Things you want to see next year

[FlabLoser]

Each time we kickoff in Oxford, when the ref signals the ball read to kick, I want to see all 11 of our guys throw up a landshark just prior to the kicker making his motion to begin the kick.

[spiritual_machine2005]

I want to see the best players in each position on the field the majority of the time! And I want to see some field goals go through the uprights on a consistent basis.

[CJDAWG85]

0 losses

[smootness]

0 losses

This.

I'll make a deal with the coaching staff - accomplish that one goal, and I won't criticize a thing.

[Barking 13]

Relentless effort from a well prepared, fired up TEAM!

[deltadawg99]

Improvement in offensive play calling
Best players on the field, regardless of what year they are
BETTER SPECIAL TEAMS

[smootness]

In legitimate response to the OP, I usually look for certain things about how a coach goes about his business in the first few years of his tenure. After that, I don't care, it's all about wins.

For example, with Rick Ray, I want to see a team that is improving and that plays hard. And I want to see recruiting pick up some. Those would be signs that he is doing good things even if our record remains poor.

But once a coach is past the first few years, I don't care how he's doing what he's doing, I just want to see success. His recruiting could be mediocre and the team could have issues on ST, for example, but if the wins are coming, fine. His recruiting could be very good, but if the wins aren't coming, then see ya.

That doesn't mean a coach can't have down years here and there, but if the program is successful overall, then I don't care so much about specific things to look for among the team. If the program isn't successful, then it definitely doesn't matter to me.

So to answer the question, I want wins...specifically at least 8, though I won't call for Mullen to go if we win 7. If we do that, fine.

[MadDawg]

Less emotional swings from our impatient and immature fanbase.

[Coach34]

I want to see:

1. A commitment to #RTGDF. We should be 60-40 run at worst
2. A Youtube video of Collins burning the defensive playsheet that has the CB blitz on it
3. MoJo catching passes from Dakota consistently
4. Nick James Bitch!!!
5. 40 carries per game between Dakota, JRob, and Shump- but Prescott's average about 10-12 per game- no 20 carry games for #15
6. The FG team make FG's at a 65% rate

[HancockCountyDog]

I want to see:

1. A commitment to #RTGDF. We should be 60-40 run at worst
2. A Youtube video of Collins burning the defensive playsheet that has the CB blitz on it
3. MoJo catching passes from Dakota consistently
4. Nick James Bitch!!!
5. 40 carries per game between Dakota, JRob, and Shump- but Prescott's average about 10-12 per game- no 20 carry games for #15
6. The FG team make FG's at a 65% rate

I don't want to see Dak get the bulk of rushing snaps either. This is a good point. A kid as strong as Relf and Dak simply can't take a season's worth of pounding in the SEC. Its just too damn physical. We need him for all 13 games next year. We have to rely on our backs more next year.

I want to take advantage of Robert Johnson next year too. He has been under utilized so far and he is a damn senior next year.

I want to see us beat A&M, AU, Arkansas and Vandy at home next year - When that happens we win at a minimum 9 games next year, possibly 10 depending on how the bear program has imploded.

[Todd4State]

Dak to improve as a passer.

Someone to step up at RT.

Bear to start at WR. Robert Johnson to flex between WR and slot WR. Morrow to continue to progress,

Josh Robinson and Ashton Shumpert to split carries.

Milton and Griffen to convert to FB.

Chris Jones start at DE with Nick James and either PJ or Quay (I know) at DT.

Some 3-4 looks at times with Preston Smith/James/Chris Jones and then the LB's Beniquez Brown/Richie/Benardrick/Wells.

Justin Cox moved to safety.

HIRE A SPECIAL TEAMS COACH and find a place kicker.

[Goat Holder]

^^ That

[smootness]

I want to see us beat A&M, AU, Arkansas and Vandy at home next year - When that happens we win at a minimum 9 games next year, possibly 10 depending on how the bear program has imploded.

7 wins should be an absolute minimum next year. The 4 OOC games are must-wins. Kentucky on the road...it's Kentucky, you have to beat them. Arkansas and Vandy at home - they may both be decent next year, but they're at home, again you have to beat them.

That leaves 5 games - home against A&M; we'll see what they are, should absolutely be winnable; home against AU - very tough, a win should still be a possibility; OM on the road - tough, but definitely winnable.

