Alot of people are going to be eating their words regarding MSU football come Nov....

[Goat Holder]

Just saying, you heard it here first. Oh, it will be tough. We may lose to the Pokes right out of the gate, spoiling our opening weekend, and talk will really heat up - "WHENZ MERLINS GONNA WIN DA BIG ONE????!!!!111" and other nonsense. Then, we are going to get on a roll, solidly beating Auburn then knocking off LSU. We'll hit a rough skid with Bama, aTm and Carolina, and the idiots will come out, but then we'll again handle the rebels at home to finish 8-4. If we can knock off Okie State, 9-3. Then you start getting into wishful thinking, possibly beating a haywire aTm team on the road to do even better. I'm sticking with 8-4 though. Tyler has a banner year.

And when we do it, some fans still won't be convinced. They'll say Auburn/LSU/Arkansas/Ole Miss/whoeverwebeat/etc. is 'down', whatever the f*ck that means. It won't completely convince our fans about the Spin Machine, but it'll at least slow the panic landslide down.

We Are Miss Stake.

[blacklistedbully]

I've been saying that for some time. I like our chances against:

OSU
Auburn
Arky
Ole Miss
LSU
UK
to go along with:
Alcorn
Troy
Bowling Green

And I'm cautiously optimistic about TAMU, who could be way down from last year.

I really think the change from Wilson to Collins is going to make a HUGE difference, and I believe Dan is as fed up as the rest of us on the predictable play-calling on offense last year, so will make some adjustments. We are going to play way better this year. I also think Ole Miss is in for a rude awakening, quite possibly starting the season 1-6 and ending with an ass-whooping in Starkville. Lot of people taking Ole Miss as the fashionable dark-horse pick are gonna look pretty foolish.

[CadaverDawg]

Not to be Mr. Negative, but I agree that I will be shocked if we win 8 games. I just pray we can win 6, but I am seeing 5 wins on paper.

[Will James]

I think we lose a game "we should win" like an Auburn or Arky but counter that with a TAMU win. Good chance Mr Football is KTFO by then anyway.

[State82]

Not to be Mr. Negative, but I agree that I will be shocked if we win 8 games. I just pray we can win 6, but I am seeing 5 wins on paper.

Hate to say it, but I'm in this camp. 6 is doable, probably 50/50 shot. 7 would be outstanding. 8 would be COY type stuff.

[Coach34]

There will be no excuse for this team to not win 6 games at a minimum

I'll be disappointed with anything less than 7- we are a talented football team and the multiple players we have up for awards is proof

[CadaverDawg]

There will be no excuse for this team to not win 6 games at a minimum

I'll be disappointed with anything less than 7- we are a talented football team and the multiple players we have up for awards is proof

I agree that we are talented, but until I see our defense play inspired football, and until I see our offense produce against a good team with Russell at QB...I cant predict a bowl game against this schedule. But I admit the talent is there for me to have to eat crow. Hopefully I will.

[hailmari]

I think we have a better shot for a win at USCe than at TA&M.

[msstate7]

I think we have a better shot for a win at USCe than at TA&M.

If we win either one, ill be happy

[KennyPowers2]

Give josh Robinson the rock more often and we will control tempo. I hope someone took a jackhammer to the concrete on Tylers feet. Defense will be inspired and swarm to the ball. I think 7 wins is likely.

[cheat2win]

To ask us to beat ARK in ARK is counting on something that has never happened. To say we should beat LSU is also crazy. Im with Cadaver I see 5 wins 6 at most.

[biscuit]

We win 6 to 8 games and I'm happy with that. 4 straight bowls is sweet.

[Coach34]

To ask us to beat ARK in ARK is counting on something that has never happened.

What about the fact that a UPig coach in his 1st season hasnt ever beaten State? Since that has never happened, I think that's too much to ask as well

[mathistondawg]

RIGHT now I see winning every game . Until the horn goes off and we are outscored that is where I stand. I have never seen a team go into a season looking down the schedule saying well we got this one but gonna lose that one and so on and so forth. I cant understand why people pick us to lose just for the sake of I told you so.

