DC names

[Coach34]

hearing Orgeron, Shannon, and Guitar Manny as 3 of the top names to be DC. Good recruiters all. Also heard Durkin mentioned- that would be interesting to just trade DC's with Fla.

I think our new DC will be one of these 4 guys

[HoopsDawg]

hearing Orgeron, Shannon, and Guitar Manny as 3 of the top names to be DC. Good recruiters all. Also heard Durkin mentioned- that would be interesting to just trade DC's with Fla.

I think our new DC will be one of these 4 guys

I'm good with any of those guys. Durkin would probably be my 4th choice. Shannon seems like a great fit.

[Covercorner2]

During Shannon's six years as UM's defensive coordinator, his defenses ranked as follows in total defense nationally:
2001 – 6th
2002 – 7th
2003 – 2nd
2004 – 28th
2005 – 4th
2006 – 7th

My order of preference:
Shannon
Orgeron
Durkin
Diaz

[Todd4State]

I would be fine with any of those choices. I do wish/hope we look at Clancy Pendergast in addition to those you mentioned though. But I wouldn't complain if any of those four you mentioned were hired.

[Rick Danko]

Honestly, Diaz would be Disappointment

[Dallas_Dawg]

Who is Shannon?

[Covercorner2]

Who is Shannon?

Randy Shannon. He was Miami's head coach in the late 2000's. Is currently Arkansas's LB coach.

[Covercorner2]

Honestly, Diaz would be Disappointment

I agree.

[Todd4State]

Honestly, Diaz would be Disappointment

I think his stint at Texas has been WAY blown out of proportion. Texas was on the way down before Manny got there. He has been successful everywhere else he has been- including Louisiana Tech this year.

[Dallas_Dawg]

Randy Shannon. He was Miami's head coach in the late 2000's. Is currently Arkansas's LB coach.
Wow, ok. I didn't realize what he was doing these days. He could help us in crootin I bet

[msstate7]

How long has Shannon been at ark? Did he land Alex Collins

[HoopsDawg]

Honestly, Diaz would be Disappointment

Why? He was great at MSU, MTSU, and La Tech.

[Covercorner2]

How long has Shannon been at ark? Did he land Alex Collins

I don't think so. He did land that Derrick Graham guy we are after, though. Also looks like he is after Leo...

http://247sports.com/Coach/Randy-Shannon-105

[solodawg]

Honestly, Diaz would be Disappointment

Diaz would definitely be a disappointment. When he left I heard numerous people around Starkville say he and his family were never happy here. Kinda felt like he was looking for a way out as soon as he got here.

[Todd4State]

Diaz would definitely be a disappointment. When he left I heard numerous people around Starkville say he and his family were never happy here. Kinda felt like he was looking for a way out as soon as he got here.

So, now that he sees that the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence we should never let him come back again? Texas offered him a lot more money than what we were paying at the time. I can't blame him.

[1bigdawg]

I think his stint at Texas has been WAY blown out of proportion. Texas was on the way down before Manny got there. He has been successful everywhere else he has been- including Louisiana Tech this year.

Louisiana Tech Defense 2014
Total Defense - 31
Scoring Defense - 53

I would be happy with Orgeron, Shannon or Pendergast. Diaz would have to prove himself to me again.

[Dawg496]

I'd be fine with any of those four as well, honestly can't pick one that I'd like more than the other but I think Diaz would be #2 with the other three being 1 a,b,c.

[Political Hack]

Shannon please. Would be a huge hire.

Anyone see him on campus today?

[archdog]

Because we do not have a best buy. Just saying. I have to drive to Tusc to go to best buy and I hate that.

[NCDawg]

Honestly, Diaz would be Disappointment

Not to me.

[GreenheadDawg]

Shannon please. Would be a huge hire.

Anyone see him on campus today?

I agree. Shannon or Pendergast are the only 2 out of that list I would want. If Orgeron would come and be co-dc and recruiting coordinator, then great. But I just don't like hiring a guy who has never been a DC. Shannon would be a slam dunk. When his name was mentioned I honestly figured he was a DC or HC somewhere.

[quickstrike2]

I wouldn't be disappointed, as I think he is very capable. However, I would rather him not be the choice. Money talks and that is why he left, along with the rumor of not liking Starkville. I feel he came at a perfect time, with NFL talent on our defense and road that talent to Texas. It doesn't matter to me that Texas was down, they still had talent like always. I feel Manny needs us more than we need him, we can get a quality guy regardless.

