The most glaring thing about our last 4 games

[MabenMaroon]

I am kind of feeling is that we let Bama beat us three times. When we can get over that Bama bump in the road it will be Katy bar the door. That damned game against Bama has taken the wind out of our sails twice in the last three years. The first time (2012) we just didn't have the horses to compete. But this year it was a few mental lapses that let it get away. That is the final obstacle for us breaking on through to the top.

[bluelightstar]

For some reason, I don't think that was the problem myself... Obviously, beating Alabama would be preferable.

[Todd4State]

The most positive thing I saw tonight was the fairly aggressive offensive play calling. I don't think we were afraid of anything tonight. We're in disarray on defense right now more than anything.

I do agree that if we beat them, we will be over the hump.

[Irondawg]

Dans teams have found two common ways to lose:

1) we run the tecmo bowl offense that involves running our qb or rb into a stone wall up the middle 20 times

2) We look lost and disinterested on d, make a ton of coverage/tackling mistakes and don't adjust to a set that is killing us

Tonight was clearly an example of #2 even though our offense had trouble inside the 30. We couldn't stop a basic high school play with our vaunted front 7 and then on the edge we missed a ton of tackles

[bluelightstar]

Dans teams have found two common ways to lose:

1) we run the tecmo bowl offense that involves running our qb or rb into a stone wall up the middle 20 times

2) We look lost and disinterested on d, make a ton of coverage/tackling mistakes and don't adjust to a set that is killing us

Tonight was clearly an example of #2 even though our offense had trouble inside the 30. We couldn't stop a basic high school play with our vaunted front 7 and then on the edge we missed a ton of tackles

Oh man, I have no idea how Dan Mullen didn't flip his shit on the defense on Georgia Tech's first TD of the second half. I think Saban would have throat kicked somebody.

[I seen it dawg]

The most positive thing I saw tonight was the fairly aggressive offensive play calling. I don't think we were afraid of anything tonight. We're in disarray on defense right now more than anything.

I do agree that if we beat them, we will be over the hump.

It's easy to aggressive play call when you are getting your ***** handed to you. We got our labias pounded in tonite. Shit let it fly and wing the **** out of it. We sucked ass tonite.

[Todd4State]

Oh man, I have no idea how Dan Mullen didn't flip his shit on the defense on Georgia Tech's first TD of the second half. I think Saban would have throat kicked somebody.

Saban would have had an aneurysm if his defense couldn't stop the fullback dive.

[I seen it dawg]

Saban would have had an aneurysm if his defense couldn't stop the fullback dive.

We got strap on ****ed and did nothing to stop it. Thanks Dan

[thf24]

We got strap on ****ed and did nothing to stop it. Thanks Dan

We didn't have a ****ing defensive coordinator. Call it a night man.

[RougeDawg]

We didn't have a ****ing defensive coordinator. Call it a night man.

To his defense, you Don't need a D coordinator to stop that junior high bullshit.

[thf24]

To his defense, you Don't need a D coordinator to stop that junior high bullshit.

Tell that to the 10 other teams this year who lost to them even with benefit of a defensive coordinator.

I'm not content with the loss, I'm just not assuming the sky is falling because we couldn't stop an "exotic" offense when our DC had quit on us even before the regular season ended.

[bluelightstar]

Tell that to the 10 other teams this year who lost to them even with benefit of a defensive coordinator.

Very few of them gave up 49 points and 400+ rushing yards though. Hell, they lost to Larry Fedora who a few days ago was being laughed at as the village idiot. Oh, and they had to score a last second TD to beat Georgia Southern at home.

[engie]

Tell that to the 10 other teams this year who lost to them even with benefit of a defensive coordinator.

I'm not content with the loss, I'm just not assuming the sky is falling because we couldn't stop an "exotic" offense when our DC had quit on us even before the regular season ended.

No f'n excuse not to stop that defense with a month to prepare. NONE. We gave up 400 f'n yards RUSHING. IDGAF if Megan Mullen was calling defensive plays -- it was still unacceptable.

[thf24]

Very few of them gave up 49 points and 400+ rushing yards though. Hell, they lost to Larry Fedora who a few days ago was being laughed at as the village idiot. Oh, and they had to score a last second TD to beat Georgia Southern at home.

Again, all those teams had the guy with them who designed their defense and had called it all year.

