Time to Start Gaining Steam....

[ShotgunDawg]

Over the past week, it's easy to see the MSU fan base is disappointed. Not suicidal, not ready to jump ship, not in crisis mode, but disappointed. Disappointed that we were so close to winning the SEC West last year & now, with the best QB & WRs in school history on the team, we sit at 3-2 with two SEC losses & are almost assuredly out of the SEC West picture before our young players could grow up & could get into the groove of the season.

While this feeling is understandable, it's also a sign of how the expectations of this program have grown exponentially over the past 5 years. We've gone from a program that was ecstatic to play in the Gator Bowl to a program that after only 5 games already has numerous posts on it's message boards breaking down next year's roster. This is progress!

With that said, there is still much to accomplish this year & there is hope that this team has a chance to be very very good in the month of November.

Reasons for hope:

- Mullen's hand is being forced. As MSU fans we often complain about how Mullen prefers to play upper class-men over more talented young guys, but with Rufus Warren being injured, Gabe Myles being injured, Kendrick Market being injured, & Shumpert being ineffective, over the next 3 home games, Mullen has no choice but to give Jenkins, Peters, McLaurin, Dear, Williams, & Lee numerous reps. Mullen's hand is being forced & he will have to play these guys no matter how uncomfortable it makes him. In turn, when some of the injured guys begin to get healthy late in the season, the young guys will be that much better & this team has a chance to take off.

- This team in close. One thing that's so disappointing about this season is that we all see flashes. We all see our team run right down the field on LSU, Auburn, & A&M & score with ease when we execute. We all see us practically shut teams out on defense in the second halves of games, only then to see us somehow only end up with 17 points on the score board when it seemed like we had WRs open all night. Things will begin to click. This team is going to figure things out & be dangerous down home stretch.

- LSU's 2007 National Championship team went 12-2. MSU lost 3 regular season games in 1998 and won the West. Is this likely to happen this year? NO, but you absolutely never know.

- Lastly, this team has so much more to accomplish because above all it further establishes MSU as a sustainable winner. If MSU can win 9 or possibly even 8 games this year, it allows the coaching staff to continue to sell recruits on the possibility that they are the one more player that MSU needs to win it all. Winning championships takes some luck along with being good, & MSU has failed to find much luck this year thus far, but if our program continues to put itself in position to win 9 games a year, you are few lucky bounces from being in Atlanta. The more times we win 8 or 9 games, the more likely we will continue to win at that level.

I realize that everyone is disappointed, but this season is still young & there is much to play for. I fully believe that this team has a chance to be very very good in November & that we will be having some fun times in Davis Wade over the next few months. The young players are about to grow before our eyes & become difference makers on the field that take this team to a new level.

We are about to start building towards going on a run to close out this season.

[justwin]

We need to beat Bama THIS year. It's time. Coach Mullen, what are YOU going to do between now and Bama weekend to prepare to win that game? It's the only game that matters anymore this season.

First, Mullen needs to learn how to feature one of our big, powerful RBs and give that RB 18-20+ touches vs Bama. We all know this. Last year, J-Rob got 18 touches for 106yds vs Bama. In 2009, Boobie got 28 touches for 140 yds. In 2010, Vick got 19 for 95. In 2011 - 2013, we had Perk as our feature which didn't work. Except for last year, we never had a complementary passing attack and no coincidence that 2014 was the closest we've been to beating them b/c we could pass and we could feature J-Rob. This year, we have the passing attack and we have the RB talent on the roster, but it needs to be developed over the next two games. Lee & Williams each need 20 carries over the next two games. We will win or lose vs Bama based on how much Mullen starts to play them now.

Second, Coman needs to sit. great kid, terrible ball skills. He has had so many opportunities to make big time plays this year and last and he just can't do it. He just can't. Bryant, Peters, McLaurin...play them til their tongues are dragging. Even if they get beat, they still have the potential to make game changing plays unlike Coman. Coman had multiple chances vs LSU & TXAM to make game changing plays and whiffed.

We have a kicker, we have dynamic special teams, and we have one of the top 4 defenses in the SEC.

[ShotgunDawg]

Coach Mullen, what are YOU going to do between now and Bama weekend to prepare to win that game? It's the only game that matters anymore this season.

Disagree. This isn't 1985 anymore. All the games are important. It's not about beating Bama. It's about beating Ole Miss, Bama, Arkansas, & Kentucky. MSU's program is no longer about beating one team. It's about winning 8-10 games a year.

[/QUOTE]First, Mullen needs to learn how to feature one of our big, powerful RBs and give that RB 18-20+ touches vs Bama. We all know this. Last year, J-Rob got 18 touches for 106yds vs Bama. In 2009, Boobie got 28 touches for 140 yds. In 2010, Vick got 19 for 95. In 2011 - 2013, we had Perk as our feature which didn't work. Except for last year, we never had a complementary passing attack and no coincidence that 2014 was the closest we've been to beating them b/c we could pass and we could feature J-Rob. This year, we have the passing attack and we have the RB talent on the roster, but it needs to be developed over the next two games. Lee & Williams each need 20 carries over the next two games. We will win or lose vs Bama based on how much Mullen starts to play them now.[/QUOTE]

Disagree again. Beating Bama has little to do with how well you run the football. NOBODY RUNS THE FOOTBALL ON THEM. Beating Bama is directly correlated to how many explosive plays you get & how many turnovers you get. You cannot drive the field on them. You must score multiple times on 30 or 40+ yard plays.