[MSUTTT1]

Orgeron wants $1m...Stricklin not gonna pay that.

[HoopsDawg]

Orgeron wants $1m...Strickland not gonna pay that.

You might not know, but his name is Stricklin. And he pays Ray 1m, I'm sure he could pay O the same.

[MSUTTT1]

my bad on the spelling...not gonna pay $1m....i'd love to see it though

[Coach34]

Louisiana Tech Defense 2014
Total Defense - 31
Scoring Defense - 53.

You realize for a school like LaTech- those are pretty good numbers right?

[ShotgunDawg]

Louisiana Tech Defense 2014
Total Defense - 31
Scoring Defense - 53

I would be happy with Orgeron, Shannon or Pendergast. Diaz would have to prove himself to me again.

I keep seeing this thrown out by people, including Beastman, and it's taken so out of context. You can't make a top defense out of shit in one year.

In 2013, Louisiana Tech finished 70th in total defense and 61 in scoring defense.

In 2014, then finished 31st in total defense and 53rd in scoring defense.

La Tech improved their run defense from 92nd in 2013 to 16th in 2014!

Their pass defense fell pretty substantially, but that's to be expected when people can't run on you. Your pass defense has to fall.

That's a massive jump in total defense and the fact is that Manny Diaz is a very very good defensive coordinator and it would be a seamless transition for us. Plus, he'd be more likely to stay this time, due to him already have been burned by leaving before. It's such a stupid argument to just throw up their numbers this season without context. Surely you are smarter than that.

[Bass Chaser]

I would like to hear others thoughts on Pendergast.

[engie]

If Diaz wants to come back, there should be some sort of checks and balances to it. A massive buyout for another lateral move, perhaps...

[BeastMan]

I think his stint at Texas has been WAY blown out of proportion. Texas was on the way down before Manny got there. He has been successful everywhere else he has been- including Louisiana Tech this year.

Um, I disagree. He's had 1 top-30 scoring defense in his career. It was 2009 MSU w/9 NFL players and Chris Wilson's next unit actually gave up fewer points. La Tech was 53rd in scoring defense this year. He's a very very avg DC. He's interesting to prepare for b/c he blitzes with reckless abandon. I would be beyond disappointed if mullen brought him back

[BeastMan]

Manny Diaz is like Joe Lee Dunn. When he has elite talent, like at MSU did his one year, he's dangerous. If Mulken hired him, I'll sweat bullets with the current safety situation.

[Really Clark?]

I would like to hear others thoughts on Pendergast.

Pendergast is a home run hire if he is a fit for the program (which is very important) but you have to think he either wouldn't make a decision until the NFL coaching changes take place or it would be a concern that he leaves for an NFL gig very quickly. I would still make an aggressive pitch to him with some protection if he does leave after just a year.

[DLGDawg]

From the outside looking in....Shannon seems like a no brainer.


Randy Shannon. He was Miami's head coach in the late 2000's. Is currently Arkansas's LB coach.

[HancockCountyDog]

Shannon is an elite recruiter. Probably Arkansas' best.

[DudyDawg]

I think randy Shannon would be a spectacular hire. Dan also said we won't have one put in place until after the bowl. Who's gonna call plays?

[BeastMan]

Shannon please. Would be a huge hire.

Anyone see him on campus today?


Yes

[TrapGame]

Shannon would be terrific! Good coach and recruiter. He's my first pick of the bunch.

[DownwardDawg]

I keep seeing this thrown out by people, including Beastman, and it's taken so out of context. You can't make a top defense out of shit in one year.

In 2013, Louisiana Tech finished 70th in total defense and 61 in scoring defense.

In 2014, then finished 31st in total defense and 53rd in scoring defense.

La Tech improved their run defense from 92nd in 2013 to 16th in 2014!

Their pass defense fell pretty substantially, but that's to be expected when people can't run on you. Your pass defense has to fall.

That's a massive jump in total defense and the fact is that Manny Diaz is a very very good defensive coordinator and it would be a seamless transition for us. Plus, he'd be more likely to stay this time, due to him already have been burned by leaving before. It's such a stupid argument to just throw up their numbers this season without context. Surely you are smarter than that.

I agree with everything you posted. I'd still pick Shannon 1st though and Diaz 2nd.

[maroonmania]

Orgeron wants $1m...Stricklin not gonna pay that.