[Homedawg]

I've been saying that for some time. I like our chances against:

OSU
Auburn
Arky
Ole Miss
LSU
UK
to go along with:
Alcorn
Troy
Bowling Green

And I'm cautiously optimistic about TAMU, who could be way down from last year.

I really think the change from Wilson to Collins is going to make a HUGE difference, and I believe Dan is as fed up as the rest of us on the predictable play-calling on offense last year, so will make some adjustments. We are going to play way better this year. I also think Ole Miss is in for a rude awakening, quite possibly starting the season 1-6 and ending with an ass-whooping in Starkville. Lot of people taking Ole Miss as the fashionable dark-horse pick are gonna look pretty foolish.

I agree w u about the lsu part. However, put me on the record that we will get shit kicked in college station.

[CadaverDawg]

RIGHT now I see winning every game . Until the horn goes off and we are outscored that is where I stand. I have never seen a team go into a season looking down the schedule saying well we got this one but gonna lose that one and so on and so forth. I cant understand why people pick us to lose just for the sake of I told you so.

We're not on the team.

And another thing....aren't all "prediction threads" for I told you so purposes? Is everyone not trying to predict how we end up? In your world, would a prediction thread be 500 people saying 12-0? Maybe we should just predict how bad we will beat each team.....would that be acceptable to you?

[Pollodawg]

8-5

Wins over:

OSU
Alcorn
BG
Troy
UK
AU
OM

Liberty Bowl win over CUSA team.

[Raytoraid83]

Liberty bowl no longer has SEC teams

[Pollodawg]

Liberty bowl no longer has SEC teams


lol. I forgot about that. Don't I look stupid. Lemme see. What is another lower tier bowl that we will slide into? Possibly Birmingham.

[RichardHarrow]

RIGHT now I see winning every game . Until the horn goes off and we are outscored that is where I stand. I have never seen a team go into a season looking down the schedule saying well we got this one but gonna lose that one and so on and so forth. I cant understand why people pick us to lose just for the sake of I told you so.

I like your optimism, but some of us are realist. I'm sure there is a New Mexico State fan out there that wants to see his team go undefeated, but it's not going to happen. We can't wish our team to a national championship. Can we beat bama? sure we can, if the stars align properly, the likelihood of that is quite small, but not impossible, that's why we play the game.

Every year we say "this is the year we beat LSU." This year we have as good of a shot as any, especially having them at home and their team being young. I'd love to see that more than anyone, but the realist in me says we go 6-6. Anything less than that will be a huge disappointment, anything more than that and I'll be doing back flips through the drill field

[WeWillScrewItUp]

I feel confident that we win 6 with the possibility of winning 9 if we get to firing on all cylinders at the right time.

[hometowndawg]

I'm like most people in this thread. I'm thinking 5 and praying for 6. This years team will have much more chemistry now that J-Banks is gone. I know yall have heard stories of how he was a bad teammate. I look for MSU to be good in the 2014 and 2015 seasons

[Coach 57]

Guys our front 7 will be one of the best in the conference.....BOOK IT! I couldn't give a crap who rates what I know what we have and these kids have a serious opportunity to be one of the best front 7s MSU has ever had but the back half of the defense is going to be the key down the stretch. Nikoe was so inconsistent last year and part of it was due to him not understanding the coverages. He is a special player and used properly we will see that but there is room to grow some wool IF (BIG IF) the defense starts to get some swag. I really can we the D playing very well though. But we lost games we SHOULD'VE won because of the other side of the ball. Whether it was turnovers, not being consistent or whatever. Offensively we MUST do a better job.

[Goat Holder]

But we lost games we SHOULD'VE won because of the other side of the ball. Whether it was turnovers, not being consistent or whatever. Offensively we MUST do a better job.