[bluelightstar]

Again, all those teams had the guy with them who designed their defense and had called it all year.

All those teams also had to prepare for the option in a week. We had a month.

There's a reason we're the first team to let Georgia Tech run wild like that in a bowl game, and it's not just Collins left.

[engie]

Again, all those teams had the guy with them who designed their defense and had called it all year.

Yeah -- and they did it in 5 ****ing days.

We had 5 ****ing weeks. And we didn't stop shit.

[I seen it dawg]

***** bullshit about not having a Dc. It a microcosm of the last 2 months. Dogshit.

[mstatefan91]

We didn't have a ****ing defensive coordinator. Call it a night man.

Pshh. It isn't hard to stop a f*cking fullback dive. I could have gotten it done. Shit, I don't understand how our players didn't get it done themselves. What a f*cking joke.

Paul Johnson probably thinks we are the most idiotic team of the SEC, and I don't blame him.

[I seen it dawg]

To his defense, you Don't need a D coordinator to stop that junior high bullshit.

I was the only one that got defended....

[I seen it dawg]

Hey guess what.... If it's 3rd and short it's a dive!!!!!!!! ****ing seriously

[Really Clark?]

No f'n excuse not to stop that defense with a month to prepare. NONE. We gave up 400 f'n yards RUSHING. IDGAF if Megan Mullen was calling defensive plays -- it was still unacceptable.

It seems tonight in a lot of ways really illustrates the point we have been trying to make. Just because someone has been a defensive coach for a long time or even learned under some great coaches doesn't mean they can game plan or make in game adjustments. Your DC better know how to scheme and adjust. Because talent is only part of the equation in this league. You have to have it, but you also have damn better be able to scheme against great coaches as well when you are trying to compete against the top teams. Because they have talent as well.

[I seen it dawg]

We didn't have a ****ing defensive coordinator. Call it a night man.

Excuses are for pussies.

[bluelightstar]

Pshh. It isn't hard to stop a f*cking fullback dive. I could have gotten it done. Shit, I don't understand how our players didn't get it done themselves. What a f*cking joke.

Paul Johnson probably thinks we are the most idiotic team of the SEC, and I don't blame him.

Paul Johnson was laughing at us on the damn sideline. To stop the triple option, the FIRST thing you have to take away from them is the dive. It is literally unbelievable. Hell, it got to the point where he just started calling straight dives without the option aspect on a few of their TD drives. Broke those for 9 yards a pop too.

My goodness that was pathetic and it gets worse every time I think about it.

[bluelightstar]

It seems tonight in a lot of ways really illustrates the point we have been trying to make. Just because someone has been a defensive coach for a long time or even learned under some great coaches doesn't mean they can game plan or make in game adjustments. Your DC better know how to scheme and adjust. Because talent is only part of the equation in this league. You have to have it, but you also have damn better be able to scheme against great coaches as well when you are trying to compete against the top teams. Because they have talent as well.

You have to adjust too. We made one adjustment after Tech was killing outside, but once Tech adjusted after halftime, it was a bloodbath.

[engie]

The good thing about tonight is it has to force change. You don't give up a 50 spot with 5 weeks to prepare for that and screw it up as bad as we did. Especially not with a true blue triple option HS QB running scout team. Fitz is everything GT had tonight and more. 5 weeks. Congrats on that.

You hire a name DC here. It's the only way to truly savage it. In hiring a name vs a "one year up-and-comer", you probably get someone that has some balls and will only come here under the supposition of having full control of the defensive playcalling. You get that -- and we can move forward.

As is, we're 2012 all over again -- just with a better QB in a worse SEC.

[I seen it dawg]

You have to adjust too. We made one adjustment after Tech was killing outside, but once Tech adjusted after halftime, it was a bloodbath.

Oh shit!! You mean we was out coached??

[mstatefan91]

Paul Johnson was laughing at us on the damn sideline. To stop the triple option, the FIRST thing you have to take away from them is the dive. It is literally unbelievable. Hell, it got to the point where he just started calling straight dives without the option aspect on a few of their TD drives. Broke those for 9 yards a pop too.

My goodness that was pathetic and it gets worse every time I think about it.

It makes me sick. I swear I could have coached our defense better than what we displayed tonight, and I have no football coaching experience.

