OK I will go ahead and ask

[Bucky Dog]

Who of you out there that were dog cussing Mullen after Manny and others left, saying he is a jerk and can't keep a staff together and so on, have eaten your crow? All I can say is that Peter Sirmon and our defensive staff, so far, appear to be a nice upgrade. Nice job Dan!

[ShotgunDawg]

Things certainly appear to be going well, but I'll judge them on their production. We'll have to see if they have the ability to make in-game adjustments. Manny was a bad game planner that could make adjustments. Sirmon and co appear to be better coaches, but we don't yet know of their game planning skill or ability to make adjustments.

[Harrydawg]

Well said.....we have turn over but it seems always have upgrades.

Who would trade Diaz for Sirmon right now? How about Townsend for Buckley?

[HancockCountyDog]

Who of you out there that were dog cussing Mullen after Manny and others left, saying he is a jerk and can't keep a staff together and so on, have eaten your crow? All I can say is that Peter Sirmon and our defensive staff, so far, appear to be a nice upgrade. Nice job Dan!

Did I miss a game? Let's see how we look in about five days.

[Bucky Dog]

Did I miss a game? Let's see how we look in about five days.

Hence my words, so far!

[Treemydawg]

Hence my words, so far!

No not your words. You asked if people had eaten their crow yet. We haven't played a game yet hoss.

[Apoplectic]

Who of you out there that were dog cussing Mullen after Manny and others left, saying he is a jerk and can't keep a staff together and so on, have eaten your crow? All I can say is that Peter Sirmon and our defensive staff, so far, appear to be a nice upgrade. Nice job Dan!

So you're predicting a Rose Bowl this year?

[Todd4State]

I was dog cussing because Hevesy, Sallach, and Knox STAYED.

So, maybe you’re confused.

[PassInterference]

I'll get excited about our defensive staff when all of them are still here next year and the next.

[Buliwyf]

Premature emaculation?

[dawgday166]

I was dog cussing because Hevesy, Sallach, and Knox STAYED.

So, maybe you?re confused.

Yes, let's see if Mullen's vaunted (as everyone claims) offense can score more than 17 against good defenses. And let's see if Mullen throws Sirmon under the bus and if Sirmon & company stay for more than 1 year.

[Maroonthirteen]

Yeah, I agree 166.

Diaz leaving for Texas. Understandable.
Mullen hiring Diaz again...head scratching. However it says to me that Mullen didn't have much interest in the job from more qualified candidates.

Diaz leaving for Miami again, understandable but the mistake was hiring him back.

Regardless, if Sirmon leaves after 1 year, we know where the main problem is. With that said, State should keep Mullen as long as he wants to be here.

[coastratdog]

Things certainly appear to be going well, but I'll judge them on their production. We'll have to see if they have the ability to make in-game adjustments. Manny was a bad game planner that could make adjustments. Sirmon and co appear to be better coaches, but we don't yet know of their game planning skill or ability to make adjustments.

Agree 1,000%. Seemed the defense didn't show up until the middle of the second quarter. By that time we were playing catchup.

[FISHDAWG]

so far Sirmon hasn't proven anything

[Duckdog]

Diaz moved to a dumpster fire.

[ShotgunDawg]

Yes, let's see if Mullen's vaunted (as everyone claims) offense can score more than 17 against good defenses.

Ok, if your going to make this statement, you have tell us which defenses fall into the "good" category.

[SallyStansbury]

Yeah, I agree 166.

Diaz leaving for Texas. Understandable.
Mullen hiring Diaz again...head scratching. However it says to me that Mullen didn't have much interest in the job from more qualified candidates.

Diaz leaving for Miami again, understandable but the mistake was hiring him back.

Regardless, if Sirmon leaves after 1 year, we know where the main problem is. With that said, State should keep Mullen as long as he wants to be here.

This is a reasonable and logical post. I agree with all of it.

I am waiting to see if Mullen "turns Sirmon loose". I expect we will see a very similar version of what we have always seen and by that I mean predictably conservative. CB's 8-10 yards off the line of scrimmage (and back pedaling @ the snap) to start the game. DL 3 or 4 no matter, these guys are only allowed to engage the person immediately in front of them, very few stunts, aggressive moves to the QB, etc....Think Kimchee wrecking shit (obviously he was undisciplined at times and teams, including us, took advantage of that towards the end of the year) but for us to be very predictable in the opposite direction allows teams to effectively gut us over the middle. Maybe Mullen trusts Sirmon enough to let him run his Viper 3-4 deal as he sees fit? We will see soon enough.