Coach57 we agree again. I think it's very important to understand the context of what went wrong last year. In the Ole Miss and Northwestern games, I think we can all agree that the offense failed us those two games, especially compared to what we'd done all year long. But it doesn't excuse the defense for failing us ALL YEAR, including those two games. To finish 8-4 or 9-3, our offense definitely has to play better. But to take the next step and beat the big boys, our defense has to shore up all its holes.

My dad told me during the Egg Bowl, "you knew this was going to be a shoot-out and we'd have to out-score them". Yes, that's true, but that doesn't resolve the defense of guilt just because it was expected of them to suck.

[Coach 57]

@Richard Harrow- don't let last year's LSU score fool you. We were literally about to take momentum from them in the redzone with a score. They only had 41yds of offense than we did in that game and it was in Baton Rouge. Our defense gave up more yds Vs Troy than they did Vs LSU. And to cap that off look at how well we have played them in Starkville since Mullen has been here. 09' we REALLY beat them (Dixon broke the plain on 2nd & GL) & then in 11' we kept getting FGs instead of TDs. In 09' the final was 26-30 and we had 0 QBs? And in 11' it was 6-19. There is room for optimistic behavior for the LSU game because it is at home. I'm not saying we'll win 8 games or nothing but I'm saying we have a better chance of winning Vs them than most think.

[sandwolf]

This years team will have much more chemistry now that J-Banks is gone. I know yall have heard stories of how he was a bad teammate.

Am I the only one who has not heard this?

[Coach34]

Am I the only one who has not heard this?

I wouldnt say Banks was a bad teammate- there was some discord between him and Wilson that blew up later in the season.

[SignalToNoise]

I wouldnt say Banks was a bad teammate- there was some discord between him and Wilson that blew up later in the season.

I haven't heard ever heard this before. Anyone wanna share what they heard?

[fishwater99]

Just saying, you heard it here first. Oh, it will be tough. We may lose to the Pokes right out of the gate, spoiling our opening weekend, and talk will really heat up - "WHENZ MERLINS GONNA WIN DA BIG ONE????!!!!111" and other nonsense. Then, we are going to get on a roll, solidly beating Auburn then knocking off LSU. We'll hit a rough skid with Bama, aTm and Carolina, and the idiots will come out, but then we'll again handle the rebels at home to finish 8-4. If we can knock off Okie State, 9-3. Then you start getting into wishful thinking, possibly beating a haywire aTm team on the road to do even better. I'm sticking with 8-4 though. Tyler has a banner year.

And when we do it, some fans still won't be convinced. They'll say Auburn/LSU/Arkansas/Ole Miss/whoeverwebeat/etc. is 'down', whatever the f*ck that means. It won't completely convince our fans about the Spin Machine, but it'll at least slow the panic landslide down.

We Are Miss Stake.

Until I see some major changes on the offensive side of the ball, no way we win 8 or 9 games.
If Mullen doesn't put Tyler under center and/or add a blocking TE or FB, I can't see more than 6 wins this year.

[maroonmania]

I'm like most people in this thread. I'm thinking 5 and praying for 6. This years team will have much more chemistry now that J-Banks is gone. I know yall have heard stories of how he was a bad teammate. I look for MSU to be good in the 2014 and 2015 seasons

Actually, I read a lot of message boards and I have NEVER heard that before regarding Banks. Care to elaborate?

[maroonmania]

I wouldnt say Banks was a bad teammate- there was some discord between him and Wilson that blew up later in the season.

"Bad teammate" would tend to suggest issues with teammates, not coaches.

[sandwolf]

Actually, I read a lot of message boards and I have NEVER heard that before regarding Banks. Care to elaborate?

Yea, I am in the same boat.

[Raytoraid83]

I had a friend on the team that said banks was by far the biggest prick on the team, never went into specific details about it though, just felt like he was above everyone else.