Then we can't compete with the big boys consistently. Mullen IS our OC and runs that side of the ball but in today's SEC if we have a guy that we REALLY want to essentially be the HC of our defense and aren't willing to pay 1mil or darn close to it then we aren't committed to winning championships. Heck, I'm sure we would have taken Collins up to 700K or more if he would have stayed so I would hate to think we would sacrifice an opportunity to compete for an SEC title over 300K difference.

[CadaverDawg]

Give me Shannon, Pendergast, Durkin, or O (probably in that order)....No thanks on Diaz. Sorry Manny...You're too much of a job hopper and you haven't been too good since you left town. Sucks for you. Say hello to the Duck Dynasty crew. You think Starkville sucks....how's Ruston?

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

The only way O is hired on this staff is if there is a major change in compliance philosophy and no one has mentioned that there will be changes. He pushes the envelope in recruiting and he's damn good at that part, but I'm not sure he's that great of an overall DC.

[AlSwearengen]

yeah, I don't want Diaz. He didn't blow me away when he was here (although he seemed like the second coming compared to torbush).
The only thing I want Orgeron for is recruiting.
If we could get Shannon and keep him for three years, I would be ecstatic.
I know nothing about Pendergast, but it seems to be the consensus that he would be a grand slam type of hire.

[1bigdawg]

I keep seeing this thrown out by people, including Beastman, and it's taken so out of context. You can't make a top defense out of shit in one year.
In 2013, Louisiana Tech finished 70th in total defense and 61 in scoring defense.
In 2014, then finished 31st in total defense and 53rd in scoring defense.
La Tech improved their run defense from 92nd in 2013 to 16th in 2014!

In the end, it is scoring defense that matters and they were 53rd. I agree that he should not be compared to others in power 5 conferences. Among the other 5 conferences, La Tech was 15th in scoring defense (by my count). That means 14 DCs did better this year.

[MabenMaroon]

Tyson Summers or DJ Durkin.

[HoopsDawg]

In the end, it is scoring defense that matters and they were 53rd. I agree that he should not be compared to others in power 5 conferences. Among the other 5 conferences, La Tech was 15th in scoring defense (by my count). That means 14 DCs did better this year.

It's not black and white with unbalanced schedules. La Tech had to play OU and AU and that killed their stats. Look at him against his peers in CUSA. La Tech had the best defense in conference.

[Todd4State]

Manny Diaz is like Joe Lee Dunn. When he has elite talent, like at MSU did his one year, he's dangerous. If Mulken hired him, I'll sweat bullets with the current safety situation.

Every coach is better with elite talent. Look at Wommack at Ole Miss. He was fired from Georgia Tech and probably some other places as well. Lombardi went 1-10 his first year in Green Bay because he didn't have squat. Bill Walsh was almost fired because he was winning like 2 games a year and then he got Montana, Rice, and Lott and all of a sudden he looked a lot smarter.

If you put Saban at Vanderbilt they might go 6-6. You put Croom at Alabama right now, he probably wins 8-9 but that doesn't make him less of an idiot.

[ShotgunDawg]

It's not black and white with unbalanced schedules. La Tech had to play OU and AU and that killed their stats. Look at him against his peers in CUSA. La Tech had the best defense in conference.

This, and he was there for only 1 year, meaning that he was playing with someone else's players

[preachermatt83]

Louisiana Tech Defense 2014
Total Defense - 31
Scoring Defense - 53

I would be happy with Orgeron, Shannon or Pendergast. Diaz would have to prove himself to me again.

La Tech 2013 Total defense was 63.. He presided over the fourth most improved defense in the country in one year.

[hells bells]

Plus 1. No Diaz

[cujo]

Actually Lombardi went 7-5 in his first year at Green Bay. The Packers went 1-10-1 the year before he arrived. He never had a losing season there.

[Rayburn8]

I fully expect it to be some no-name we have never heard of. Who then comes in a surprises us all. But I want Shannon.

[Dawgface]

Another vote for Shannon. But any on the list would be ok with me.

[ShotgunDawg]

Do you guys want Shannon if the guy you've never heard of is better?

[Todd4State]

Do you guys want Shannon if the guy you've never heard of is better?

I don't have my heart set on anyone. I just want a good hire that will hopefully run an aggressive fundamentally sound defense.

Once Dan makes the actual hire, I'll look at the new coach's bio and maybe watch some highlight films of his defense and decide at that point.

[CadaverDawg]

Do you guys want Shannon if the guy you've never heard of is better?