[I seen it dawg]

The good thing about tonight is it has to force change. You don't give up a 50 spot with 5 weeks to prepare for that and screw it up as bad as we did. Especially not with a true blue triple option HS QB running scout team. Fitz is everything GT had tonight and more. 5 weeks. Congrats on that.

You hire a name DC here. It's the only way to truly savage it. In hiring a name vs a "one year up-and-comer", you probably get someone that has some balls and will only come here under the supposition of having full control of the defensive playcalling. You get that -- and we can move forward.

As is, we're 2012 all over again -- just with a better QB in a worse SEC.

Yeah but will a name DC ever be allowed to coach? I don't believe he will. Clean Mullen office.

[mstatefan91]

Oh shit!! You mean we was out coached??

No f*cking way!!!!!!!???

[Really Clark?]

You have to adjust too. We made one adjustment after Tech was killing outside, but once Tech adjusted after halftime, it was a bloodbath.

Didn't I say adjust a couple of times? That's why I want the best x & o coach we can get for our DC.

[mstatefan91]

This shit has pissed me off more than any of our other losses this season. We had a f*cking month to prepare for the triple option, and we get beat by a f*cking dive play?!

Are you f*cking kidding me!?

Just damn. I can't understand it.

[bluelightstar]

Didn't I say adjust a couple of times? That's why I want the best x & o coach we can get for our DC.

I wasn't saying that to disagree with you -- it just sparked my memory of how the 2nd half was the worst coached half of defensive football I've ever seen from us.

[mstatefan91]

I wasn't saying that to disagree with you -- it just sparked my memory of how the 2nd half was the worst coached half of defensive football I've ever seen from us.
You are incorrect...

That entire defensive game was the worst coached piece of sh*t that I've ever seen. That includes the f*cking head scratcher that occurred in Oxford this year.

[engie]

Yeah but will a name DC ever be allowed to coach? I don't believe he will. Clean Mullen office.

You force that. We're past the point of playing ****ing games.

- aTm has John Chavis. He's had like 9 top 10 defenses in the past decade.
- Bama has Saban/Smart. I don't remember last time they fell out of the top 5.
- OM has Joe Lee Wommack. They were elite on a level we haven't seen under Mullen. And they basically only lose a safety.
- Arky. Do I really need to define how good they've been lately?
- Auburn. F'n Muschamp. When was the last time he wasn't an elite DC. And Auburn has stockpiled good talent on that side.
- LSU will spend $1-1.5 mil/yr for their next guy. Whole defense just about was freshmen this year. It's a golden opportunity. They will cherrypick someone.

We're at a ****ing crossroads. Either we want to hang with the Joneses -- or we need to get the **** off the porch.

[Really Clark?]

Yeah but will a name DC ever be allowed to coach? I don't believe he will. Clean Mullen office.

Thank God you have absolutely no influence to our program and if you did no one would listen to a thing you say. Quit talking out of your ass. You fire Mullen right now, you would have to beg to hire someone as good as like a Rick Ray. Maybe we would get lucky and someone like Terry Bowden would interview.

[Really Clark?]

I wasn't saying that to disagree with you -- it just sparked my memory of how the 2nd half was the worst coached half of defensive football I've ever seen from us.

Gotcha

[mstatefan91]

Did I just see I seem it dawg say clean Mullen's office? WTF are you talking about. The man just led us to a 10 win season. Yeah, we lost the f*cking bowl game but put it in perspective...

[I seen it dawg]

Thank God you have absolutely no influence to our program and if you did no one would listen to a thing you say. Quit talking out of your ass. You fire Mullen right now, you would have to beg to hire someone as good as like a Rick Ray. Maybe we would get lucky and someone like Terry Bowden would interview.

We ain't firing his ass. Even though it's as good as it's ever gonna be under him. He better learn ****ing fast and let his coaches coach or 10 wins is an anomaly. Wake up.

[I seen it dawg]

Did I just see I seem it dawg say clean Mullen's office? WTF are you talking about. The man just led us to a 10 win season. Yeah, we lost the f*cking bowl game but put it in perspective...

10 is the cap. Best it's gonna be. An anomaly.

[I seen it dawg]

You force that. We're past the point of playing ****ing games.