Then LSU and Bama on the road - we'll see. As many have said, the schedule sets up for us. 7 should be the minimum, and if it's only 7, there will be some real grumbling. Decent chance to get to 9 and play in the Cotton.

[Coach34]

If we go 7-5 I'll be disappointed. It's 8 wins or bust for me in 2014.

[HancockCountyDog]

7 wins should be an absolute minimum next year. The 4 OOC games are must-wins. Kentucky on the road...it's Kentucky, you have to beat them. Arkansas and Vandy at home - they may both be decent next year, but they're at home, again you have to beat them.

That leaves 5 games - home against A&M; we'll see what they are, should absolutely be winnable; home against AU - very tough, a win should still be a possibility; OM on the road - tough, but definitely winnable.

Then LSU and Bama on the road - we'll see. As many have said, the schedule sets up for us. 7 should be the minimum, and if it's only 7, there will be some real grumbling. Decent chance to get to 9 and play in the Cotton.

Vandy is losing a ton this year - I think they are losing Matthews, Johnson and Hal to the NFL along with about another half dozen starters. Plus I'll be surprised if Franklin is there next year.

[smootness]

If we go 7-5 I'll be disappointed. It's 8 wins or bust for me in 2014.

No doubt, I think most would. I'm just saying that 7 is the absolute minimum, meaning if we won less, even if we went to a bowl again, Mullen's seat would get legitimately hot.

[Bullmutt]

Dare I say it? Double digit wins next year!

[Johnson85]

I want to see the best players in each position on the field the majority of the time! And I want to see some field goals go through the uprights on a consistent basis.

Is going to be spending much of next year disappointed.

[Ronny]

..1)no more fumbling the ball on the 1 yd line.

2) No more blocked punts in the endzone right before halftime.

3) No more defensive breakdowns right before halftime.

4) No more abandoning the pass for the run when passing is working; no more abandoning the run for the pass when running is working.

5) Recruit you a ******* FG kicker.

6) No more going for it on 4th & 26.

7) And I can not reiterate this enough: NO more dumb**** lateral passes.

8) Last but not least: When you are wearing specialty uniforms, do not put "Bulldogs" when the name should be. I don't have a current MSU roster program at my disposal so if 45 make a great play, all I know is it was "Bulldog."

[maroonmania]

Each time we kickoff in Oxford, when the ref signals the ball read to kick, I want to see all 11 of our guys throw up a landshark just prior to the kicker making his motion to begin the kick.

What I want to see is the landsharking gesture BANNED! Its antagonizing when OM players do it and its antagonizing when opposing players do it back to OM players. No place for it in college football.

[Johnson85]

But once a coach is past the first few years, I don't care how he's doing what he's doing, I just want to see success. His recruiting could be mediocre and the team could have issues on ST, for example, but if the wins are coming, fine. His recruiting could be very good, but if the wins aren't coming, then see ya.


I get what you're saying, but if you don't pay attention to how a program is being run, you run the potential of ignoring problems to long or firing a coach too early. There are always going to be coaches that hit a multi year run of good or bad luck. If you only look at results and not how the program is being run, you could fire a good coach for being on the wrong tail as far as luck goes.

For a good real world example: If Adam Carlson makes one or two more key field goal in Croom's last year, would you have wanted to keep Crooms around? Or would you have said I don't care what the record is, we didn't show up against Ga Tech or UM, haven't fielded a decent offense in five years, and haven't gotten better?

[Barking 13]

What I want to see is the landsharking gesture BANNED! Its antagonizing when OM players do it and its antagonizing when opposing players do it back to OM players. No place for it in college football.

so is the "feed"

[Goat Holder]

3) No more defensive breakdowns right before halftime.

I'm with you on this shit right here. Damn it was frustrating knowing if a team got the ball back with more than 30 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, then you may as well just go ahead and add 7 points to their score and go to the locker room.

[FlabLoser]

I want to see us beat a couple teams that go to a better bowl than us.

We did that once this year, but Ole Miss is our bitch so they don't count.

[smootness]

I get what you're saying, but if you don't pay attention to how a program is being run, you run the potential of ignoring problems to long or firing a coach too early. There are always going to be coaches that hit a multi year run of good or bad luck. If you only look at results and not how the program is being run, you could fire a good coach for being on the wrong tail as far as luck goes.