Yes, because much like Rick Ray, the guy we've never heard of doesn't have proven high level success. Shannon does. Shannon may not be the answer, but his resume shows that he would not be a bust. No name could be Torbush 2.0 and we wouldn't know until we knew.

[ScottH]

i just want to know who Coach57 wants and that will be my choice also.

[CadaverDawg]

i just want to know who Coach57 wants and that will be my choice also.

Maybe we should just hire 57?

As much as he loves MSU, we could pay him 100k and put the rest towards a Basketball coach.

**

[GTHOM]

Randy Shannon would be number 1 on my list, the ogre at 2, durkin 3rd, bill clark 4th, barry odom 5th

[blacklistedbully]

Pendergast is a home run hire if he is a fit for the program (which is very important) but you have to think he either wouldn't make a decision until the NFL coaching changes take place or it would be a concern that he leaves for an NFL gig very quickly. I would still make an aggressive pitch to him with some protection if he does leave after just a year.

Though I think Pendergast would be a terrific DC, I'd stop short of "home run" only because I've heard he's not much for recruiting. To me, a "home run hire" is a guy who can recruit and be a great DC. Pendergast is best suited either surrounded by recruiters who can make up for his lack of it, or at a place that recruits itself, like he was at USC.

[Dawg61]

Shannon would make for another former major HC as DC in the SEC West. Muschamp and Shannon are big time coaches. I'd like to see what Shannon could do. Is he aggressive though? I don't want anymore bend don't break. I want break them before they get a chance.

[Political Hack]

Maybe we should just hire 57?

As much as he loves MSU, we could pay him 100k and put the rest towards a Basketball coach.

**

I was thinking they should just hire me to run the basketball team (we're going full out Loyola and gonna shoot 120 shots per game) and use the extra money on a DC... we've already given up on basketball anyway.

[Really Clark?]

Though I think Pendergast would be a terrific DC, I'd stop short of "home run" only because I've heard he's not much for recruiting. To me, a "home run hire" is a guy who can recruit and be a great DC. Pendergast is best suited either surrounded by recruiters who can make up for his lack of it, or at a place that recruits itself, like he was at USC.

That's just where we differ on our personal perference. As DC I could care less if he is a great recruiter. I just want a great X & O coach.

[engie]

That's just where we differ on our personal perference. As DC I could care less if he is a great recruiter. I just want a great X & O coach.

Exactly. Many, if not most, of the best DCs in college football are not known as great recruiters...

Our best recruiter is already on the defensive side of the ball...

[msstate7]

Our best recruiter is already on the defensive side of the ball...

And happens to coach our poorest position group.

[I seen it dawg]

Shannon Shannon Shannon Shannon Shannon

[Sacrifice]

I'll be honest, I completely forgot about Shannon until his name surfaced here. He must've fell hard after Miami but I'd love to have him as our new DC. Those Defenses he had a Miami were bad news!! Seems like everywhere he's been the Defenses have been great.

[1bigdawg]

Where did someone "hear" that Pendergast was not a great recruiter. Also, part of Joe Lee Dunn's deal was that he would not have to leave campus to recruit. Because guys wanted to play for his type of defense, it did not hurt.

[Coach34]

The thing about Joe Lee was while he hated to recruit- his ass was in the office at 6am every morning watching film and gameplanning. I mention this because I didnt want the perception to be that Joe Lee was lazy at State- far from it.

[Really Clark?]

The thing about Joe Lee was while he hated to recruit- his ass was in the office at 6am every morning watching film and gameplanning. I mention this because I didnt want the perception to be that Joe Lee was lazy at State- far from it.

I think this would be similar to what you would get from a Pendergast. Even in this year off its been written that he has spent a lot of time on film work and consulting with teams in the off-season.

[engie]

And happens to coach our poorest position group.

And also happens to be our position group with the most missed games too. People even forget about him not having Arrington who was initially supposed to bookend it for 3+ years. Market, Cox, his son coming off the same injury that set back Nickoe. Losing Nickoe. Having Nickoe play with an ACL. Having his position raided for corner and guys sent back to him after they got surpassed at corner.

Hughes can coach safeties. He just needs continuity of talent there, which he hasn't had since Charles Mitchell and healthy young Nickoe.

[1bigdawg]

The thing about Joe Lee was while he hated to recruit- his ass was in the office at 6am every morning watching film and gameplanning. I mention this because I didnt want the perception to be that Joe Lee was lazy at State- far from it.

