Dans weekly presser.... and we do talk injuries now, or maybe he just hated B Locke.

[Leroy Jenkins]

"Want to be balanced run pass."
"We need to play more players as a whole, rotating on offense and defense."
"No RB has stepped up."
"We need more pass rush... get the QB to throw us the ball."
"Strain"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC-1qfZlh3E

[starkvegasdawg]

"We need to play more players as a whole, rotating on offence and defense."]

Well 17.

[Coach34]

We need to do alot of things

[Leroy Jenkins]

We need to do alot of things

But mostly S T R A I N.

http://www.elitedawgs.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1545&d=1443931367

[gravedigger]

Well ill be happy if we can just balance the run and pass. For crying out loud that is the object of the game. Nobody who is successfull in this conference has ever done anything other than what was done before.

I just hope we learned our lesson to never let what happened at auburn get in the way of our real goal: being the running msu team we are expected to be.

[Liverpooldawg]

We balanced it very well Saturday.

[mic]

Even his pressers are getting to be Vanilla ....

[Thick]

Let me add to that:

We need our OC and DC to step up!
Blitz more, from different positions off the corners and in the middle.
Better play calling. Playmakers can't make plays if they don't touch the ball but 2-3 times
Play the freshmen....a lot.

[Lumpy Chucklelips]

This is unfolding to be a very, very frustrating season.

[msstate7]

This is unfolding to be a very, very frustrating season.

Its gonna get better

[Thick]

I think you are right, but the next 3 weeks we better be coming together big time for the stretch in November.

[War Machine Dawg]

Its gonna get better

How do you figure? We have 2-3 teams left with a pulse: Bama, Northern Miss (maybe), Mizzou (maybe). The rest are either OOC pansies or bad teams we're supposed to beat. I could easily see us going 1-2 in those 3 games. Beating all the bad teams and losing to all the teams that are even semi-competent = 2012 all over aGAIN. And isn't the consensus around here that 2012 wasn't a good season?

At some point, Mullen has to unpucker his asshole and take some chances. That means playing freshmen, coaching to win, all the things we've discussed here at length. If he doesn't, we'll finish 7-5 or 8-4 with a team that could've easily been 10-2 or 11-1.

[War Machine Dawg]

"Want to be balanced run pass."
"We need to play more players as a whole, rotating on offense and defense."
"No RB has stepped up."
"We need more pass rush... get the QB to throw us the ball."
"Strain"

Hard to step up when you barely touch the ball and Concrete Shoes gets the bulk of the carries. Sounds like A-Train is officially in the doghouse for the fumble. In other words, MULEn is gonna keep being a stubborn ass about Concrete Shoes and not playing freshmen.

[thunderclap]

We are playing too tight, coaching too tight. We are just a month early this year.

[CadaverDawg]

Anybody else sick to damn death of "strain" already?

When I hear "strain", I think of this....

https://thebasementdweller.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dan_mullen_medium.jpg

"Strain" is about as bad as "Take a Stand"

[Treemydawg]

" take a stand" " take a shit" they both involve some strain to an extent.

[Coach007]

Well ill be happy if we can just balance the run and pass. For crying out loud that is the object of the game. Nobody who is successfull in this conference has ever done anything other than what was done before.

I just hope we learned our lesson to never let what happened at auburn get in the way of our real goal: being the running msu team we are expected to be.



He is simply stating the truth. You have to be balanced. We will not win on just pass only. Ask any team from tamu, to auburn, to ole miss. We have to be balanced and we have to find and encourage it.

[BulldogBear]

Anybody else sick to damn death of "strain" already?

When I hear "strain", I think of this....

https://thebasementdweller.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dan_mullen_medium.jpg

"Strain" is about as bad as "Take a Stand"

So, I guess it's good that somehow or other I have missed knowing WT17 "strain" even is... although I've seen y'all mention it

[War Machine Dawg]

Anybody else sick to damn death of "strain" already?

When I hear "strain", I think of this....

https://thebasementdweller.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/dan_mullen_medium.jpg

"Strain" is about as bad as "Take a Stand"

Hell yes I'm sick of it. It's just plain damn dumb. Considering how we're playing, it makes me think of trying to get out that last stubborn turd when you're trying to take a shit.

[Liverpooldawg]

You guys are becoming caricatures of yourselves, lol.

