Article on the football team from USA Today

[starkvegasdawg]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2014/04/15/mississippi-state-bulldogs-dan-mullen/7733703/

[Rayburn8]

It is a Great read, thanks for finding it.

[mstatefan91]

Easy to say now that Mullen was never in danger of losing his job. Knowing Stricklin, that's probably true...

[Esmerelda Villalobos]

Hope these boys dont get the big head in the off season like our baseball team.

[mstatefan91]

I would be surprised if they did. They finished par for the year last season. Not really much to write home about...

[bluelightstar]

Hope these boys dont get the big head in the off season like our baseball team.

If 7-6 gets us the big head, we have bigger problems!

[Coach34]

Not worried about that at all. There was some extremely spirited work going on during Spring Practice.

Just ready for kickoff to get here

[starkvegasdawg]

It is a Great read, thanks for finding it.

I have to admit how I found it. I was scouting the enemy over on Nafoom and tehy had made mention to it complaining how we were not worthy of a full article in their newspaper. Evidently, this story made the print version too.

[mstatefan91]

I have to admit how I found it. I was scouting the enemy over on Nafoom and tehy had made mention to it complaining how we were not worthy of a full article in their newspaper. Evidently, this story made the print version too.

The butt hurt is strong over there. Has been since November

[Goat Holder]

Nah, won't happen. A season like last year is the perfect type for MSU to build on. You only get the big head when everybody else is talking about you (think preseason 2011), and that's not really happening to a huge extent. We're still considered underdogs.

[Goat Holder]

Knowing Stricklin, that's probably true...

Some of you just won't give it up. You were wrong about Mullen last year. Let go.

[Coach34]

Easy to say now that Mullen was never in danger of losing his job. Knowing Stricklin, that's probably true...

I told you guys before we played UPig Mullen wasnt going to lose his job. Came straight out of the AD's office

And now that he has that 4 yr deal again- he has at least 2 more seasons regardless of what happens.

[Lloyd Christmas]

I told you guys before we played UPig Mullen wasnt going to lose his job. Came straight out of the AD's office

And now that he has that 4 yr deal again- he has at least 2 more seasons regardless of what happens.

Luckily he earned his job back in the last part of the season so the point is moot anyways.

[mstatefan91]

Some of you just won't give it up. You were wrong about Mullen last year. Let go.

I never wanted Mullen gone. Just stating my opinion of Stricklin. He doesn't strike me as a very intimidating guy or a guy that is willing to make a hard decision unless he absolutely has to.

I thought Mullen would get it turned around but most AD's would have been at least considering the possibility of firing him if need be. Mullen didn't have an easy time of it though since he was juggling QB's, calling the plays, trying to run special teams, and keeping an eye on a new defensive coordinator (turns out there was nothing to worry about there).

All that on top of basic game management. It's no wonder our team struggled...

[Goat Holder]

Luckily he earned his job back in the last part of the season so the point is moot anyways.

No, it's really not. It highlights the unrealistic nature of our fickle fanbase. And before you call me a woe is MSU Croom LT sheep herder, realize that there IS a middle ground between your average "Give Croom/Polk/Sherrill/Stansbury time" fans, and the entitlement ingrained "what have you done for me yesterday" fans.

There were injuries galore last year. Anybody could see, even with those injuries, that we had a good, young, solid football team upcoming. With Russell, Malone, Hughes, etc. healthy, we might have won 2 more games. Who knows. Did some of Mullen's play calls frustrate me? Sure, but all coaches do.

But you want to know what it's REALLY all about? I mean, the TRUTH? Our fans, so ingrained with the Ole Miss inferiority complex, saw what Freeze was doing at Ole Miss and thought Hudspeth was our Freeze. DA TRUTH. Just admit that shit.

[PassInterference]

"When the Bulldogs upset Ole Miss last Thanksgiving night,"

That's the first place I've seen, other than Steven Godfrey, who called that game an upset. A 1 or 2 win difference in records doesn't make an upset. Especially when the SOS is much stronger on the team with fewer wins.

[engie]

"When the Bulldogs upset Ole Miss last Thanksgiving night,"

That's the first place I've seen, other than Steven Godfrey, who called that game an upset. A 1 or 2 win difference in records doesn't make an upset. Especially when the SOS is much stronger on the team with fewer wins.

The betting line is what made it an upset. The first one we've had since UF 2010...

[Coach34]

"When the Bulldogs upset Ole Miss last Thanksgiving night,"

That's the first place I've seen, other than Steven Godfrey, who called that game an upset. A 1 or 2 win difference in records doesn't make an upset. Especially when the SOS is much stronger on the team with fewer wins.

Vegas had them as a couple point favorite- officially makes it an upset. Especially since we started our 3rd string QB

[Coach34]

But you want to know what it's REALLY all about? I mean, the TRUTH? Our fans, so ingrained with the Ole Miss inferiority complex, saw what Freeze was doing at Ole Miss and thought Hudspeth was our Freeze. DA TRUTH. Just admit that shit.

This all day. Our fanbase panicked over Signing Day for Freezus and them beating LSU.

[LC Dawg]

Hope these boys dont get the big head in the off season like our baseball team.

I don't think this is as easily dismissed as some would think IF we start getting some preseason hype. I think the best thing we have going for us if something like this does start to happen is that Dak seems to be a special kind of leader and will keep our team focused.

[engie]

Anybody could see, even with those injuries, that we had a good, young, solid football team upcoming.

Sure -- everyone sees this -- and everyone saw it then. It was the misuse of personnel and playcalling that had everyone concerned. I'm not yet conceding "I was wrong" either -- just getting on the fence and riding it out until Mullen actually "proves" something either way like I said I would...