Thank you Coach. I was not trying to say he was lazy at all. He worked his tail off and did a great job for us.

[engie]

Thank you Coach. I was not trying to say he was lazy at all. He worked his tail off and did a great job for us.
This.

I'd be fine with the next DC doing the same. But I'm in agreement that we do need one more elite recruiter on staff to replace what was lost with Collins in that respect.

[messageboardsuperhero]

This.

I'd be fine with the next DC doing the same. But I'm in agreement that we do need one more elite recruiter on staff to replace what was lost with Collins in that respect.

Reassign Sallach to a desk job and hire a TE/Special teams coach who is also a great recruiter. There are plenty of candidates out there who fit this description- and this move really should have been made last year.

[1bigdawg]

Reassign Sallach to a desk job and hire a TE/Special teams coach who is also a great recruiter. There are plenty of candidates out there who fit this description- and this move really should have been made last year.

Everybody agrees with this. I believe even Mullen knows it but is too stubborn to do it. Of course, if he were not the way he is, he would not have been able to get everyone to go "all in" and get us to where we are today.

[HoopsDawg]

That's just where we differ on our personal perference. As DC I could care less if he is a great recruiter. I just want a great X & O coach.

Some people are operating under the assumption that Coach O is only a recruiter. He just might be a good DC too. He knows football especially defensive football. Shannon scares me a little b/c he hasn't run a defense in a long time and he had ELITE talent when he did.

[Dawg61]

Thank you Coach. I was not trying to say he was lazy at all. He worked his tail off and did a great job for us.

Joe Lee was so lazy he refused to wear socks.**

[msstate7]

Some people are operating under the assumption that Coach O is only a recruiter. He just might be a good DC too. He knows football especially defensive football. Shannon scares me a little b/c he hasn't run a defense in a long time and he had ELITE talent when he did.

And the most fertile recruiting ground in the country to get labeled an elite recruiter. Like I put in another post, Shannon is the lead recruiter on 1 ark commit this year and he's the 2nd to lowest rated one ark has.

[HoopsDawg]

And the most fertile recruiting ground in the country to get labeled an elite recruiter. Like I put in another post, Shannon is the lead recruiter on 1 ark commit this year and he's the 2nd to lowest rated one ark has.

Yep, and his FL ties mean nothing to me. We just aren't going to draw much talent from FL. Look at our current staff, we have 3 former Gator coaches on our staff and we only have 2 kids from FL on our roster and neither was highly recruited. A coach with LA ties means MUCH more to me.

[smootness]

Yep, and his FL ties mean nothing to me. We just aren't going to draw much talent from FL. Look at our current staff, we have 3 former Gator coaches on our staff and we only have 2 kids from FL on our roster and neither was highly recruited. A coach with LA ties means MUCH more to me.

I would rather have someone with AL ties to replace the great job Collins was doing there. Oh hey, Bill Clark.

[I seen it dawg]

Reassign Sallach to a desk job and hire a TE/Special teams coach who is also a great recruiter. There are plenty of candidates out there who fit this description- and this move really should have been made last year.

I want a diff coach from La Tech than Manny. Give me the young ST guy from Ruston. He gets after it.

[Political Hack]

And also happens to be our position group with the most missed games too. People even forget about him not having Arrington who was initially supposed to bookend it for 3+ years. Market, Cox, his son coming off the same injury that set back Nickoe. Losing Nickoe. Having Nickoe play with an ACL. Having his position raided for corner and guys sent back to him after they got surpassed at corner.

Hughes can coach safeties. He just needs continuity of talent there, which he hasn't had since Charles Mitchell and healthy young Nickoe.

let's not forget the LB corps raiding his pantry too. Wells at S with a healthy Hughes, and that group is TOTALLY different this past season.

[Really Clark?]

Some people are operating under the assumption that Coach O is only a recruiter. He just might be a good DC too. He knows football especially defensive football. Shannon scares me a little b/c he hasn't run a defense in a long time and he had ELITE talent when he did.

There's no assumption, it's a fact that there is no proof that he can scheme and it's also a fact that he has never been offered the DC job at any of his previous stops, even when there were openings. Never just promoted to that position. You are assuming he can scheme but there is no basis to that. Heck I'm not sure how good of a DL coach he is. I know he can recruit and has had outstanding talent to work with which may be covering up his lack of coaching ability for all we know. I know he can motivate and the players love playing for him. But there is no evidence he can be what he need as far as X's & O's. Do we really want to take a chance that he might be able to scheme in the SEC west? Look if Mullen becomes satisfied that he is the right man for the job, fine I'll support it until it's proven one way or another he can do the job. But at this point in time the biggest assumption to be made about him as a DC is that he can actually do the most important job of this title. And that's coach X's & O's. Too risky for this league.