[BoomBoom]

He is simply stating the truth. You have to be balanced. We will not win on just pass only. Ask any team from tamu, to auburn, to ole miss. We have to be balanced and we have to find and encourage it.

If LSU had tried to be balanced, we'd have beaten them.

[War Machine Dawg]

If LSU had tried to be balanced, we'd have beaten them.

Balance isn't 50/50. Balance is being able to run and pass well enough to keep the D honest. For example, we were roughly a 60 run/40 pass team last season when we were at our best. No one was saying "we need to pass more/better" back then because we were making big plays and keeping the D off the run. Same thing applies to LSU. They're doing enough passing to keep the D from being able to totally key on LF7 and the other RBs. So yes, they are "balanced" in the context of what it means.

[Really Clark?]

Balance isn't 50/50. Balance is being able to run and pass well enough to keep the D honest. For example, we were roughly a 60 run/40 pass team last season when we were at our best. No one was saying "we need to pass more/better" back then because we were making big plays and keeping the D off the run. Same thing applies to LSU. They're doing enough passing to keep the D from being able to totally key on LF7 and the other RBs. So yes, they are "balanced" in the context of what it means.

That's exactly right. And to take it even further, if you have to be somewhat unbalanced, you can still be very successful in this league being run heavy. Just have to be efficient throwing the ball. No true pass happy team has won the league since Spurrier's Florida teams. And even with him some of his better teams (the national title team for one actually avg more rushes per game than throwing) were getting over 150 yards per game rushing and the splits were closer to 50/50 than what people think. But he definitely used the passing attack to set up the running. And he had seasons that he won the league throwing closer to 60/40.

[BoomBoom]

Balance isn't 50/50. Balance is being able to run and pass well enough to keep the D honest. For example, we were roughly a 60 run/40 pass team last season when we were at our best. No one was saying "we need to pass more/better" back then because we were making big plays and keeping the D off the run. Same thing applies to LSU. They're doing enough passing to keep the D from being able to totally key on LF7 and the other RBs. So yes, they are "balanced" in the context of what it means.

So why does "balanced" mean run more when the D is already playing to stop the.run? Why doesnt it mean keep.throwing it until they stop spying Dak?

[I seen it dawg]

He said last week that they don't talk about balance at all and just go with flow of the game. **** that guy.

[Todd4State]

How do you figure? We have 2-3 teams left with a pulse: Bama, Northern Miss (maybe), Mizzou (maybe). The rest are either OOC pansies or bad teams we're supposed to beat. I could easily see us going 1-2 in those 3 games. Beating all the bad teams and losing to all the teams that are even semi-competent = 2012 all over aGAIN. And isn't the consensus around here that 2012 wasn't a good season?

At some point, Mullen has to unpucker his asshole and take some chances. That means playing freshmen, coaching to win, all the things we've discussed here at length. If he doesn't, we'll finish 7-5 or 8-4 with a team that could've easily been 10-2 or 11-1.

I'm not sold on Mizzou. They have statistically the worst offense in the SEC and have lost to Kentucky- and they have Florida and Georgia coming up. They do have the best defense in the SEC statistically but their opponents have been SEMO State, UConn, Arkansas State, Kentucky, and South Carolina. These next two weeks should tell us how good they are.

[BossDawg]

How do you figure? We have 2-3 teams left with a pulse: Bama, Northern Miss (maybe), Mizzou (maybe).

Don't forget KY. I know they're a team we're "supposed" to beat but they worry me. You know how Mullen lets teams like that hang around, and they are just good enough to MAYBE pull out a win, IMO.

[Todd4State]

Don't forget KY. I know they're a team we're supposed to beat but they worry me. You know how Mullen lets teams like that hang around, and they are just good enough to MAYBE pull out a win, IMO.

Why? They almost lost to Eastern Kentucky and we play them at home. Even when we play UK sloppy- which is usually the case we still beat them by two scores.

[War Machine Dawg]

I'm not sold on Mizzou. They have statistically the worst offense in the SEC and have lost to Kentucky- and they have Florida and Georgia coming up. They do have the best defense in the SEC statistically but their opponents have been SEMO State, UConn, Arkansas State, Kentucky, and South Carolina. These next two weeks should tell us how good they are.

That's why I put them as a (maybe). Just depends on how they rally with Lock at QB. They could be really tough or be totally out of it. Same goes for Northern Miss. If they lose to LSU and aTm, maybe even Memphis, they're mercs will be ready to quit. We'll just have to see how it plays out.