For a good real world example: If Adam Carlson makes one or two more key field goal in Croom's last year, would you have wanted to keep Crooms around? Or would you have said I don't care what the record is, we didn't show up against Ga Tech or UM, haven't fielded a decent offense in five years, and haven't gotten better?

I wanted to keep him anyway. I was wrong, but that was my opinion at the time.

Croom was fired because he didn't win - people saw flaws even when we went to a bowl and had issues with him, but ultimately they showed up in the record. If he was able to get past the offensive issues and took us bowling every year, he would have kept his job...until it was clear we had established we could go to bowls but weren't winning more than we were capable of.

You're not ever going to fire a coach in the middle of a winning streak, no matter the underlying issues with the team. Sure, you can recognize that they exist and maybe be quicker on the trigger when the winning comes back down to the underlying issues, but as long as the wins are coming, the coach will have his job and should have it.

When the winning isn't there, it can help to look and see what the team is doing to make a decision on whether the coach can be successful going forward, but I said that you can allow for down years here and there for precisely this reason. In college football, there will always be constant turnover, and sometimes things don't work out like they could have. If the coach is running a successful program, those issues will correct themselves quickly. If he isn't, they won't. It will still be evident in wins and losses.

My point is that there are things I can criticize our staff about. There are things you can criticize every staff about. Yes, I would like to see us stop giving up points at the end of halves. Yes, I would like to see us use personnel in the best possible spot, etc. But if we're winning while doing these things, ok. If we give up points at the end of the 1st half and still win, it's all good. As soon as that costs us enough games to not be a successful program, see ya.

[Political Hack]

I want to see us beat a couple teams that go to a better bowl than us.

We did that once this year, but Ole Miss is our bitch so they don't count.

it's funny because it's true.

[TheRef]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DYje57V_BY

[FlabLoser]

I want to see Redmond and Calhoun dominate like Smoot & Bean.

PS: another old CB I liked a lot was Charlie Davidson. He doesn't get many props, but he was a bad ass. Loved the smack too. He'd walk up to Billy Brewer during a game between plays and point at the endzone to say "throw it deep on me". That's swagger!

[justwin]

Lots of Nick Griffin. I'd like to see him get a legit number of carries to prove that he can be an everydown back. there's no reason he shouldn't have 40 carries going into LSU. All I heard is that he was better than Vick and faster than Perk, but the coaches won't give him the dam ball. I don't care about the knee injuries as the he's the most physically imposing guy in our backfield and always makes positive plays. He can catch pretty well also. I can't imagine how good a triumvirate of JRob, Griff, and Dak.

[smootness]

Griffin was starting to get it last year, but then he went down again. Those injuries take a while, I don't think they're just not giving him the ball.

It's hard to believe the injuries haven't taken away some of his explosiveness at this point. I just think Robinson and Shumpert are probably better options going forward.

[Goat Holder]

I want to see us beat a couple teams that go to a better bowl than us.

How is this even possible? Explain it to me. If we beat a couple of teams that are going to a better bowl than us, shouldn't we be going to that bowl instead of them???? To make your story plausible, we must have beaten 2 good teams but also lost to 2 teams that weren't as good as us.

Be careful what you wish for. Especially when it's retarded.

[FlabLoser]

How is this even possible? Explain it to me. If we beat a couple of teams that are going to a better bowl than us, shouldn't we be going to that bowl instead of them???? To make your story plausible, we must have beaten 2 good teams but also lost to 2 teams that weren't as good as us.

Be careful what you wish for. Especially when it's retarded.


Signature wins are retarded? 8-9 wins with 2 wins over 10-11 win teams is retarded? Wins over OSU and Auburn would have us at 8 wins now with both of those teams still going to better bowls than us.

See, I can explain it to you but I'm not sure I can understand it to you.

[smootness]

How is this even possible? Explain it to me. If we beat a couple of teams that are going to a better bowl than us, shouldn't we be going to that bowl instead of them???? To make your story plausible, we must have beaten 2 good teams but also lost to 2 teams that weren't as good as us.

I agree with you that I don't get that as a goal or something we should be doing. There was someone else on here calling for us to do something that 'even Charlie Weis did', which was pull 'an upset'. But that upset was Charlie Weis' 2-win team (became a 3-win team with the win) beating a 4-win team. So apparently the only thing we want is for us to beat a team better than us, no matter how good we actually are.