[CadaverDawg]

There's no assumption, it's a fact that there is no proof that he can scheme and it's also a fact that he has never been offered the DC job at any of his previous stops, even when there were openings. Never just promoted to that position. You are assuming he can scheme but there is no basis to that. Heck I'm not sure how good of a DL coach he is. I know he can recruit and has had outstanding talent to work with which may be covering up his lack of coaching ability for all we know. I know he can motivate and the players love playing for him. But there is no evidence he can be what he need as far as X's & O's. Do we really want to take a chance that he might be able to scheme in the SEC west? Look if Mullen becomes satisfied that he is the right man for the job, fine I'll support it until it's proven one way or another he can do the job. But at this point in time the biggest assumption to be made about him as a DC is that he can actually do the most important job of this title. And that's coach X's & O's. Too risky for this league.

Look, I get it, O has never been a DC....and I personally don't think he should be our top choice....but NOT because he has never been a DC. The man has been a Head Coach twice. Once in the SEC, and once in the Pac12....he can scheme a defense if he becomes our DC. You don't have success at USC as a head coach without having somewhat of a football mind. I think too much is being made of his lack of being a DC.

When he left Ole Miss, he went back home to USC where they were able to get Monte as DC and O as DL coach. If you can do that, you do it. It wasn't because they didnt think O was capable...it was because they had a chance at O and Monte, and they took it. He later became interim head coach at USC and had success....Those things don't happen if he is too incompetent to even be a DC.

I know that's the big talking point, that he hasn't been a DC, but let's stop acting like he is a moron. He's just as likely to be a stud DC as he is to fall flat on his face as DC like many are trying to act like he would.

It's not like we would be asking him to go from Defensive Line Coach to Head Basketball Coach. The man knows defense, and has been around tons of great defensive minds. He could handle it.

[NCDawg]

Yep, and his FL ties mean nothing to me. We just aren't going to draw much talent from FL. Look at our current staff, we have 3 former Gator coaches on our staff and we only have 2 kids from FL on our roster and neither was highly recruited. A coach with LA ties means MUCH more to me.

Whereas Charley Strong, when he was at Louisville, recruited the heck out Florida. He was DC at Florida when Mullen was OC there. Don't know why we aren't as successful in Florida as Strong was. Guess it was the difference in Coaches having connections with the high schools in Florida is the only thing I can figure out, or maybe Mullen thinks Florida kids just don't want to come to Mississippi State.

[HoopsDawg]

Look, I get it, O has never been a DC....and I personally don't think he should be our top choice....but NOT because he has never been a DC. The man has been a Head Coach twice. Once in the SEC, and once in the Pac12....he can scheme a defense if he becomes our DC. You don't have success at USC as a head coach without having somewhat of a football mind. I think too much is being made of his lack of being a DC.

When he left Ole Miss, he went back home to USC where they were able to get Monte as DC and O as DL coach. If you can do that, you do it. It wasn't because they didnt think O was capable...it was because they had a chance at O and Monte, and they took it. He later became interim head coach at USC and had success....Those things don't happen if he is too incompetent to even be a DC.

I know that's the big talking point, that he hasn't been a DC, but let's stop acting like he is a moron. He's just as likely to be a stud DC as he is to fall flat on his face as DC like many are trying to act like he would.

It's not like we would be asking him to go from Defensive Line Coach to Head Basketball Coach. The man knows defense, and has been around tons of great defensive minds. He could handle it.


Exactly! Being a head coach at Ole Miss and USC is greater than being a DC at South Alabama like Bill Clark.

[HoopsDawg]

Whereas Charley Strong, when he was at Louisville, recruited the heck out Florida. He was DC at Florida when Mullen was OC there. Don't know why we aren't as successful in Florida as Strong was. Guess it was the difference in Coaches having connections with the high schools in Florida is the only thing I can figure out, or maybe Mullen thinks Florida kids just don't want to come to Mississippi State.

that's it. And Louisville has always had success with kids from FL. Louisville is a city.

[Really Clark?]