The biggest problem is Dan & Co actually getting our shit fixed. If they don't do that, it's all irrelevant.

[War Machine Dawg]

Don't forget KY. I know they're a team we're "supposed" to beat but they worry me. You know how Mullen lets teams like that hang around, and they are just good enough to MAYBE pull out a win, IMO.


Why? They almost lost to Eastern Kentucky and we play them at home. Even when we play UK sloppy- which is usually the case we still beat them by two scores.

Yep. I expect them to play us way closer than they should, just because they always do. And because I really am beginning to believe there is something to the "rivalry" aspect for them, in the same way it is for us and Bama. We claim Bama as a rival, but they don't claim us and beat us the majority of the time. Same goes for us and UK, with us playing the Bama role. And I still think we probably pull away for a 10 or more point win late.

[Todd4State]

That's why I put them as a (maybe). Just depends on how they rally with Lock at QB. They could be really tough or be totally out of it. Same goes for Northern Miss. If they lose to LSU and aTm, maybe even Memphis, they're mercs will be ready to quit. We'll just have to see how it plays out.

The biggest problem is Dan & Co actually getting our shit fixed. If they don't do that, it's all irrelevant.

I totally agree. With us it basically all boils down to finding a running back and maybe throwing the ball deeper more. I'm hopeful that we can find one whether it's Dear, Lee, or Williams.

[Coach 57]

So why does "balanced" mean run more when the D is already playing to stop the.run? Why doesnt it mean keep.throwing it until they stop spying Dak?

This is why we are coming out throwing the ball. Defenses have figured out CDM's scheme. We have two options.

1.) We can continue to throw to set up the run. But we are going to have to stretch the field! In order for this to work we must be willing to go down the field DEEPER! (i.e verts, posts, sluggo's, or back shoulders). As I have said before, we have the kids to do this. The issue is will Dak have the time and even when he does will these ACTUALLY BE CALLED?

2.) Or we can attack what they are showing via the run. We can go heavy or we can scheme to attack via using the option (speed options, counters, zone reads, zone stretches, power options).


I believe CDM will use the latter to try to combat this look. And it can be successful, but in order for this to work we are going to need everybody doing their jobs. And so far this hasn't been the case.

[Dawgface]

Don't forget KY. I know they're a team we're "supposed" to beat but they worry me. You know how Mullen lets teams like that hang around, and they are just good enough to MAYBE pull out a win, IMO.

Don't forget La Tech. They always give us a tough game. They played KSU well this year losing by 6. We should win, but if we just go through the motions they could bite us.

[Dawgface]

Why? They almost lost to Eastern Kentucky and we play them at home. Even when we play UK sloppy- which is usually the case we still beat them by two scores.

I hope Mullen has a better memory than yours. In 2013 we won 28-22 at DW stadium.

[BB30]

Well ill be happy if we can just balance the run and pass. For crying out loud that is the object of the game. Nobody who is successfull in this conference has ever done anything other than what was done before.

I just hope we learned our lesson to never let what happened at auburn get in the way of our real goal: being the running msu team we are expected to be.

I agree to an extent but I hope we don't try to play balanced just for the sake of saying we were balanced. If we can run the ball like we did against TAMU or hopefully better I'm all for it. If we struggle to run the ball even with the young guys then we are in a little trouble.

[blacklistedbully]

This is why we are coming out throwing the ball. Defenses have figured out CDM's scheme. We have two options.

1.) We can continue to throw to set up the run. But we are going to have to stretch the field! In order for this to work we must be willing to go down the field DEEPER! (i.e verts, posts, sluggo's, or back shoulders). As I have said before, we have the kids to do this. The issue is will Dak have the time and even when he does will these ACTUALLY BE CALLED?

2.) Or we can attack what they are showing via the run. We can go heavy or we can scheme to attack via using the option (speed options, counters, zone reads, zone stretches, power options).


I believe CDM will use the latter to try to combat this look. And it can be successful, but in order for this to work we are going to need everybody doing their jobs. And so far this hasn't been the case.

Good post.

[blacklistedbully]

Well ill be happy if we can just balance the run and pass. For crying out loud that is the object of the game. Nobody who is successfull in this conference has ever done anything other than what was done before.

I just hope we learned our lesson to never let what happened at auburn get in the way of our real goal: being the running msu team we are expected to be.