It's just mind-bottling to me that a coach can get credit for beating a 4-win team because he's a worse overall coach, and ours doesn't get credit for beating 6- or 7-win teams because he's a better overall coach. It makes the part of my brain that comprehends logic explode.

[smootness]

Signature wins are retarded? 8-9 wins with 2 wins over 10-11 win teams is retarded? Wins over OSU and Auburn would have us at 8 wins now with both of those teams still going to better bowls than us.

See, I can explain it to you but I'm not sure I can understand it to you.

But you phrased it as beating teams that go to better bowls than us. So looking at our schedule, you could count wins over A&M and LSU as those kind of wins...except we'd then be 8-4 and would go to a better bowl than A&M and would be equal in footing with LSU when trying to get one...so then those wins wouldn't count?

What if we win 9 games next year and beat a couple of teams that finish with 8? Are those not signature wins? Or what if we win 10 and beat a couple that won 9? Again, not signature wins?

[FlabLoser]

I hope we win a couple of games against teams that nobody expects us to beat, also teams that we usually don't beat - Alabama, Auburn, LSU, A&M (if they are good), etc. Fill in your own blanks.

[Goat Holder]

WOW. First of all, if the Pokes or Auburn lose to us, the season likely turns out differently. Different trends, momentum, etc. Maybe we're the ones with the luck. The Pokes would also be 9-3. You really think Auburn cruises to 10-2 after starting 1-2? F*ck no. So your cockamamie scenario would never happen. It makes ZERO sense. Just stop. Your thinking is more 'woe is MSU' than somebody like me being realistic.

[FlabLoser]

WOW. First of all, if the Pokes or Auburn lose to us, the season likely turns out differently. Different trends, momentum, etc. Maybe we're the ones with the luck. The Pokes would also be 9-3. You really think Auburn cruises to 10-2 after starting 1-2? F*ck no. So your cockamamie scenario would never happen. It makes ZERO sense. Just stop. Your thinking is more 'woe is MSU' than somebody like me being realistic.

Without addressing your doubts - was this a prediction thread or a "I want to see thread"?

In 2013, I want to see Goat acquire some common sense.

[Goat Holder]

Is Alabama's season a failure? They didn't beat anybody that was better than them. Florida State?

I understand your point completely. I just think it's completely idiotic and a big problem within our fanbase. It's 99% impossible. No offense to you specifically. You say in your other post that you only want to see us beat Texas A&M if they are 'good'? Are you telling me you won't enjoy a win over Texas f*cking A&M no matter what their record is? I just cannot comprehend your line of thinking.

[FlabLoser]

Goat, pour a beer and relax. All I'm saying is I want a couple of real good wins in 2013. Wins over teams that are unquestionably good teams. Wins over teams we usually don't beat. How hard is that to understand?

(PS: I'm not saying we usually don't beat A&M. We are 1-2 against them in all the games I can remember)

I didn't say I only want us to beat A&M if they are good. I'm saying beating them isn't a signature win unless they are as good as this year or last year. You are inferring un-posted things that you want to argue about.

[Goat Holder]

Goat, pour a beer and relax. All I'm saying is I want a couple of real good wins in 2013. Wins over teams that are unquestionably good teams. Wins over teams we usually don't beat. How hard is that to understand?

(PS: I'm not saying we usually don't beat A&M. We are 1-2 against them in all the games I can remember)

I didn't say I only want us to beat A&M if they are good. I'm saying beating them isn't a signature win unless they are as good as this year or last year. You are inferring un-posted things that you want to argue about.

That's not what you said. I'm going off what you said. Every time Mullen accomplishes something, it's written off by some excuse. I mean when he beat Florida and Georgia in 2010, they went to lesser bowls than us BECAUSE WE BEAT THEM. And if it isn't a bowl game, it'll be something else. A #1 team isn't a #1 team if they get beat. As I said, the logic just isn't there.

[Coach34]

How is this even possible? Explain it to me. If we beat a couple of teams that are going to a better bowl than us, shouldn't we be going to that bowl instead of them???? To make your story plausible, we must have beaten 2 good teams but also lost to 2 teams that weren't as good as us.