Look, I get it, O has never been a DC....and I personally don't think he should be our top choice....but NOT because he has never been a DC. The man has been a Head Coach twice. Once in the SEC, and once in the Pac12....he can scheme a defense if he becomes our DC. You don't have success at USC as a head coach without having somewhat of a football mind. I think too much is being made of his lack of being a DC.

When he left Ole Miss, he went back home to USC where they were able to get Monte as DC and O as DL coach. If you can do that, you do it. It wasn't because they didnt think O was capable...it was because they had a chance at O and Monte, and they took it. He later became interim head coach at USC and had success....Those things don't happen if he is too incompetent to even be a DC.

I know that's the big talking point, that he hasn't been a DC, but let's stop acting like he is a moron. He's just as likely to be a stud DC as he is to fall flat on his face as DC like many are trying to act like he would.

It's not like we would be asking him to go from Defensive Line Coach to Head Basketball Coach. The man knows defense, and has been around tons of great defensive minds. He could handle it.

Ok. Then name me one coach that took this trajectory and was successful. Coaches don't go from a 20+ year assistant coach with no coordinator position, to head coach, then when they come back as an assistant then they become a coordinator. It doesn't happen because at no point have they proven they can gameplan. It is a totally different job than being a position coach and great recruiter to a coordinator. And there is no shame in being great at those positions. You need different types on a staff. But there are a lot of great head coaches that were X & O guys and just as many who are considered motivators, players coaches and such. Just because he was a head coach doesn't mean he can scheme worth a crap. Not to mention the fact that there are so few DL coaches that are coordinators that the percentages say logically it would be a very bad decision. He may be great, but you cannot take that risk in this league. That's just foolish but again if Mullen decides different, fine. He knows more than we do.

[CadaverDawg]

Ok. Then name me one coach that took this trajectory and was successful. Coaches don't go from a 20+ year assistant coach with no coordinator position, to head coach, then when they come back as an assistant then they become a coordinator. It doesn't happen because at no point have they proven they can gameplan. It is a totally different job than being a position coach and great recruiter to a coordinator. And there is no shame in being great at those positions. You need different types on a staff. But there are a lot of great head coaches that were X & O guys and just as many who are considered motivators, players coaches and such. Just because he was a head coach doesn't mean he can scheme worth a crap. Not to mention the fact that there are so few DL coaches that are coordinators that the percentages say logically it would be a very bad decision. He may be great, but you cannot take that risk in this league. That's just foolish but again if Mullen decides different, fine. He knows more than we do.

EVERY Defensive Coordinator was a position coach first. The only difference with O, was that he jumped straight from position coach to Head Coach. He wasn't ready yet when he became head man at Ole Miss....so he went back to what he was doing prior. Now he is ready for the next step. He has already shown tons of success at DL coach, and success at Head Coach recently at USC....why would you be unwilling for him to take a job that is directly in between the two? He is far more qualified than most position coaches in the country. He is actually no different than Randy Shannon, except Shannon held the DC position before. Shannon also had limited success at Head Coach and is now a position coach.

Again, im not saying I want O as our DC....what i'm saying is that the "he hasn't been a DC before" line is being blown WAY out of proportion.

[bluelightstar]

EVERY Defensive Coordinator was a position coach first. The only difference with O, was that he jumped straight from position coach to Head Coach. He wasn't ready yet when he became head man at Ole Miss....so he went back to what he was doing prior. Now he is ready for the next step. He has already shown tons of success at DL coach, and success at Head Coach recently at USC....why would you be unwilling for him to take a job that is directly in between the two? He is far more qualified than most position coaches in the country. He is actually no different than Randy Shannon, except Shannon held the DC position before. Shannon also had limited success at Head Coach and is now a position coach.

Again, im not saying I want O as our DC....what i'm saying is that the "he hasn't been a DC before" line is being blown WAY out of proportion.

I have to agree with people who think the time to find out whether someone CAN be a good defensive coordinator is not by putting them in a division with Kiffin, Freeze, Malzahn, and Sumlin...

[HoopsDawg]

I have to agree with people who think the time to find out whether someone CAN be a good defensive coordinator is not by putting them in a division with Kiffin, Freeze, Malzahn, and Sumlin...

Every name on this list has big questions. You feel good about Bill Clark vs that crew b/c he had experience at South Alabama? Personally, I'll take the SEC head coaching experience over that.

[Todd4State]

There was a video I linked where O addressed his role in defensive play calling. He basically said that when he was with Carroll and Pendergast that he called the front half of the defense and Carroll and Pendergast called the back half.