[/QUOTE]Second, Coman needs to sit. great kid, terrible ball skills. He has had so many opportunities to make big time plays this year and last and he just can't do it. He just can't. Bryant, Peters, McLaurin...play them til their tongues are dragging. Even if they get beat, they still have the potential to make game changing plays unlike Coman. Coman had multiple chances vs LSU & TXAM to make game changing plays and whiffed.[/QUOTE]

Agree. The next two games should be used to get the young safties ready. I'd rather them make mistakes & the score be closer than to not play them. They are more talented & raise the ceiling of the team.

[justwin]

We've beaten KY seven in a row, about to beat Ark 4 in a row, beat Aub 3 of last 4, beat OM 4 of last 6. Yeah, it's about taking the next step and beating Bama. Don't sell us short. I would wager that we have the best backup QBs in the SEC so winning 8 is the floor.

If you think about the recipe to beat Bama, it usually involves a dynamic big time WR as the wildcard to complement the Running game we need to feature. We have that wildcard in #1. That big WR that Garcia had @ USC, Evans @ TXAM, OM's Paidwell, etc. We have the pieces, we just have to use them.


Disagree. This isn't 1985 anymore. All the games are important. It's not about beating Bama. It's about beating Ole Miss, Bama, Arkansas, & Kentucky. MSU's program is no longer about beating one team. It's about winning 8-10 games a year.

First, Mullen needs to learn how to feature one of our big, powerful RBs and give that RB 18-20+ touches vs Bama. We all know this. Last year, J-Rob got 18 touches for 106yds vs Bama. In 2009, Boobie got 28 touches for 140 yds. In 2010, Vick got 19 for 95. In 2011 - 2013, we had Perk as our feature which didn't work. Except for last year, we never had a complementary passing attack and no coincidence that 2014 was the closest we've been to beating them b/c we could pass and we could feature J-Rob. This year, we have the passing attack and we have the RB talent on the roster, but it needs to be developed over the next two games. Lee & Williams each need 20 carries over the next two games. We will win or lose vs Bama based on how much Mullen starts to play them now.[/QUOTE]

Disagree again. Beating Bama has little to do with how well you run the football. NOBODY RUNS THE FOOTBALL ON THEM. Beating Bama is directly correlated to how many explosive plays you get & how many turnovers you get. You cannot drive the field on them. You must score multiple times on 30 or 40+ yard plays.

[/QUOTE]Second, Coman needs to sit. great kid, terrible ball skills. He has had so many opportunities to make big time plays this year and last and he just can't do it. He just can't. Bryant, Peters, McLaurin...play them til their tongues are dragging. Even if they get beat, they still have the potential to make game changing plays unlike Coman. Coman had multiple chances vs LSU & TXAM to make game changing plays and whiffed.[/QUOTE]

Agree. The next two games should be used to get the young safties ready. I'd rather them make mistakes & the score be closer than to not play them. They are more talented & raise the ceiling of the team.[/QUOTE]

[Tripp McNeely]

I
Disagree. This isn't 1985 anymore. All the games are important. It's not about beating Bama. It's about beating Ole Miss, Bama, Arkansas, & Kentucky. MSU's program is no longer about beating one team. It's about winning 8-10 games a year.

First, Mullen needs to learn how to feature one of our big, powerful RBs and give that RB 18-20+ touches vs Bama. We all know this. Last year, J-Rob got 18 touches for 106yds vs Bama. In 2009, Boobie got 28 touches for 140 yds. In 2010, Vick got 19 for 95. In 2011 - 2013, we had Perk as our feature which didn't work. Except for last year, we never had a complementary passing attack and no coincidence that 2014 was the closest we've been to beating them b/c we could pass and we could feature J-Rob. This year, we have the passing attack and we have the RB talent on the roster, but it needs to be developed over the next two games. Lee & Williams each need 20 carries over the next two games. We will win or lose vs Bama based on how much Mullen starts to play them now.[/QUOTE]

Disagree again. Beating Bama has little to do with how well you run the football. NOBODY RUNS THE FOOTBALL ON THEM. Beating Bama is directly correlated to how many explosive plays you get & how many turnovers you get. You cannot drive the field on them. You must score multiple times on 30 or 40+ yard plays.

[/QUOTE]Second, Coman needs to sit. great kid, terrible ball skills. He has had so many opportunities to make big time plays this year and last and he just can't do it. He just can't. Bryant, Peters, McLaurin...play them til their tongues are dragging. Even if they get beat, they still have the potential to make game changing plays unlike Coman. Coman had multiple chances vs LSU & TXAM to make game changing plays and whiffed.[/QUOTE]

Agree. The next two games should be used to get the young safties ready. I'd rather them make mistakes & the score be closer than to not play them. They are more talented & raise the ceiling of the team.[/QUOTE]

Beating the bears ALWAYS matters!!

[Todd4State]

I agree about Bama. Dan needs to spend these next four games focusing on Alabama like he did LSU last year with the first three games.

The biggest thing that upsets me about Dan is him not giving the younger guys more reps sooner. I do think this team is close and has the potential to win out. I don't know that we will nor do I expect it- but we certainly have the team to do it.

I hope we finish 10-2 and that the dust settles around the country where we have a chance to get into the BCS or at worst a NYD bowl. But again, we have to take care of business and have a LOT of work to do plus we need help from things outside of our control for that to happen.