Be careful what you wish for. Especially when it's retarded.

Flabby wants us to beat LSU or Bama on the road is what he is saying- they'll be the only 10-11 win teams we play next year

[FlabLoser]

SMH.

It appears Goat wants to lose to teams that finish ranked ahead of us. Whatever.

[Goat Holder]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/bcs

Show me a team that beat two teams that are ahead of it in those standings.


It appears Goat wants to lose to teams that finish ranked ahead of us. Whatever.

It's not that I want that to happen, it's what DOES happen. In reality, where I live.

[FlabLoser]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/bcs

Show me a team that beat two teams that are ahead of it in those standings.

It's not that I want that to happen, it's what DOES happen. In reality, where I live.


Do you live in the reality where UGA beat LSU and S Carolina, both of whom
finished ranked ahead of UGA? Is that real enough for you?

[Political Hack]

we beat Ole miss... so it could've easily happened with single first down in the 4th quarter against auburn.

[Goat Holder]

ooooo....good one, you had a domino fall your way. Congrats on finding the most injury riddled team in college football to hang your hat on. ONE team the entire year.

You da man

[smootness]

I didn't say I only want us to beat A&M if they are good. I'm saying beating them isn't a signature win unless they are as good as this year or last year.

The problem with this is, if we had beaten Texas A&M this year, they would have been 7-5 and most people wouldn't count that as a 'signature win' because it would have been over a mediocre team going to something like the Music City or Gator Bowl.

For instance, say we beat Texas A&M and they finish 7-5 next year. I can pretty much guarantee you the response will be, 'Yeah, ok, but they're not as good as they were last year; they won 8 last year'.

I get your point, but it really is difficult to do what you're asking. You can't define it so clearly as 'teams who finish ahead of you'. That automatically means you didn't have as good a year.

Take UGA, which you used as your example. UGA is disappointed in their season because they beat LSU and SC. They know they're better than they finished. Yes, they had injuries. But I promise you if we had the year UGA had, rather than talking about beating LSU and SC as good wins, we would be upset over losing to Vandy and finishing in the Gator Bowl because we were clearly better than that.

[FlabLoser]

I consider this thread foreshadowing that when we get a signature win or two, you guys will totally not be OK with it.

[smootness]

I consider this thread foreshadowing that when we get a signature win or two, you guys will totally not be OK with it.

Whatever is considered a 'signature win', I'm sure I'll be pumped. I'm not disagreeing with you on what you'd like to see. I want us to beat anybody and everybody.

But if we're going to consider it an expectation, I think we need to define what it is. And 'beating someone who finished ahead of you/went to a better bowl', to me, is just a weird definition. It automatically assumes you didn't have as good a year as you could have had.

Did Auburn or FSU not accomplish the goal of having a signature win? Actually FSU probably didn't, but Auburn finished ahead of Alabama and everybody else they beat. Alabama was an upset, but even if it wasn't considered one doesn't make it not a signature win.

If we had beaten Texas A&M and someone else, we would have finished ahead of Texas A&M...so then that's not a signature win according to that definition. Do you see what I'm saying?

[FlabLoser]

What I automatically assumed is that people here would get my off-the-cuff description of what a signature win could look like.

I submit to you that if we beat OSU and Auburn, as we could have, we'd have 8 wins and both of those teams would still be ranked ahead of us. We probably wouldn't be ranked at all.

[Goat Holder]

He sees it. He's now trying to say that people who think like us somehow aren't OK with winning. His backwards logic has driven HIM backwards. And forward and sideways and longways and......http://static3.fjcdn.com/comments/.....but+the+Wonkavator+can+get+you+there+sideways +and+slantways+_5564aa29184bb00887b1925f9a18e178.j pg

[FlabLoser]

But if we're going to consider it an expectation,


We aren't discussing expectations.




If we had beaten Texas A&M and someone else, we would have finished ahead of Texas A&M...so then that's not a signature win according to that definition.


The original description was beating teams that go to better bowls than us. It is Goat who convoluted that with rankings and other things which he desperately and intentionally misinterpreted.

If we had beaten A&M and one more, A&M would still be in a better bowl than us.