- aTm has John Chavis. He's had like 9 top 10 defenses in the past decade.
- Bama has Saban/Smart. I don't remember last time they fell out of the top 5.
- OM has Joe Lee Wommack. Thpey were elite on a level we haven't seen under Mullen. And they basically only lose a safety.
- Arky. Do I really need to define how good they've been lately?
- Auburn. F'n Muschamp. When was the last time he wasn't an elite DC. And Auburn has stockpiled good talent on that side.
- LSU will spend $1-1.5 mil/yr for their next guy. Whole defense just about was freshmen this year. It's a golden opportunity. They will cherrypick someone.

We're at a ****ing crossroads. Either we want to hang with the Joneses -- or we need to get the **** off the porch.

You're gonna make some pussies mad

[mstatefan91]

10 is the cap. Best it's gonna be. An anomaly.

You just said in another thread that you believed we could win NC's at this university, and here you are saying this shit.

Be all in or don't. Just pick something. Damn

[Really Clark?]

We ain't firing his ass. Even though it's as good as it's ever gonna be under him. He better learn ****ing fast and let his coaches coach or 10 wins is an anomaly. Wake up.

Well your the one who said clean his office. You have to freaking crawl before you walk. You don't know the future but I do know there have only been a very few coaches who have taken historically sub-.500 teams to 10 wins as fast or faster than Mullen. It took Oregon two coaches and over 20 years of building to do it. Nearly a decade for Beamer at Va Tech and either of those schools were doing it in the SEC. For all the complaining he has gotten better in several aspects of being a head coach. And he has been building it slow so hopefully it will last.

[I seen it dawg]

You just said in another thread that you believed we could win NC's at this university, and here you are saying this shit.

Be all in or don't. Just pick something. Damn

10 is the cap. With Mullen. We can win a nc here just not with that arrogant I'm smarter than everybody asshole.

[Really Clark?]

10 is the cap. With Mullen. We can win a nc here just not with that arrogant I'm smarter than everybody asshole.

Are you not describing Saban and Urban? Winners of 6 national titles. I think they are pretty much what you are saying Dan is.

[I seen it dawg]

Are you not describing Saban and Urban? Winners of 6 national titles. I think they are pretty much what you are saying Dan is.

Well then I guess that makes them better coaches then huh....you can be an arrogant asshole if you stick with what you do best and keep your ass out of the rest and hire good people and let them do it. Dan wont.

[I seen it dawg]

Are you not describing Saban and Urban? Winners of 6 national titles. I think they are pretty much what you are saying Dan is.

They aren't what Dan is. Putting Dan in the same breath as those guys is blasphemy. He can't scratch their balls.

[Smitty]

Why can we never make an adjustment in-game?

Oh yeah, Dan's ego.. We actually go back to FAILED schemes and ideas to try to prove its not his fault.

[Really Clark?]

Well then I guess that makes them better coaches then huh....you can be an arrogant asshole if you stick with what you do best and keep your ass out of the rest and hire good people and let them do it. Dan wont.

The most important part of being a successful head coach, and make no mistake Dan is successful, is staying true to yourself. You just said that in this post. All good coaches do it but the style is different. Yes he should always try to get better, and he has proven to do that, but he has to stay true to the core person he is. The absurdity of this is you are only looking to blame him for any failure with the defense because he is too involved. If that is true, and I don't think it is, then you have to also agree with the fact he is also responsible for the defense successes. With for half of his tenure here is true. So which is it? You can't bitch about how bad it is because of him without understanding that that logic also means he has also succeeded as well on the defensive side of the ball. He probably does micro- manage. As do a ton of great coaches.

[I seen it dawg]

The most important part of being a successful head coach, and make no mistake Dan is successful, is staying true to yourself. You just said that in this post. All good coaches do it but the style is different. Yes he should always try to get better, and he has proven to do that, but he has to stay true to the core person he is. The absurdity of this is you are only looking to blame him for any failure with the defense because he is too involved. If that is true, and I don't think it is, then you have to also agree with the fact he is also responsible for the defense successes. With for half of his tenure here is true. So which is it? You can't bitch about how bad it is because of him without understanding that that logic also means he has also succeeded as well on the defensive side of the ball. He probably does micro- manage. As do a ton of great coaches.

It's his arrogance that is the problem, and that's his core person. And he needs to self-reflect and make himself a better coach and change. Can't see that other coaches might be damn good coaches and need to be left to do their job.

