A few MSU football thoughts (more big picture)

[BeastMan]

3 things I haven't seen get much run that are very important in my opinion
http://3rdand57.com/a-few-msu-football-thoughts/

[trob115]

Good article though!


ETA- Thanks, I fixed it. BM

[Johnson85]

I don't think the problem was that Koennig and Mullen didn't see eye to eye. Hudspeth and Mullen didn't see eye to eye and I think that sharpened the play calling. I think the problem was Koennig didn't see eye to eye with Mullen but wasn't a good enough play caller for it to help.

[BeastMan]

Good article though!

Spell check missed some stuff and I have it set to most sensitive settings possible. Good lord that's awful

[BeastMan]

I don't think the problem was that Koennig and Mullen didn't see eye to eye. Hudspeth and Mullen didn't see eye to eye and I think that sharpened the play calling. I think the problem was Koennig didn't see eye to eye with Mullen but wasn't a good enough play caller for it to help.

It's not so much about seeing "eye to eye" IMO. Dissenting opinions can help in the coaches meetings. It's not out in the semi-public. Hud and Mullen are both type-A personalities and weren't going to make it together. Koenning was more passive but new blood was needed and we're seeing the benefits now. I am in no way trying to smear Koenning either. I think he did a great job developing QBs. The current offensive coaching staff dynamic is just more conducive to pulling in the same direction.

[dawg21]

Mullen is just a natural play caller. He's 3 steps ahead of the defense, he's got the QB to run the offense. When we line up now I honestly don't know where the ball is going- I used to guess it a lot of the time in previous years.

[BrunswickDawg]

It's not so much about seeing "eye to eye" IMO. Dissenting opinions can help in the coaches meetings. It's not out in the semi-public. Hud and Mullen are both type-A personalities and weren't going to make it together. Koenning was more passive but new blood was needed and we're seeing the benefits now. I am in no way trying to smear Koenning either. I think he did a great job developing QBs. The current offensive coaching staff dynamic is just more conducive to pulling in the same direction.

I'll throw this out there - with no real knowledge other than my own experience. I think Les not fitting is a generation-gap issue. Throughout my whole career, I've been about the youngest guy in the room. In the public sector, that means I am working with lots of guys in their 50s and 60s who are used to they way they work. Les is 55. Dan is 42. At some point, the young bucks way of doing things take over, and some of the old guard can't adapt, and they just can't relate to us. I see it over and over again. I think Les may have been in that "can't adapt" group.

[CadaverDawg]

Good article, Beast. The next man up thing cannot be stated enough. It was absolutely enormous that Beckwith and Myles were able to step right in.

[DawgPoundtheRock]

Don't forget Despar who was the nonstarting O-lineman

[BeastMan]

Don't forget Despar who was the nonstarting O-lineman

Good point. He played well. Makes you feel good about the future

[Todd4State]

Great article.

The Junction has made more of a difference than I ever imagined. This is our chance to show people what we're all about. I remember back in the 90's there were always a couple of RV's in front of the stadium and that was it. The people tailgating were spread out all over campus.

As far as the coaches and Koenning, I think Dan was smart to hire him because there are a lot of coaches that aren't able to be the head coach and call plays. So, since Dan had no head coaching experience it was good to have someone that could potentially do that just in case. But as time went on, Dan realized that he could do both and that necessitated staff changes. Because otherwise we would have too many cooks in the kitchen. I wish Les nothing but the best though. I think he's a good coach.

[Tbonewannabe]

Great article.

The Junction has made more of a difference than I ever imagined. This is our chance to show people what we're all about. I remember back in the 90's there were always a couple of RV's in front of the stadium and that was it. The people tailgating were spread out all over campus.

As far as the coaches and Koenning, I think Dan was smart to hire him because there are a lot of coaches that aren't able to be the head coach and call plays. So, since Dan had no head coaching experience it was good to have someone that could potentially do that just in case. But as time went on, Dan realized that he could do both and that necessitated staff changes. Because otherwise we would have too many cooks in the kitchen. I wish Les nothing but the best though. I think he's a good coach.

This also saves us money that we can dole out to more people on our staff. We don't have to pay an offensive Coordinator $500,000 or whatever they are going for nowadays. Spread that around to Gonzalez, Collins, Townsend, Hughes, Turner, and whoever else we need to keep on staff. Dan being able to do that just gives us another advantage.

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

Don't forget Despar who was the nonstarting O-lineman

Don't forget Cooke as well. I thought he did a great job with kicking duties, especially for a true freshman.

[Bully Dee Williams]

Mullen is just a natural play caller. He's 3 steps ahead of the defense, he's got the QB to run the offense. When we line up now I honestly don't know where the ball is going- I used to guess it a lot of the time in previous years.

It was absolutely ridiculous how much we were able to spread the field. Man, this offense is absolutely lethal.

[missouridawg]

Mullen is just a natural play caller. He's 3 steps ahead of the defense, he's got the QB to run the offense. When we line up now I honestly don't know where the ball is going- I used to guess it a lot of the time in previous years.

The only times this year that I've been able to predict the play was when the defense left the middle open for Dak (like that aTm TD run). Totally agree that we are very unpredictable this year. Much more so than the last few.

[maroonmania]

Great article.

The Junction has made more of a difference than I ever imagined. This is our chance to show people what we're all about. I remember back in the 90's there were always a couple of RV's in front of the stadium and that was it. The people tailgating were spread out all over campus.

As far as the coaches and Koenning, I think Dan was smart to hire him because there are a lot of coaches that aren't able to be the head coach and call plays. So, since Dan had no head coaching experience it was good to have someone that could potentially do that just in case. But as time went on, Dan realized that he could do both and that necessitated staff changes. Because otherwise we would have too many cooks in the kitchen. I wish Les nothing but the best though. I think he's a good coach.

You are so right about how the formation of central tailgating at "The Junction" has been a gamechanger. Something I couldn't have even imagined during my time at MSU in the mid 80s. Heck, when I was there that was just "malfunction junction" most famous for confusing car drivers coming into the campus trying to figure out which way to go. Among many other things the atmosphere now in tailgating at the Junction has helped unify the fanbase and really made the pre-game atmosphere much more electric.

[Dawgcentral]

Let's not discount the effect that a Mullen style QB has had on this system.

I realize the play calling is better with Mullen at the wheel. But I see the turn around as coming during our Liberty Bowl preparation. Russell was out. Dak was the man. While Russell was well respected by the players and staff, as well as the fans, Dan Mullen's offensive philosophy demands a QB that can punish a defense with the running game.

les played a role in limited success. But as the offensive game plan was forced to evolve (Starting with Dak's recovery last November), Mullen's play calling took the leading role. We can now see the difference, but it all began while we were prepping for the Rice game.