Why will we win this season even with 3 new OL guys?

[Coach34]

Because it's simple- we have a Dak, and other teams dont. Looking back at Mullen/Meyer- when have they had problems on offense? When they didnt have a mobile QB. John Brantley damn near gave Urban Meyer a heart attack. This offense is all about the mobile QB- and we have one of the best in the country.

People want to talk about the OL being the key- but is it? 2011 we had lost 4 starters on the OL from 2010. We had 3 injuries to begin the season on the OL- and had to insert a bunch of young guys. But do people rememeber we still finished 5th in the SEC that year in Total Offense in spite of it all?

http://www.cfbstats.com/2011/leader/...10/sort01.html

So with losing 4 starters from the previous year and then worst case scenario injuries to the OL to begin the season- Mullen still managed to get to 5th in the SEC in Total Offense. Whats he going to do with the Dak Attack and only losing 3 starters?

Let's look at Total Offense finishes under Mullen:

2009- 7th (with Tyson Lee at QB)
2010- 5th (top half of the SEC with a mobile QB that was not a very good passer)
2011- 5th (in spite of all the OL problems and Relf banged up)
2012- 7th ( we had a non-mobile QB the entire season)
2013- 9th (multiple QB injuries which led to chaos)
2014- 1st ( mobile QB that stayed healthy)

Our worst years in Mullen's offense have been when we didnt have a mobile QB or QB injuries. Who the QB is at Miss State is much more important than anything the OL does. Just some food for thought as we head for kickoff tomorrow

[HoopsDawg]

I don't think many state fans are worried about our offense. We have 4 offensive linemen that have played a lot of snaps. If Warren held off Jenkins and Rankin, he is pretty good. We are going to put up big stats on O.

The question with this team is the front 4. We know they can be good, but can they be great? It's hard to have a special season with an average front 4. Last time Manny was here, he had Cox, Boyd, and McPhee on the front.

And we need improved play from the safeties, but I think we have the talent there if the coaches give them the reps.

[Tbonewannabe]

Mullen's offense requires a mobile QB. Mike Leach requires a QB with accuracy on short throws and a quick release. Freeze requires a QB who is a douche bag that he can throw under the bus. Offenses require different things from the position but no matter what, it is the most important position on the field.

[7dawg]

Prescot's health should be a priority this year. A bounty should be placed on Elston during the Egg bowl.

[Barking 13]

I don't think many state fans are worried about our offense. We have 4 offensive linemen that have played a lot of snaps. If Warren held off Jenkins and Rankin, he is pretty good. We are going to put up big stats on O.

The question with this team is the front 4. We know they can be good, but can they be great? It's hard to have a special season with an average front 4. Last time Manny was here, he had Cox, Boyd, and McPhee on the front.

And we need improved play from the safeties, but I think we have the talent there if the coaches give them the reps.

Had anybody heard of them at that time? I mean, it seems like these guys come out of nowhere, ala Preston Smith... when the light comes on...

[Tbonewannabe]

A great DC can actually turn it around pretty quickly if he has players to fit his system. It will be interesting to see what Chavis does since he has Garrett and not much else.

[Tbonewannabe]

Prescot's health should be a priority this year. A bounty should be placed on Elston during the Egg bowl.

Just thinking about that POS cheap shot makes me want to kick him in the nuts.

[DancingRabbit]

Mullen's offense requires a mobile QB. Mike Leach requires a QB with accuracy on short throws and a quick release. Freeze requires a QB who is a douche bag that he can throw under the bus. Offenses require different things from the position but no matter what, it is the most important position on the field.

That brings up something that occurred to me. Bo dealt with being thrown under the bus pretty well. I have a hunch Kelly may not like that crap. Could get interesting.

[BeardoMSU]

Freeze requires a QB who is a douche bag that he can throw under the bus.

That made me laugh. Well done.

[Coach34]

I don't think many state fans are worried about our offense. We have 4 offensive linemen that have played a lot of snaps. If Warren held off Jenkins and Rankin, he is pretty good. We are going to put up big stats on O.

The question with this team is the front 4. We know they can be good, but can they be great? It's hard to have a special season with an average front 4. Last time Manny was here, he had Cox, Boyd, and McPhee on the front.

And we need improved play from the safeties, but I think we have the talent there if the coaches give them the reps.

The OL stuff is thrown at us by other fanbases- was giving our own fanbase a talking point

I agree about the DL- but I think its going to be a real good group. My only concern is consistent pass rush from them. And of course- the quality of play we get from the 2nd group.

[Prediction? Pain.]

Because it's simple- we have a Dak, and other teams dont. Looking back at Mullen/Meyer- when have they had problems on offense? When they didnt have a mobile QB. John Brantley damn near gave Urban Meyer a heart attack. This offense is all about the mobile QB- and we have one of the best in the country.