I hope we don't have to get down 14 to good teams before we "make adjustments" and go for an aggressive look on D? Maybe this year will be different?

All that said, I am pleased with Mullen and 8 wins and the consistency he has brought to our program.

[DownwardDawg]

This sounds like posters every year. We have no idea how he will be. Our fans have had love affairs with our D coordinators but I haven't been impressed by any of them yet. Diaz is the best Mullen has had so far. Collins sucked as bad as Wilson. Diaz was just waiting on a new job this 2nd time around.

[Tripp McNeely]

so far Sirmon hasn't proven anything

He's proven to be a better recruiter

[ShotgunDawg]

He's proven to be a better recruiter

We'll see if he can land Gay & Avery

T Buck has proven to be a better recruiter, not sure about Sirmon

[dawgday166]

Ok, if your going to make this statement, you have tell us which defenses fall into the "good" category.

Well ... not all of these were good defenses last year but ... LSU 21, Aub 17, TAM 17, Bama 6 (with exception of 2014, never more than 10 against Bama), OM 28 (game over at half tho).

2014 - Ark 17, Bama 20, OM 17.

Just saying ... it ain't all the D's fault. Sometimes the D doesn't have a good day. Same can be said for the O.

[ShotgunDawg]

Well ... not all of these were good defenses last year but ... LSU 21, Aub 17, TAM 17, Bama 6 (with exception of 2014, never more than 10 against Bama), OM 28 (game over at half tho).

2014 - Ark 17, Bama 20, OM 17.

Just saying ... it ain't all the D's fault. Sometimes the D doesn't have a good day. Same can be said for the O.

That was last year, but throughout Mullen's tenure at MSU, we've really only had trouble scoring against 1 team & that 1 team is blown up into "Mullen can't score against good defenses."

IMO, 17 points isn't a great offensive output, but it's not being shut down either. Especially when you consider the blown opportunities last year against Texas A&M. We should've scored about 30 in that game. Against Auburn, we went conservative because they couldn't score, & against Ole Miss, we didn't have trouble scoring, it's just that Dak fumbled & threw a pick 6 in the first half.

[Really Clark?]

That was last year, but throughout Mullen's tenure at MSU, we've really only had trouble scoring against 1 team & that 1 team is blown up into "Mullen can't score against good defenses."

IMO, 17 points isn't a great offensive output, but it's not being shut down either. Especially when you consider the blown opportunities last year against Texas A&M. We should've scored about 30 in that game. Against Auburn, we went conservative because they couldn't score, & against Ole Miss, we didn't have trouble scoring, it's just that Dak fumbled & threw a pick 6 in the first half.

We also scored over 30, on the road, in a monsoon, against the second best defense in the league last year.

[Turfdawg67]

Yeah, I agree 166.

Diaz leaving for Texas. Understandable.
Mullen hiring Diaz again...head scratching. However it says to me that Mullen didn't have much interest in the job from more qualified candidates.

Diaz leaving for Miami again, understandable but the mistake was hiring him back.

Regardless, if Sirmon leaves after 1 year, we know where the main problem is. With that said, State should keep Mullen as long as he wants to be here.

More qualified candidates? Like Sirmon?? Ha! That's funny stuff.

[Liverpooldawg]

Just as I don't get the meltdown about the offense before a ball is snapped I also don't get the "defensive upgrade" talk before a ball is snapped. Why don't we wait and see what they actually do first?

[Taog Redloh]

Did I miss a game? Let's see how we look in about five days.

You're the biggest emotional freak show of all.

[dawgday166]

That was last year, but throughout Mullen's tenure at MSU, we've really only had trouble scoring against 1 team & that 1 team is blown up into "Mullen can't score against good defenses."

IMO, 17 points isn't a great offensive output, but it's not being shut down either. Especially when you consider the blown opportunities last year against Texas A&M. We should've scored about 30 in that game. Against Auburn, we went conservative because they couldn't score, & against Ole Miss, we didn't have trouble scoring, it's just that Dak fumbled & threw a pick 6 in the first half.

Doesn't matter to me much but this is what I'm basing my opinion on:

2010 ? Aub 14, LSU 7, FL 10, Bama 10
2011 ? LSU 6, Ga 10, UAB 21, USCe 12, Bama 7, Ark 17
2012 ? Bama 7, TAM 13, Aub 17, OM 24, Northwestern 20
2013 ? Ok St 3, Aub 20, Bowling Green 21, USCe 16, Bama 7, OM 17

By my count I count no less than 4 games each year with 20 or fewer points. This is why I would prefer Mullen not throw DCs (especially pretty decent ones) under the bus.