[The Croom Diaries]

I think the Banks thing stems from him having a major problem with Wilson's game plan vs. Bama and that led to the piss poor effort we showed vs. A&M and then carried throughout the end of the year to a degree.

[Coach34]

I think the Banks thing stems from him having a major problem with Wilson's game plan vs. Bama and that led to the piss poor effort we showed vs. A&M and then carried throughout the end of the year to a degree.

This

Banks and Wilson had a shouting match supposedly after the Bama game- and things just kinda sucked the rest of the season. That's why Collins was given the job for the bowl game. Mullen had seen enough

[The Croom Diaries]

I had a friend on the team that said banks was by far the biggest prick on the team, never went into specific details about it though, just felt like he was above everyone else.

I have heard this as well. And I've heard Bump just kept his head down and focused all year- no media or anything. That's not a bad thing necessarily but when your a senior and should be a leader it kind of sucks.

[Coach 57]

Ok......enough time has passed for me to tell what I know about the in fighting.

1st- the reason Quay didn't play more had nothing to do with him not being "ready" or "able" to play. Apparently Quay and Wilson had it out many times and (from all the accounts of this tale that I have heard) alot of it was because of Cherri. Mullen allows the Srs to push the underclassman (which with THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP isn't a bad thing been there done that). Banks was by far the most mouthy (imagine that or see the pic of him literally pushing Nick through a sprint). Cherri was on Quay early on in the yr and Quay apparently didn't like the fact that when Wilson was around Cherri would run his mouth BUT during lift sessions Cherri didn't (on this particular day) or wouldn't finish his sessions. So they start fighting in line. Wilson gets ticked off and jumps in Quay's face about listening to leaders. Quay (now super angry and difficult to cool down) says something dumb and he & Wilson get into it as well.

Do I believe the "story"???? Parts of it........yes. But one thing DOES make the story have legs. Quay didn't play even though he was more dominant than any 2-3 tech we had and even against Bama & LSU he looked really good. And two......didn't Wilson lose his job?


Another story is that Mullen lit into Wilson after his D gave up almost 700yds of offense Vs aTm. And it (I know this story to be more accurate) was BRUTAL! And Mullen did it in front of players (sign of either 1) a young coach or 2) a power hungry coach either one is REALLY bad). After halftime of the Egg Bowl Wilson chose to take a shot at Mullen's "offensive production". That part is pretty spot on.....the next one take it for what it is possibly a little far fetched but knowing what we know about Mullen....it might not be... So here goes. They physically had to be separated. And then after the game Wilson told the team he was leaving. Mullen gave the play falling duties to Collins.


Look, I don't know about the fighting stuff, but there definitely was something going on with the team last year and it started after the aTm game. Banks I know for sure was a cocky kid. But aren't most corners? Every one I have coached are.

[The Croom Diaries]

All year last year we talked about how they were sleepwalking through the season. They got up for the Auburn and UT games when they needed to and did just enough at Kentucky, but there was not a lot of fire in that team and I didn't see much leadership either. It doesn't surprise me a bit about in-fighting and disagreements. Just seeing Cam Lawrence as the only one playing hard vs. A&M was pretty telling. A lot of our season really depends on how much positive leadership we have this year. I think that is the biggest intangible for us.

[Goat Holder]

Well consider this:

1) Wilson is gone. We all knew there was a problem here.
2) Tyler Russell is an unquestioned leader. So freaking important too that he is a QB.
3) Other Senior leaders: Jackson, Autry, Harrison-Gay, Perkins, Holley, Siddoway, Skinner, Whitley.
4) Huge Junior class that are developing into leaders. Many of them are fourth year players.

We are stacked.

[CadaverDawg]

Anybody notice the ONE constant in every argument or disagreement? WILSON. Thank God he is gone. David Turner is a guy that seems to just demand respect and he seems very likeable....and Collins seems like a players coach. So hopefully all of that bull shit is over with this year.