This whole issue of success is indisputable. We/he have/has been successful. No arguing that. The problem is level of success...is this the best we got? Is it good enough? It's not for me. I'm not sorry that I believe we can win a NC here. And it pisses me off our HC is too arrogant right now to take advantage of this opportunity we have. We may not get another one.

If he puts his arrogance in the trash, makes an inspiring hire to overhaul the defense and allows them to actually do it then we can win the whole damn thing. If not another 10 wins and a good bowl game, which is great for some but short of our potential in this tight window we are in.

I've never said Dan is not a good coach. He's done great things here. I want more than just "remember where we were with Crooms? Isn't this great? Do you want to go back to that?" He can win a NC here. He needs to look in the mirror.

[Really Clark?]

It's his arrogance that is the problem, and that's his core person. And he needs to self-reflect and make himself a better coach and change. Can't see that other coaches might be damn good coaches and need to be left to do their job.

This whole issue of success is indisputable. We/he have/has been successful. No arguing that. The problem is level of success...is this the best we got? Is it good enough? It's not for me. I'm not sorry that I believe we can win a NC here. And it pisses me off our HC is too arrogant right now to take advantage of this opportunity we have. We may not get another one.

If he puts his arrogance in the trash, makes an inspiring hire to overhaul the defense and allows them to actually do it then we can win the whole damn thing. If not another 10 wins and a good bowl game, which is great for some but short of our potential in this tight window we are in.

I've never said Dan is not a good coach. He's done great things here. I want more than just "remember where we were with Crooms? Isn't this great? Do you want to go back to that?" He can win a NC here. He needs to look in the mirror.

I agree we can win a title here. But in the grand scheme of things, coming from our history he has us way ahead of schedule. And neither of us can honestly speak of his arrogance, the amount he has or if it is a problem. We are not a part of the program. But looking at the ones who are, players do not leave because of him. Very low attrition rate. So even if he is arrogant the players love it or at least he overcomes it so far that they are bought in to his program. And that includes the defensive side as well. You are painting him out to be so arrogant and big of an ass that the coaches and team can't stand him. I don't see that. At least not to the degree you are inferring.

[I seen it dawg]

I agree we can win a title here. But in the grand scheme of things, coming from our history he has us way ahead of schedule. And neither of us can honestly speak of his arrogance, the amount he has or if it is a problem. We are not a part of the program. But looking at the ones who are, players do not leave because of him. Very low attrition rate. So even if he is arrogant the players love it or at least he overcomes it so far that they are bought in to his program. And that includes the defensive side as well. You are painting him out to be so arrogant and big of an ass that the coaches and team can't stand him. I don't see that. At least not to the degree you are inferring.

No I'm not. Never said any of that or inferred it. You said that not me. It's his arrogance in his coaching not towards people. Big difference.

[engie]

He needs to look in the mirror, I agree.

But I generally feel like he's done a pretty good job of that in his offseasons here. He "gave up" special teams and took full responsibility for the offense last offseason. It's perfectly logical that he'd do the same and try to take a step back with defense as well. Who he hires and what he says at the time will give good insight on whether or not he intends to do that. He's not going to get an established DC while micromanaging and not letting him do his thing...

[Really Clark?]

No I'm not. Never said any of that or inferred it. You said that not me. It's his arrogance in his coaching not towards people. Big difference.

You said this on this same page "10 is the cap. With Mullen. We can win a nc here just not with that arrogant I'm smarter than everybody asshole." I don't how else to infer you calling someone an asshole.

[I seen it dawg]

You said this on this same page "10 is the cap. With Mullen. We can win a nc here just not with that arrogant I'm smarter than everybody asshole." I don't how else to infer you calling someone an asshole.

True I did. I can see it. But my take on it is the way he handles his coaching not towards people. He may be an asshole to people too I don't know. If he changes from the arrogant asshole coach he is we can win the whole thing, with him, but not the way he is now.

[IMissJack]

One thing seems obvious, the way rankings/championships are done now, once you are out it is hard to keep a team motivated, especially if you had a chance late into the season. In the past, we would have been happy with an 8 win season, and take a great crowd to a lower level bowl that was close to home. This year we lost 3/4 but won 10 freaking games, and I feel pretty down about it. Based on what I saw, we have a long way to go in game preparation and strategy for BIG games. Also, bowls are getting killed by the current system, they just don't mean anything anymore.