No, the object of the game is to win. You are arguing methods or tactics, and those are often initially determined by examining relative strengths and weaknesses of a given opponent, then adjusted depending on what is actually happening in the game.

Sometimes it's a choice of, "sticking with what we do well" regardless of the other team, sometimes it's basing strategy on what the other team does, and often it's something in-between. Any option-based offense is at least in part reacting to what the defense is doing or giving.

Clearly, in our offense Dan gets our guys in formation, tries to look for, "tells", then gives the ultimate call to Dak. But we also give Dak the opportunity to change the play based on what the defense does, perhaps based on how they respond to motion, perhaps based on how the safeties, align etc. If the defense is consistently giving us a look that shows they are gearing up to stop the run, we have the skill-position players to make a pass play the correct call.

As far as, "balance" goes, advocating more read-option-run plays is a lot less effective for us if our RB is not much of a running threat and the defense can favor stopping the QB run. While "balance" can be a very good thing if our team is an effective threat in both departments, as it makes it harder for the defense to try to take away one aspect of our offense, just being balanced in the play-calling does not achieve this. Being an actual threat in both areas does.

For our current offense to be a real running threat, I suspect the coaches feel we have to make the defense more, "honest" in their sets. If their defensive scheme on any given play gives us a better chance of success by passing, then Dan will probably pass, regardless of balance.

All this said, if we can get an RB to step up (assuming Dan will play him), thus making our read-option running a legit threat (and it isn't if Dak is the only effective runner), then we can more readily actually capitalize on having more balance.

At least this is my opinion.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

How do you figure? We have 2-3 teams left with a pulse: Bama, Northern Miss (maybe), Mizzou (maybe). The rest are either OOC pansies or bad teams we're supposed to beat. I could easily see us going 1-2 in those 3 games. Beating all the bad teams and losing to all the teams that are even semi-competent = 2012 all over aGAIN. And isn't the consensus around here that 2012 wasn't a good season?

At some point, Mullen has to unpucker his asshole and take some chances. That means playing freshmen, coaching to win, all the things we've discussed here at length. If he doesn't, we'll finish 7-5 or 8-4 with a team that could've easily been 10-2 or 11-1.

I think this is where my main frustration is coming from. Coming off last year's season and entering this season with our best QB in history, we thought the SEC West was ripe for us to have another shot at it. Every team had question marks, especially at QB, and we bought into the idea that we wouldn't fall back any after losing several starters. I would've guessed that in this position, Mullen would have been aggressive and thrown everything including the kitchen sink at making a run a the title, but it seems like we're playing more not to lose than to take advantage of a good/great QB and be explosive.

[sleepy dawg]

No, the object of the game is to win. You are arguing methods or tactics, and those are often initially determined by examining relative strengths and weaknesses of a given opponent, then adjusted depending on what is actually happening in the game.

Sometimes it's a choice of, "sticking with what we do well" regardless of the other team, sometimes it's basing strategy on what the other team does, and often it's something in-between. Any option-based offense is at least in part reacting to what the defense is doing or giving.

Clearly, in our offense Dan gets our guys in formation, tries to look for, "tells", then gives the ultimate call to Dak. But we also give Dak the opportunity to change the play based on what the defense does, perhaps based on how they respond to motion, perhaps based on how the safeties, align etc. If the defense is consistently giving us a look that shows they are gearing up to stop the run, we have the skill-position players to make a pass play the correct call.

As far as, "balance" goes, advocating more read-option-run plays is a lot less effective for us if our RB is not much of a running threat and the defense can favor stopping the QB run. While "balance" can be a very good thing if our team is an effective threat in both departments, as it makes it harder for the defense to try to take away one aspect of our offense, just being balanced in the play-calling does not achieve this. Being an actual threat in both areas does.

For our current offense to be a real running threat, I suspect the coaches feel we have to make the defense more, "honest" in their sets. If their defensive scheme on any given play gives us a better chance of success by passing, then Dan will probably pass, regardless of balance.

All this said, if we can get an RB to step up (assuming Dan will play him), thus making our read-option running a legit threat (and it isn't if Dak is the only effective runner), then we can more readily actually capitalize on having more balance.

At least this is my opinion.

The fact that anyone said anything said anything other than this is absurd... As long as we're balanced, it's basically a win, b/c that is the object, after all.