And what the **** is any coach thinking putting a guy out there just because he is a Senior? I hate that shit. You put your best players out there, and if one is creating a problem off the field, you call him in your office and straighten it out where it doesn't end up hurting the team. All of that public show of bull shit by Wilson would have pissed me off too if I were Mullen. And Banks may have had an attitude, but he was right on the money to question Wilson after the Bama game. Banks was a Senior and wanted to win....Wilson's awful assed gameplan prevented that from even being a possibility in that game.

[Goat Holder]

I think Mullen has more than proven that he allows his assistants to coach, especially on defense (Torbush anyone?).

[FISHDAWG]

it'a a tough call but usually the head coach HAS to back his assistant in front of a player ... kinda like a judge in traffic court when the cop writes a ridiculous ticket ... but afterwards an understanding needs to take place - but a big contributing factor is the emotion is still running high - message board bitching was at an all time high right after that game

[Goat Holder]

Agreed. And it was all about effort/preparation. Something was wrong inside the team in 2011 and 2012. We had some talent, but they just didn't deal with the success very well. Obviously Wilson didn't coach very well either, but I think that was a little hidden in 2011 by Fletcher Cox. Sort of like how Tebow hid Addazzio's deficiencies in 2009 at Florida after Mullen left. Even then, their offense looked out of sync, like our D did the past 2 years.

Some mistakes were made, but I believe this 2013 team will make us forget them and move past it.

[War Machine Dawg]

Anybody notice the ONE constant in every argument or disagreement? WILSON. Thank God he is gone. David Turner is a guy that seems to just demand respect and he seems very likeable....and Collins seems like a players coach. So hopefully all of that bull shit is over with this year.

And what the **** is any coach thinking putting a guy out there just because he is a Senior? I hate that shit. You put your best players out there, and if one is creating a problem off the field, you call him in your office and straighten it out where it doesn't end up hurting the team. All of that public show of bull shit by Wilson would have pissed me off too if I were Mullen. And Banks may have had an attitude, but he was right on the money to question Wilson after the Bama game. Banks was a Senior and wanted to win....Wilson's awful assed gameplan prevented that from even being a possibility in that game.

As I've said before......Name the last time MSU hired away a good coach from an Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, etc. It just doesn't happen. You can say we were giving him more money/a promotion if you want, but if OU was really that worried about losing him, they could have paid up to keep him. Until we significantly improve salaries, color me skeptical of anyone we "hire away" from the big boys. Our best bet is taking chances on good young up-and-comers like Hud, Manny, Collins, and Townsend. Or hiring solid vets with smaller schools or leaving with recently fired staffs like Turner.

[engie]

Someone just tell me what the hell we changed in the second half of the MTSU game? That was the ONLY example of the season where we brought the heat and our defense looked like it should...

[dickiedawg]

Liberty bowl no longer has SEC teams

Uh... What? Can't find any evidence of this being true.

[Coach34]

Someone just tell me what the hell we changed in the second half of the MTSU game? That was the ONLY example of the season where we brought the heat and our defense looked like it should...

I wondered that myself 100 times since that game

[bluelightstar]

Uh... What? Can't find any evidence of this being true.

If I understood last season correctly, that was only last year (or years where the SEC doesn't have enough bowl-eligible teams). If the SEC is out of bowl-eligible teams, it alternates between the Liberty and the Compass as to who gets to pick that last team. Last year, it was the Compass. If the SEC doesn't have enough this year, the Liberty gets the pick.

Or at least that's what I think I remember.

[dickiedawg]

If I understood last season correctly, that was only last year (or years where the SEC doesn't have enough bowl-eligible teams). If the SEC is out of bowl-eligible teams, it alternates between the Liberty and the Compass as to who gets to pick that last team. Last year, it was the Compass. If the SEC doesn't have enough this year, the Liberty gets the pick.

Or at least that's what I think I remember.

Accurate to my recollection as well.

[Saltydog]

than Ladarius he's the kinda guy that can wear on a defense in the second half because he's so hard to bring down.