(Insert mal-formed argument that I want us to get screwed in bowl selection)

[Coach34]

If we beat A&M or Auburn at home next year- it's a Sig win- period

[Esmerelda Villalobos]

Non smelly cups.
Dan to act like he gives a shit.
The bars to not close at 8pm.
The old people in chairbacks that yell "sit down" to die

[NCDawg]

Get the stripes off the helmets and the jerseys.

[Bass Chaser]

Improve ST
Improve 3rd down conversion
Improve second half scoring

No season ending injuries

[RougeDawg]

The main thing id like to see in 14, is a roster without Devon Bell's name on it.

Secondly, id like to see at least average special teams play. We are good enough on offense and defense do win 8-11 regular season games. Special teams will determine where the win total falls within that range.

Btw the back and forth between flab and goat is hilarious and may need its own separate thread for evyertainment purposes.

[smootness]

If we had beaten A&M and one more, A&M would still be in a better bowl than us.

Well, we'd have 8 wins and they'd have 7 and we would have beaten them. Hard to see the SEC allowing them to be picked over us.

But you know as well as I do that if that had happened, people would just say Texas A&M wasn't as good as expected...nobody would consider that a 'signature win' at that point.

[gravedigger]

Better kick return production. Top half of the conference percentage of made field goals within 35 yards. Passing plays need to be much lower percentage pocket passing and greater quick slants or roll outs. Treating more teams like we did Bama and force them to run into the teeth of our defensive strength. I don't need sacks. I need teams unable to drive the field in less than 2 minutes.

Folks, one thing we will have to realize next year is that teams are going to come after Dak HARD. Just like LSU did to Relf. We need Dak to be able to get rid of the ball more often than not and not get himself into thinking that he has to create every first down with his own legs. THe egg bowl was electric. But him playing that way all the time could get him on a stretcher in the SEC.

One thing very encouraging is Damian Williams and Fitzgerald's ability to run the ball. We need them to give Dak as many breathers in a game as possible without costing us momentum. There is a recipe for us to be in the hunt for the west late next year. But I think it involves using the 'spread' offense to it's fullest.

The other thing will be to cut those monsters loose on the defensive line and let them eat meat. One thing that we may have all missed over the last few years is Mullen's teams linebacking corps ability to cover big areas of the field. KJ and WHite probably did it better than anyone. But I see our group next year doing the same thing.

As August gets near, I'm going to have to be tranquilized.

[FlabLoser]

Well, we'd have 8 wins and they'd have 7 and we would have beaten them. Hard to see the SEC allowing them to be picked over us.

But you know as well as I do that if that had happened, people would just say Texas A&M wasn't as good as expected...nobody would consider that a 'signature win' at that point.


Just like there is no way Vandy would get a worse bowl than us this year. Because W-L means everything. The size of the fanbase and demand for tickets means nothing.

[smootness]

Just like there is no way Vandy would get a worse bowl than us this year. Because W-L means everything. The size of the fanbase and demand for tickets means nothing.

It's different. The SEC didn't fight for Vandy to go ahead of us because in their eyes Birmingham and Liberty are on the same tier. They don't consider one to be ahead of the other, and they didn't push Vandy into the Liberty; they could have if they'd wanted to, I can assure you.

If we had beaten A&M and finished with one more win, I can almost assure you they would have pushed us into a better bowl.

But it doesn't really matter. We're going to determine what is and isn't a signature win based on who has the larger fanbase, thus who a bowl would be more likely to select? Again, I really don't get what you're asking for.

So beating a 7-5 A&M...signature win. Beating 7-5 Ole Miss, or 7-5 Florida, or 8-4 Ole Miss...not a signature win. Uh, ok.

[RougeDawg]

It's different. The SEC didn't fight for Vandy to go ahead of us because in their eyes Birmingham and Liberty are on the same tier. They don't consider one to be ahead of the other, and they didn't push Vandy into the Liberty; they could have if they'd wanted to, I can assure you.

If we had beaten A&M and finished with one more win, I can almost assure you they would have pushed us into a better bowl.

But it doesn't really matter. We're going to determine what is and isn't a signature win based on who has the larger fanbase, thus who a bowl would be more likely to select? Again, I really don't get what you're asking for.

So beating a 7-5 A&M...signature win. Beating 7-5 Ole Miss, or 7-5 Florida, or 8-4 Ole Miss...not a signature win. Uh, ok.

