSU and Starkville. People like Feldman and Clay Travis.... are going to look like an idiot when this plays out.
I think it's been made clear, even if it's "unifficial," that the SEC is not going to consider schools in states where already have representation...at least not until some new paradigm comes along to change how business is done. As long as TV $$$ drives potential expansion there will be no duplicate markets. There is also the fact schools like TAMU, UGA, UF, USCe, and KY would be hurt in recruiting. They want to remain the only SEC option in town. If we ever go to 16 it will likely be with two of VPI, NCSU, WVU. If Arky (less than 1% chance) or Mizzou were to ever leave, then all of those three. I could see Missouri possibly going to B1G if ever they had the shit though still small chance. Big 12 would be a downgrade for either one. And besides if we and the B1G ever went to 16 it would probably be the end of the Big 12 anyway.
Honestly, we have a really really good coach. I know he has had is flaws and still does. IMO he is the second best coach in the SEC including Kirby(still think we need to see what he does a couple of yrs down the line). When you have a coach like that his name is going to pop up in a lot of coaching searches. Just the way it is. I'm sure it has already been mentioned but they talked about it during the game and the gist was that Mullen and his family love Starkville and love it here.
I think Mullen is pretty intelligent and I am sure he realizes how good he has it. He knows he can be our Beamer and stay as long as he wants and collect a great paycheck that will continue to get bigger as long as he continues to win.
I do think there is something different about him this year. I think he reevaluated himself and the program after last season. It seems as though he has that chip back. We have to make sure we keep Grantham IMO. If we can keep him we are going to be set for the next few years.
I made a post about this a while back where I looked at the per-school, per-year production rate of of 4/5* talent of each SEC state. Long story short, while having to split talent from Mississippi with TSUN, we're still in a way better recruiting place than Arkansas or Kentucky. Arkansas might be the only school in the state, but the state produces little talent. That isn't to be confused with LSU, a school that's the only in its state which does produce a lot of talent. LSU has a huge advantage over us. But we're still in a better place than Arky.
Had talks with both Byrne and Stricklin while they were AD here. Both said There was no way Florida or S. Car. would ever allow Fla. St, Miami, and Clemson in the SEC. And they could count on the votes of A&M, Ky. LSU, Ark. and Ga. against it too. The others not wanting another instate school, or close neighbor in ever either.
When we 1st expanded, I thought Clemson was a natural fit more than S. Car. Still do. And Mizzou was still a horrible choice, IMO. They want the St. Louis TV market, but those folks are more vested in the Cardinals and other pro sports.
Va. Tech would have been ideal instead of Mizzou.
He's damn near guaranteed 20+ years here at over $5 million a year. His total earnings at state will likely top $100 million before he's gone, if he sticks around.
Anywhere else he's looking at about the same pay check with 3-4 years guaranteed. If it's a money issue, he's total earnings here far, far outweigh anything he could reasonably guarantee elsewhere. If he leaves, he's leaving because he thinks he has a better shot to win a title there than at State. But, I think he also realized that he's really close to winning a title at State.
Saban is old. And we're catching up to them, but it'll likely take Saban leaving to realize it.
Auburn is volatile year to year.
We've pulled even with LSU and are taking the best QBs in Louisiana on the regular now.
We've pulled ahead of A&M, Ark, Kentucky, and OM.
Our recruiting is exploding now that the confederates can't buy everyone with a pulse and we've got a great team coming back next year.
This, this, this
In some ways it has been a blessing in disguise that Mullen hasn't beaten Bama or had a ton of success in big games. It's made him appear dull & as a lower ceiling coach to those around the country. That along with what we pay him has caused him to be at MSU for longer than he ever expected & to the point where now he looks up & realizes he has created a really good job.
Saban wasn't always Saban. He got to work out the chinks in his armor at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU before becoming the dynastic Coach he's become. Dan is getting to work out the chinks in his armor in the SEC West. Dan didn't have the opportunity to grow as a head coach at another destination before he got here. We are watching the evolution of a head coach here. We sometimes forget that Dan was only 37 when he came here and not a finished product. He has evolved and is learning and growing before our very eyes. Clock management, special teams, recruiting, OL play, a real DC, etc. are all becoming strengths for him now as he has had to cut his teeth in the toughest, most vicious division of the toughest conference in America. Proud we have him and hope he sticks around a long,long time!
I know not everyone thinks this way - but Cost of Living in Starkville is ridiculously cheap compared to Athens, Knoxville, Gainesville, etc.
It's 22% cheaper than were I live and housing is 44% cheaper. At $5m a year, Dan is able to live better than all of his peers - save Saban - and bank far, far more - and can live the life he wants too.
Depends how much stock you want to put into recruiting service rankings. Hard to judge since we have one of the worst coaches in our history while they have the best coach in theirs lol.
They definitely have a lot more speed than we do though, but we beat them last year.