My point was always that next year has the potential to be a very special year that I was(and am to an extent) afraid that Mullen would squander in the same way he squandered the Auburn game and almost squandered Bowling Green, Arky, and Kentucky last year. Thank goodness personnel has basically worked itself out in a way that he'll have a much harder time screwing it up.

Fact is -- while we'll have a team that should be able to compete with anyone -- we'll also have a team that has proven that they can come out flat and damn near lose to anyone. And we were outrecruited by the worst 2 teams we "survived" last year.

5-3 in the SEC or bust IMO... Time to take that next step forward and change the ceiling...

[Political Hack]

Some of you just won't give it up. You were wrong about Mullen last year. Let go.

CDM was on the hot seat last year. I won't argue about it and I won't burn other people to illustrate why, but he was on the hot seat.

[Goat Holder]

I know what you're talking about. But I disagree. Had he gone 4-8 or 5-7 and then lost again in 2014? Yes he's likely gone.

[PassInterference]

I had Dan on the hotseat last year. Just my opinion.

And now, his seat lukewarm with me. The seat is no longer hot because I see how much talent and depth we have. So Mullen gets a fresh chance this year. And he'd better not start it out by asking forgiveness for some dumb shit early in the season.

[gtowndawg]

of HUD. If HUD didn't exist, and we could not look to one of our own doing incredible things elsewhere than I don't believe it would have been so hot.

I.E., Fire Mullen and bring in HUD tomorrow!!!! type attitude.

[War Machine Dawg]

But you want to know what it's REALLY all about? I mean, the TRUTH? Our fans, so ingrained with the Ole Miss inferiority complex, saw what Freeze was doing at Ole Miss and thought Hudspeth was our Freeze. DA TRUTH. Just admit that shit.

Damn, Goat must've gotten back on his meds during bannanation. He's been on fire with good points since coming back.

[bluelightstar]

My frustration with Mullen had nothing to do with Hud --- and I would've wanted a legitimate search. It had a lot more to do with 1-5 finish 2012 + how bad we looked against OK State + that gift Mullen hand-delivered to Malzahn on the Plains + our recently having been blown out against every decent team we played.

The flurry to finish 2013 has given me pause, and I look forward to seeing what he can do in 2014.

[engie]

of HUD. If HUD didn't exist, and we could not look to one of our own doing incredible things elsewhere than I don't believe it would have been so hot.

I.E., Fire Mullen and bring in HUD tomorrow!!!! type attitude.

Mullen was on the warm seat because he didn't beat a single team as an underdog for almost 50 games -- and was becoming an underdog more and more often. That had little to do with Hudspeth.

[blacklistedbully]

Goat is dead wrong about most of us. While it may be true for some, I'm 100% of the same mind as Engie and the vast majority of those of us who were either on-the-fence, or ready for a change. Just as I defended the hell out of Mullen in his first year due to losses in competitively played games, and again in 2011 because we got decimated by injury, I was honest in my assessment of and frustration with Dan last year.

Even though we did suffer significant injuries early, it was, as Engie has said here, and I have also said numerous times, not so much the record, but the personnel decisions, often bizarre play-calling & horrible game-management that made me ready to move on. And like many of us, I don't view an OT win over 3-8 Arky and an OT win over Ole Miss at our field as anything more than games we should have won. Yes, I applaud Mullen and staff for getting our freshman QB ready to be serviceable in the Egg Bowl. But that's his job. Mullen is a QB coach, afterall.

I still support Dan, and am blown away by the many terrific things he has done for our university and our football program. But I do want to see improvement from him as a coach this year. He's an SEC coach making over $3 million a year. He needs to correct the issues he had in order to keep us moving forward. Thanks to Dan, I'm not willing to settle for a bunch of stepping-on-our-own-dicks, so long as we make a bowl game. If we don't make it, I want it to be because the other team was just better or more lucky that day. I freakin' hate it when we do it to ourselves. That shit's gotta stop.

[gtowndawg]

Mullen was on the warm seat because he didn't beat a single team as an underdog for almost 50 games -- and was becoming an underdog more and more often. That had little to do with Hudspeth.

He was legitimately on the warm seat because of on the field issues...no producing like he should.

It got straight up hot because of HUD. My opinion anyway.

[Coach34]

He was legitimately on the warm seat because of on the field issues...no producing like he should.

It got straight up hot because of HUD. My opinion anyway.

but that's not the way our Administration saw it- and they make the decisions. For Mullen to have been replaced, there was going to have to be a showdown between our Pres, AD, and Big Money boys.

[dparker]

My frustration with Mullen had nothing to do with Hud --- and I would've wanted a legitimate search. It had a lot more to do with 1-5 finish 2012 + how bad we looked against OK State + that gift Mullen hand-delivered to Malzahn on the Plains + our recently having been blown out against every decent team we played.

The flurry to finish 2013 has given me pause, and I look forward to seeing what he can do in 2014.

THIS.

[dawg27]

football cant get here quick enough for me im ready.

[Barking 13]

I still support Dan, and am blown away by the many terrific things he has done for our university and our football program. But I do want to see improvement from him as a coach this year. He's an SEC coach making over $3 million a year. He needs to correct the issues he had in order to keep us moving forward. Thanks to Dan, I'm not willing to settle for a bunch of stepping-on-our-own-dicks, so long as we make a bowl game. If we don't make it, I want it to be because the other team was just better or more lucky that day. I freakin' hate it when we do it to ourselves. That shit's gotta stop.

Hear ye, Hear ye!!!

[maroonmania]

Hope these boys dont get the big head in the off season like our baseball team.

Yep, this baseball team has got scared to death over the football team laying an egg. Seems anytime, in any sport, high expectations are laid on an MSU team they disappoint.