That actually sounds pretty compatible with what Dan likes to do with Co-DC's.

[Todd4State]

Whereas Charley Strong, when he was at Louisville, recruited the heck out Florida. He was DC at Florida when Mullen was OC there. Don't know why we aren't as successful in Florida as Strong was. Guess it was the difference in Coaches having connections with the high schools in Florida is the only thing I can figure out, or maybe Mullen thinks Florida kids just don't want to come to Mississippi State.

I think it's because the players that we can get out of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Memphis are as good or better than scraping up the leftovers in Florida.

[Todd4State]

Every name on this list has big questions. You feel good about Bill Clark vs that crew b/c he had experience at South Alabama? Personally, I'll take the SEC head coaching experience over that.

This is true. No one is without risk. Of all the names mentioned, I would say that Pendergast and Shannon have the least amount of question marks.

And as far as their recruiting acumen- give me Joe Lee Dunn over Tyrone Nix any and every day.

[Really Clark?]

EVERY Defensive Coordinator was a position coach first. The only difference with O, was that he jumped straight from position coach to Head Coach. He wasn't ready yet when he became head man at Ole Miss....so he went back to what he was doing prior. Now he is ready for the next step. He has already shown tons of success at DL coach, and success at Head Coach recently at USC....why would you be unwilling for him to take a job that is directly in between the two? He is far more qualified than most position coaches in the country. He is actually no different than Randy Shannon, except Shannon held the DC position before. Shannon also had limited success at Head Coach and is now a position coach.

Again, im not saying I want O as our DC....what i'm saying is that the "he hasn't been a DC before" line is being blown WAY out of proportion.

Yes of course they were position coaches first, that's being absurd. But the overwhelming majority of DC were not DL coaches as their position. And being a head coach does not mean that they can coordinate. There are several examples, of even good head coaches, who where never a coordinator but found success as a head. But they are very very few guys who have been DC in this league with no experience without already serving on that same staff for a while before being promoted. I cannot even think of someone brought in from the outside with no experience in this league. As far as O, it is still a huge red flag that after 20+ years as a position coach he wasn't ready, jumped into a head position, failed at that, came back as a position coach and when there was another opening at USC, after Monte left, his coach still wanted someone else. So I assume he wasn't ready then either or at least Lane didn't think so. But because Pendergast, a known outstanding X & O guy, coached that USC defense while he was head coach that I'm to believe that O is ready now? Sorry, I just don't see that he has every been or is ready now. He has benefited from outstanding talent at Miami and USC, and outstanding DC he worked under, Shannon, Carroll, Pendergast, and none of them ever thought he was ready. And when he was the head man at UM their defense got progressively worse each year even with NFL talent.

I give him credit for doing a really good job to step up at USC and motivating the team and letting the coaches, Pendergast included, coach. And I would love to find a place somewhere on staff for him to see what he could do recruiting for us. As long as he plays with in the rules Mullen sets forth. He has a tendency to go off the reservation in recruiting as well.

[Really Clark?]

There was a video I linked where O addressed his role in defensive play calling. He basically said that when he was with Carroll and Pendergast that he called the front half of the defense and Carroll and Pendergast called the back half.


That actually sounds pretty compatible with what Dan likes to do with Co-DC's.

I agree that as a co-DC working under someone else's scheme, like you mention, could work. I would think that the other DC would have to be someone that has enough credibilty that they would be able to coexist without creating any controversy or drama.

[Todd4State]

I agree that as a co-DC working under someone else's scheme, like you mention, could work. I would think that the other DC would have to be someone that has enough credibilty that they would be able to coexist without creating any controversy or drama.

That's why I think Pendergast or Shannon would be good to go along with Coach O. Pendergast has been at MSU under Jackie which helps him out a lot and of course he has worked with Coach O. Shannon I suspect knows Coach O because both have Miami ties and probably have worked together at some point, although I'm not 100% sure on that.

[Really Clark?]

That's why I think Pendergast or Shannon would be good to go along with Coach O. Pendergast has been at MSU under Jackie which helps him out a lot and of course he has worked with Coach O. Shannon I suspect knows Coach O because both have Miami ties and probably have worked together at some point, although I'm not 100% sure on that.

Yeah someone like those guys. As far as Shannon, if I'm not mistaken he was a GA with Orgeron for one year and then when Orgeron was fired at Miami he took over the DL for one year.