Good article in USA Today about Dan's recruiting strategy

[BulldogDX55]

http://sports.usatoday.com/2014/10/29/mississippi-state-finds-its-own-recruiting-trail-and-follows-it-to-no-1/#sthash.YGiWxTcB.7J6e8FYy.uxfs

National media is taking note. It was only a matter of time when people started wondering how a team of mostly two and three stars managed to make it to number one.

[Coach34]

thats good stuff right there

[Bass Chaser]

Thanks for sharing.

Question on Mullen's recruiting strategy didn't he start with OL/DL first then the skill players?

[AFDawg]

I think they pretty much did the same thing with DL and OL. But with OL 1) evaluation is harder and 2) it takes longer for them to develop.

[QuadrupleOption]

For decades, many of the state’s best players left for more traditional powers and the hidden gems often stayed hidden, falling to schools like Southern Miss or historically black colleges that played a lower level of football.

Ouch. That's gotta leave a mark for the Mustard Buzzard fans.

[LC Dawg]

One thing that doesn't seem to get mentioned much in the development of some of our underrated/raw players is the fact that we've been to four straight bowl games. I think the extra practices the bowls give us has had an effect on our development. Our competition for the West right now is UM, Bama, and Auburn. Only us and Bama have been to bowls the last four years. I think the extra practices have helped to level the playing field a little.

[Mutt the Hoople]

One thing for sure....nobody thinks we're cheating.

[AFDawg]

** except for all the 'roids

[Todd4State]

It's good to see that what Dan is doing is getting recognized. We need to stay with the focus on Mississippi for the most part and continue to develop like we have been doing. If anything changes, I wouldn't be surprised if the recruiting services start to rank our players higher sort of like Chris Jones.

What I like about Dan's recruiting method is he values work ethic and character as well as projectability. That's a great recipe for success for us.

Of course, a lot of us have been saying this for awhile now.

[Dawgface]

One thing for sure, this season should keep our fans from questioning Dan's recruiting classes(the lack if 5* players etc). It won't change the garbage coming out of bear land, but who cares.........

[1bigdawg]

If anything changes, I wouldn't be surprised if the recruiting services start to rank our players higher sort of like Chris Jones.

This happens. If Alabama is after a recruit that the services have as a two/three star, the services look at themselves and think they must be missing something. It happened with us in the later Sherrill era. People got so used to him finding talent that they assumed players were better than they had thought.

I expect it will be hard for us to sign a two star anymore because, now, scout etc, believe if we are signing them they must not really be a two star.

[Covercorner2]

One thing for sure, this season should keep our fans from questioning Dan's recruiting classes(the lack if 5* players etc). It won't change the garbage coming out of bear land, but who cares.........

Yep.... "The only reason the recruiting strategy is working this year is because State has a once in a lifetime QB!"

[defiantdog]

Look at the 2015 class for example....

Maurice Smitherman - http://247sports.com/Player/Maurice-Smitherman-33790
Darryl Williams - http://247sports.com/Player/Darryl-Williams-37466
Chason Virgil - http://247sports.com/Player/Chason-Virgil-19627
Deddrick Thomas - http://247sports.com/Player/Deddrick-Thomas-30559
Kendell Jones - http://247sports.com/Player/Kendell-Jones-42658
Chris Stamps - http://247sports.com/Player/Chris-Stamps-37640
Darrien McNair - http://247sports.com/Player/Darrien-McNair-37860
Keith Joseph - http://247sports.com/Player/Keith-Joseph-36095
Anfernee Mullins - http://247sports.com/Player/Anfernee-Mullins-45499
Keith Mixon - http://247sports.com/Player/Keith-Mixon-35513

All of these guys are 3*s yet they all have the potential to be 5*s. We will hear from all of these guys in the near future kind of like Ryan Brown, Preston Smith, Josh Robinson, Nelson Adams, Fred Brown, Kendrick Market, Taveze Calhoun, Bear Wilson, etc.

Let's not forget about our future players like Brandon Bryant, Cory Thomas, Will Coleman, J.T. Gray, Grant Harris, Dontavian Lee, Chris Rayford, etc.

And I wouldn't say the recruiting strategy is working because of Dak. Mullen knows what he's doing. The players he recruits seem to have a chip on their shoulder, and they work their ass off to be successful. They don't seem to take anything for granted. It's crazy how he finds these players.

[FlabLoser]

You may have heard the phrase "begs the question" or "begging the question". Most people use that phrase incorrectly.

Kind of like when someone says "I could care less", when they really mean "there's nothing I care less about than that particular topic". What they should say is "I couldn't care less".

OK, "begging the question" means:

This is an informal fallacy where the conclusion that one is attempting to prove is included in the initial premises of an argument, often in an indirect way that conceals this fact.

"Begging the question" is trying to prove a point using assumptions that haven't been proven true. Its like asking "when did you stop beating your wife". Hey, wait, you're assuming I'm a wife beater.

Back to Dan Mullen and all this recruiting talk. "Dan did it with 3 star players, and here's how...". Wait, who says these guys are all 3 star players? Scout? Where does Scout coach football? Rivals? Where does Rivals coach football? Why does the college football world form their opinions starting with the assumption that Scout, Rivals, and 247 are the ultimate authority on the quality of high school football players? Is Dan a miracle worker or does he as a football coach knows more about evaluating talent than guys who sell website subscriptions?

Dan didn't do it with 2 and 3 stars. Dan did it with 4 and 5 star guys. Dan is cooking steaks while the public rather chatter about how many people are buying McDonalds hamburgers.

[defiantdog]

You may have heard the phrase "begs the question" or "begging the question". Most people use that phrase incorrectly.

Kind of like when someone says "I could care less", when they really mean "there's nothing I care less about than that particular topic". What they should say is "I couldn't care less".

OK, "begging the question" means:


"Begging the question" is trying to prove a point using assumptions that haven't been proven true. Its like asking "when did you stop beating your wife". Hey, wait, you're assuming I'm a wife beater.

Back to Dan Mullen and all this recruiting talk. "Dan did it with 3 star players, and here's how...". Wait, who says these guys are all 3 star players? Scout? Where does Scout coach football? Rivals? Where does Rivals coach football? Why does the college football world form their opinions starting with the assumption that Scout, Rivals, and 247 are the ultimate authority on the quality of high school football players? Is Dan a miracle worker or does he as a football coach knows more about evaluating talent than guys who sell website subscriptions?

Dan didn't do it with 2 and 3 stars. Dan did it with 4 and 5 star guys. Dan is cooking steaks while the public rather chatter about how many people are buying McDonalds hamburgers.

Dan did say he believed Staley was a 5* and had him at the top of his list. He even laughed at the reporters when they said he was a 3*. I think Mullen responded with something like, "What makes you think he's a 3*? Because a reporter claimed him to be?"

[NorCalDawg]

Yep.... "The only reason the recruiting strategy is working this year is because State has a once in a lifetime QB!"

Just remind them how Chris Relf kicked their asses. Not saying Relf was a once-in-a-lifetime QB, but he fit Mullen's scheme and Mullen got the most out of him.