Thoughts on the Egg Bowl

[Coach 57]

I remember years ago when the team I coached had a rivalry game and it really wasn't a rivalry, we had beaten them pretty regularly each year; but it was rather a culture war. They had a culture and we had a culture where we were and they opposed one another. And prepping for that game each year we had to tell our kids that after we got up a few scores it would no longer be about football. Their kids would try their dead best to try and get our kids into a fight so they'd be suspended or even at times their kids tried to pick a fight with our staff. It was ridiculous each year but each year we played them we knew it would be about them trying to intentionally try and do something that would make this game about something else. Whether they would try and get our kids ejected or even try to hurt our kids so our season would resemble there's.

Sometimes football can be an ugly, ugly game. It's combat, where two sources of pride come in conflict with one another and neither wants to move or give an inch. I believe in total depravity in all men because that's what the Bible tells me about not just you as a man, but me too. We are fallen, and after seeing what we saw last night you don't have to go real far to teach total depravity after what we all saw, where football got really...really ugly.

You could tell that their game plan was simple, hurt Fitz and they'll have a chance to win. I could tell from his first carry and first drop back they were targeting him above the neck. He got hit right in mouth right off the bat and the refs missed it. He even told the ref after the play he was targeted. Sometimes in the game the refs DO (unintentionally miss calls) as a played you need to make them aware of what they missed in a respectful manner of course. But it was pretty blatent they were trying to hurt Nick. He's 80+% of our offense. And if you ever questioned his heart before, or the fact that Key is better than him you can go sit down now you are done with message boards for a while. This kid is one of the toughest kids I've ever seen play. He reminds me of that QB from the movie "the Program". He's crazy and he is no doubt TRUE MAROON!

I'm not really happy with our staff's inability to help Key after Fitz got hurt. Listen to me guys, in football you can mask some deficiences. You can hide guys and their inability to do certain things through 2 things as a coach. Play calling and player alignments. It's called good ole fashioned situational football. We knew Key couldn't do what Fitz had done and if we knew that the staff knew it too. What do you do when you are facing a loaded box and you know they are charging hard every snap and you have an inexperienced QB who needs some rhythm? You run screens and draws to lure in the front 7 and you throw it right into the teeth of the rushing front 7 and watch them over pursue the play time after time and eventually they'll have to slow play it and that's when you catch them with the counters, dives and zone reads it's basic football. CDM really disappointed me last night with his inability to help a young player who was facing a loaded box all night long. And don't tell me that CDM doesn't have that in his play book, go watch the 2010 & 2011 Egg Bowl and watch Relf shred that DL that was far better than the one Key faced last night. And I love Relf but he isn't half as talented as Key is at both passing and running.

Defensively I thought once we made adjustments, Grantham's kids were solid against a very explosive offense! They continually got put into spots where really I looked for them to see if they were going to give up but they never did. I was very proud of them. Yes we gave up some explosive plays and tons of yards to the WRs on a handful of plays. They really keyed in on Sweat and chipped and cut him throughout the game but the interior DL was solid. I do think the ILB play could've been better though. Alot of those runs wee gave up, they should be filling in those gaps and we were trying to arm tackle from those positions too much. Some of our kids were out of place from the ILB group and I think they could've played a little better. Eroll Thompson will be stud in a year or so though, the kid is a solid tackler and takes on blocks like a champ. I think he probably played the best from that group.


I hate we lost. But we dug ourselves into a hole we couldn't get out of. 5 TO's and we still lose by 3? If you had told me before the game that we would lose Fitz, turn the ball over 5 times and only lose by 3 I would say you were crazy, but that's what happened. At the end of the day Fitz showed us he may end up being the most TRUE MAROON QB Mullen has ever had when it's all over. I think Fitz will come back better next year as a passer and stronger and I think next year will be a special year for sure for this group. Let's get ready to go bowling. Oh and if an UM fan starts w/ the Egg Bowl victory jabs tell them "congrats on ya'lls 6th win. Now that you guys are mathematically bowl eligible where do you think you guys are going?" (and then smile).

That's it guys, remember Jesus loves you and died for you to have fellowship with God and go DAWGS!

[CadaverDawg]

Great post, 57. Nothing beats a well thought out post from a Coach with great knowledge.

[Commercecomet24]

Thanks, 57! Appreciate that! Wish you would post more!

[ShotgunDawg]

Great post as always.

Any ideas why Mullen wouldn’t have thrown more screens with Key?

Key will be a stud and showed why last night, but it just appeared as though we had never prepared for Fitz getting injured and him needing to play.