The liberty and the bbbbbbbbbva bowls may be essentially the same in the eyes of the SEC, but not in the eyes of recruits. Compass bowl causes the top recruits across the nation to take notice of your powerhouse program, rich with history, tradition, and championships, and commit to you, a year removed from 2 wins!**

Guess Franklin and Vandy should be extremely excited about heading to Birmingham. They will soon start flipping recruits from FSU, UGA, Bama, and possibly even the Falcons and Bucaneers.**

[maroonmania]

Better kick return production. Top half of the conference percentage of made field goals within 35 yards. Passing plays need to be much lower percentage pocket passing and greater quick slants or roll outs. Treating more teams like we did Bama and force them to run into the teeth of our defensive strength. I don't need sacks. I need teams unable to drive the field in less than 2 minutes.

Folks, one thing we will have to realize next year is that teams are going to come after Dak HARD. Just like LSU did to Relf. We need Dak to be able to get rid of the ball more often than not and not get himself into thinking that he has to create every first down with his own legs. THe egg bowl was electric. But him playing that way all the time could get him on a stretcher in the SEC.

One thing very encouraging is Damian Williams and Fitzgerald's ability to run the ball. We need them to give Dak as many breathers in a game as possible without costing us momentum. There is a recipe for us to be in the hunt for the west late next year. But I think it involves using the 'spread' offense to it's fullest.

The other thing will be to cut those monsters loose on the defensive line and let them eat meat. One thing that we may have all missed over the last few years is Mullen's teams linebacking corps ability to cover big areas of the field. KJ and WHite probably did it better than anyone. But I see our group next year doing the same thing.

As August gets near, I'm going to have to be tranquilized.

I agree with this, and the fact is Dak LIKES contact and doesn't shy away from it one bit. Therefore, I will be surprised if we are able to redshirt both Fitzgerald and Staley even if we wanted to. One of those guys will likely need to be ready to take some snaps next year. We might get very lucky and Dak and Damien both stay healthy all year but the odds are against it.

[ED_Walk_On]

I want to see the best players in each position on the field the majority of the time! And I want to see some field goals go through the uprights on a consistent basis.

This this this this this this

[theloungeinleft]

What I want to see is the landsharking gesture BANNED! Its antagonizing when OM players do it and its antagonizing when opposing players do it back to OM players. No place for it in college football.

Oh, stop it.

[Political Hack]

I want to see the left field lounge in the middle of the junction.

[drunkernhelldawg]

I want to see:

1. A commitment to #RTGDF. We should be 60-40 run at worst
2. A Youtube video of Collins burning the defensive playsheet that has the CB blitz on it
3. MoJo catching passes from Dakota consistently
4. Nick James Bitch!!!
5. 40 carries per game between Dakota, JRob, and Shump- but Prescott's average about 10-12 per game- no 20 carry games for #15
6. The FG team make FG's at a 65% rate

I think 12 is too many. I'd rather see seven or fewer. He needs to look more to give up the ball, especially in the second half of games. But I'm with you. I want to see JRob with the ball in his hand. I want MoJo catching passes. And I want to see the best-coached special teams in the SEC. If football were as good as sex, I'd be having dreams that JWS was back to coach special teams. No defense is going to shut teams down in this era of football, but we've got to have major improvment on third down and stop trying that damn blitz on third and long. Can anyone recall a single time when the blitz worked on third and long this season.

I'm very upbeat about nextt season. I like what I'm reading from our bowl practices, about DM giving reps to the younger guys and building our team for the future. Although this could hurt us slightly in the bowl game, it's good that DM realizes that the real priority is the opportunity is in the talent and the schedule that we have for2014.

We have the more physical team for the Liberty Bowl, but I still expect a close game that will be decided late. But I think Mullen is smart to realize that there's not a lot he can do in these practices to increase our domnance in this one game, so he's getting the most he can out of the extra work by keeping the focus on team building for next season. We should win the Liberty Bowl, but it's actually not a make or break game for us. Next season, though, is another story.

[FlabLoser]

I want to see the left field lounge in the middle of the junction.

Tailgate next to mine brought in a restaurant margarita machine.

[drunkernhelldawg]

Btw the back and forth between flab and goat is hilarious and may need its own separate thread for evyertainment purposes.

Get them boys a room.