[Really Clark?]

True I did. I can see it. But my take on it is the way he handles his coaching not towards people. He may be an asshole to people too I don't know. If he changes from the arrogant asshole coach he is we can win the whole thing, with him, but not the way he is now.

I really think that all of this is more to do with the growth of a program and he is actually ahead of schedule compared to what other historic sub-.500 schools have done. He has faults but has corrected some and some honestly are not as big of a fault as been alleged. We are undergoing growing pains but to rise as we have, in the amount of time we have, there are very very few coaches who have done this. That demands our respect to the job he has done and how he has done it for the vast majority of his tenure. Nobody, including Saban always get it right. His defense got throttled by Oklahoma last year and it won't be the last time for Bama and Saban and it won't be the last time for us either.

[SallyStansbury]

Really Clark? There is also a flaw in your logic, and that is the assumption that Mullen was equally involved with the D throughout the season. To give both credit and fault that would have to be the case.

Another possibility is that at some point around the Kentucky game, Dan began "inflicting himself" on the defensive coaching strategy limiting the aggressiveness of our schemes and play calling. If this were true, then Collins could ask himself "how in the shit am I supposed to do my job if my boss limits my options, themselves bitches at me when we fail?" We might could have covered up for injuries and poor S play by creative blitzing/attacking game plans, but we didn't and we get what we got. Was Mullen to blame as outlined above....who knows? I sure don't. But I believe it to be a possibility given the evidence.

[Really Clark?]

Really Clark? There is also a flaw in your logic, and that is the assumption that Mullen was equally involved with the D throughout the season. To give both credit and fault that would have to be the case.

Another possibility is that at some point around the Kentucky game, Dan began "inflicting himself" on the defensive coaching strategy limiting the aggressiveness of our schemes and play calling. If this were true, then Collins could ask himself "how in the shit am I supposed to do my job if my boss limits my options, themselves bitches at me when we fail?" We might could have covered up for injuries and poor S play by creative blitzing/attacking game plans, but we didn't and we get what we got. Was Mullen to blame as outlined above....who knows? I sure don't. But I believe it to be a possibility given the evidence.

That's not what is being debated. There are several making the case that this has been pretty much during his whole time here. Not just a snap shot of one season. That's the logic I'm using. Not half of a season but half of all of the defenses over the entire 6 years.

[maroonmania]

It's his arrogance that is the problem, and that's his core person. And he needs to self-reflect and make himself a better coach and change. Can't see that other coaches might be damn good coaches and need to be left to do their job.

This whole issue of success is indisputable. We/he have/has been successful. No arguing that. The problem is level of success...is this the best we got? Is it good enough? It's not for me. I'm not sorry that I believe we can win a NC here. And it pisses me off our HC is too arrogant right now to take advantage of this opportunity we have. We may not get another one.

If he puts his arrogance in the trash, makes an inspiring hire to overhaul the defense and allows them to actually do it then we can win the whole damn thing. If not another 10 wins and a good bowl game, which is great for some but short of our potential in this tight window we are in.

I've never said Dan is not a good coach. He's done great things here. I want more than just "remember where we were with Crooms? Isn't this great? Do you want to go back to that?" He can win a NC here. He needs to look in the mirror.

Nobody here is claiming that Mullen is perfect or doesn't have his flaws. But, in all honesty, if Mullen didn't have some flaws we probably wouldn't be able to keep him especially given he has no ties to Mississippi or MSU. So if we brought in the coach that pleased you perfectly he would likely be out the door as soon as he gets here. The only somewhat successful HC out there that would likely come to MSU and stay regardless of other big time offers is Hud and I don't know enough about him on a big stage to know if he would even be as good as Mullen.

[TaleofTwoDogs]

[QUOTE=engie;313889]The good thing about tonight is it has to force change. You hire a name DC here. It's the only way to truly savage it. In hiring a name vs a "one year up-and-comer", you probably get someone that has some balls and will only come here under the supposition of having full control of the defensive playcalling. You get that -- and we can move forward./QUOTE]

But, but I heard through my second cousin that Stricklin wants Mullen to look at a 2nd Asst to the DC at Northwest Middle Iowa College. We strive on diamonds in the rough. ***