As good as Key played in the 4th quarter, I was extremely disappointed at his preparation and the staff appearing clueless as to how to use him until it was too late.

Hopefully this experience pays off down the road.

[Todd4State]

Great post as always and you are right about the screens. We ran one right before the half to Aeris and he almost busted it for a touchdown and I think it resulted in our second field goal.

[Todd4State]

Great post as always.

Any ideas why Mullen wouldn’t have thrown more screens with Key?

Key will be a stud and showed why last night, but it just appeared as though we had never prepared for Fitz getting injured and him needing to play.

As good as Key played in the 4th quarter, I was extremely disappointed at his preparation and the staff appearing clueless as to how to use him until it was too late.

Hopefully this experience pays off down the road.

My guess is because our WR's don't block very well. I know we could throw other types of screens but it seems like every time we run a screen to a WR it results in a disaster.

[MaroonFlounder]

I met Errol Thompson’s parents in the Junction before the game. Talked for several minutes. His mom said he could hit a baseball a country mile, but his love is football. They love Dan Mullen. I made sure I expressed to them how happy I was that Errol is a Bulldog. Best tackler as a redshirt freshman LB that I’ve seen in a long time.

[msbulldog]

Great post Coach, thanks.

[Drugdog]

Awesome post.

[WinningIsRelentless]

I agree with you coach. screens (wr and rb), speed sweeps to thomas and some te dump passes would have given them fits with the way they stacked the box.

[tcdog70]

With the talking heads pointing out the middle of the field being empty, I wondered why the TE couldn't. Block a count and take off down the middle? Seems like an easy pass. We could have abused them. We did not take what they were giving us.

[Mutt the Hoople]

Sometimes football can be an ugly, ugly game. It's combat,

My dad played small college football in the 1950's. He fought in Vietnam. He told me those were two totally different things.

[SailingDawg]

You could tell that their game plan was simple, hurt Fitz and they'll have a chance to win. I could tell from his first carry and first drop back they were targeting him above the neck. He got hit right in mouth right off the bat and the refs missed it. He even told the ref after the play he was targeted. Sometimes in the game the refs DO (unintentionally miss calls) as a played you need to make them aware of what they missed in a respectful manner of course. But it was pretty blatent they were trying to hurt Nick. He's 80+% of our offense. And if you ever questioned his heart before, or the fact that Key is better than him you can go sit down now you are done with message boards for a while. This kid is one of the toughest kids I've ever seen play. He reminds me of that QB from the movie "the Program". He's crazy and he is no doubt TRUE MAROON!

Do you think MSU officials will send tape to the SEC office to review the om defensive shots?

[bluelightstar]

Just heard McElroy on SECN saying he'd talked to one of he officials who called the Egg Bowl. Official said it got beyond chippy and he hoped that didn't happen in UL-UK. Idiot official must not realize he has the power to throw flags for that BS.

[SailingDawg]

Just heard McElroy on SECN saying he'd talked to one of he officials who called the Egg Bowl. Official said it got beyond chippy and he hoped that didn't happen in UL-UK. Idiot official must not realize he has the power to throw flags for that BS.

UL v UK just had guys on the ground fighting and there were no ejections.

[NCDawg]

I met Errol Thompson’s parents in the Junction before the game. Talked for several minutes. His mom said he could hit a baseball a country mile, but his love is football. They love Dan Mullen. I made sure I expressed to them how happy I was that Errol is a Bulldog. Best tackler as a redshirt freshman LB that I’ve seen in a long time.

I agree that Thompson has a bright future. In my opinion, he was our best LB. Our ILB this year was not good imo. Ole Miss no. 22 ran right by him on both TD's.

[Pollodawg]

Just heard McElroy on SECN saying he'd talked to one of he officials who called the Egg Bowl. Official said it got beyond chippy and he hoped that didn't happen in UL-UK. Idiot official must not realize he has the power to throw flags for that BS.

Then that official is a coward and incompetent.

[TrapGame]

Just heard McElroy on SECN saying he'd talked to one of he officials who called the Egg Bowl. Official said it got beyond chippy and he hoped that didn't happen in UL-UK. Idiot official must not realize he has the power to throw flags for that BS.

This shows just how incompetent they were. They didn't want to be there on Thanksgiving night.

[Coach 57]

My dad played small college football in the 1950's. He fought in Vietnam. He told me those were two totally different things.

It’s the closest thing you can get to it. It is still combat. Not all combat is with rifles & bombs and fought on foreign souls.

[Sacrifice]

That was great stuff coach!