People want to talk about the OL being the key- but is it? 2011 we had lost 4 starters on the OL from 2010. We had 3 injuries to begin the season on the OL- and had to insert a bunch of young guys. But do people rememeber we still finished 5th in the SEC that year in Total Offense in spite of it all?

http://www.cfbstats.com/2011/leader/...10/sort01.html

So with losing 4 starters from the previous year and then worst case scenario injuries to the OL to begin the season- Mullen still managed to get to 5th in the SEC in Total Offense. Whats he going to do with the Dak Attack and only losing 3 starters?

Let's look at Total Offense finishes under Mullen:

2009- 7th (with Tyson Lee at QB)
2010- 5th (top half of the SEC with a mobile QB that was not a very good passer)
2011- 5th (in spite of all the OL problems and Relf banged up)
2012- 7th ( we had a non-mobile QB the entire season)
2013- 9th (multiple QB injuries which led to chaos)
2014- 1st ( mobile QB that stayed healthy)

Our worst years in Mullen's offense have been when we didnt have a mobile QB or QB injuries. Who the QB is at Miss State is much more important than anything the OL does. Just some food for thought as we head for kickoff tomorrow

Based upon the O-Line's performance under Mullen, I too am not that concerned about the three new starters. Two of the three new guys have experience in SEC games (some of it as starters), and the other is beating out a dude who was supposed to be the best JUCO OT in the country last year.

But I did want to point out something about your stats. While the 2011 offense was 5th in the SEC overall, that stat is skewed because of the teams' soft non-conference schedule. In 2011, State averaged 470 yards per game against its non-conference slate of Memphis, La Tech, UAB, and UT-Martin. That's good for 4th in the SEC for total offense in non-conference games. But against only SEC teams? We gained only 286 yards per game, which was 9th in the conference. That's a pretty big difference.

If you look at only our performance in SEC games, our best year of total offense before 2014 was actually 2012 with Tyler Russell. We were 7th in total offense in SEC play that year. In 09, 10, 11, and 13, we finished 9th, 10th, 9th, and 9th in total offense in SEC games.

The O-line in 2011 definitely suffered for the reasons you mentioned. 4 new dudes plus a rash of injuries. For example, none of Mullen's O-lines have finished in the bottom half of the conference in sacks allowed in SEC games except '09, when we were 9th. That was also his worst year of TFLs allowed (9th in SEC play) and in yards per carry (9th out of 12 in SEC; we were also 9th in '12 and '13, but out of 14).

Anyway, just wanted to note the big shift in the numbers when you take into account our non-conference schedule that year. But barring a rash of injuries like in '11, I agree that we shouldn't see anything less out of our line this year than we saw in other years under Mullen.

[archdog]

Ryan Brown and AJ say don't worry about the pass rush.

[RougeDawg]

Ryan Brown and AJ say don't worry about the pass rush.

I get a sneaky feeling that Ryan Brown is going to make himself some money after his performance this year. I remember thinking last season during the games "who the F is that guy in there blowing up the OLine?". Didn't know who he was until I looked him up in the program.

[Tbonewannabe]

Based upon the O-Line's performance under Mullen, I too am not that concerned about the three new starters. Two of the three new guys have experience in SEC games (some of it as starters), and the other is beating out a dude who was supposed to be the best JUCO OT in the country last year.

But I did want to point out something about your stats. While the 2011 offense was 5th in the SEC overall, that stat is skewed because of the teams' soft non-conference schedule. In 2011, State averaged 470 yards per game against its non-conference slate of Memphis, La Tech, UAB, and UT-Martin. That's good for 4th in the SEC for total offense in non-conference games. But against only SEC teams? We gained only 286 yards per game, which was 9th in the conference. That's a pretty big difference.

If you look at only our performance in SEC games, our best year of total offense before 2014 was actually 2012 with Tyler Russell. We were 7th in total offense in SEC play that year. In 09, 10, 11, and 13, we finished 9th, 10th, 9th, and 9th in total offense in SEC games.

The O-line in 2011 definitely suffered for the reasons you mentioned. 4 new dudes plus a rash of injuries. For example, none of Mullen's O-lines have finished in the bottom half of the conference in sacks allowed in SEC games except '09, when we were 9th. That was also his worst year of TFLs allowed (9th in SEC play) and in yards per carry (9th out of 12 in SEC; we were also 9th in '12 and '13, but out of 14).

Anyway, just wanted to note the big shift in the numbers when you take into account our non-conference schedule that year. But barring a rash of injuries like in '11, I agree that we shouldn't see anything less out of our line this year than we saw in other years under Mullen.

Just curious but when you took out our Nonconference games was that against everyone else compared to only SEC games?

[SDDawg]

Our worst years in Mullen's offense have been when we didnt have a mobile QB or QB injuries. Who the QB is at Miss State is much more important than anything the OL does. Just some food for thought as we head for kickoff tomorrow

But Barrett Sallee says QBs are overrated. **