Is Dan just burnt out?

[Tbonewannabe]

It can happen in any job. I have been there myself. He just looks burnt out. It is one of the things that makes Saban so impressive is he still seems to have the same intensity. Some people it takes a year off or having a down year that kicks you in the balls. Whatever it is, Dan needs to decide if he wants to dedicate himself to the level it takes to be successful in the SEC. He could probably half ass it somewhere else and get by, see his kids more, not work as hard but he also won't make $4M per year.

Recruiting has picked up due to the new hires on the defensive side but honestly how long can we expect to keep them? Mullen has a track record of running off defensive coaches, it is what it is.

[Coastdog28]

Was it Dan or somebody else that said that the max coaching tenure is typically 10 years? I recall somebody saying this a few years back but am not sure if it was him.

[MadDawg]

I don't think so. And I realize I am in a very small minority. But I don't get my info from watching a zoom-in on the coach after a missed FG loses a game. And I don't get it from call-in shows. And I don't get it from watching a press conference on my phone. I've talked to coaches, players, managers and trainers and they ALL tell me they laugh when they hear that.

[fishwater99]

We are stuck with his ass until we fire him after next season. Enjoy it..
I was in school back in 1988 and this season looks to have the same ending.

[Coastdog28]

Not really sure how you could get burned out making $4M a year...

[WinningIsRelentless]

He is pissed off that strick has allowed the cigar boys back in and injecting themselves into the program. This happened after 2013. Byrne would have never let that happened. When you hire someone you have to let the do that job. The last time I checked none of the cigar boys have ever been a d1 football coach

[gtowndawg]

Was it Dan or somebody else that said that the max coaching tenure is typically 10 years? I recall somebody saying this a few years back but am not sure if it was him.

I've read multiple times the coaching life of the really GOOD coaches is 12 years. That includes the last couple or three years of the downhill slide. So yeah, this isn't a surprise. But will we do anything to correct it before we suffer some really lean times (yet again). The man is burned out and doesn't care. We know it and he knows it he just can't say it for obvious reasons. We need to be proactive and do something to correct it for our sake, not his.

[Tbonewannabe]

He is pissed off that strick has allowed the cigar boys back in and injecting themselves into the program. This happened after 2013. Byrne would have never let that happened. When you hire someone you have to let the do that job. The last time I checked none of the cigar boys have ever been a d1 football coach

If this is true, it could be why his attitude and demeanor seems to have changed.

[Dawgtini]

I don't think so. And I realize I am in a very small minority. But I don't get my info from watching a zoom-in on the coach after a missed FG loses a game. And I don't get it from call-in shows. And I don't get it from watching a press conference on my phone. I've talked to coaches, players, managers and trainers and they ALL tell me they laugh when they hear that.

I agree MadDawg. This is purely a message-board phenomenon.

[MadDawg]

I agree MadDawg. This is purely a message-board phenomenon.

Feel free to criticize Mullen for everything under the sun, but I wish this ignorance-fed rumor would die.

[blacklistedbully]

I don't think so. And I realize I am in a very small minority. But I don't get my info from watching a zoom-in on the coach after a missed FG loses a game. And I don't get it from call-in shows. And I don't get it from watching a press conference on my phone. I've talked to coaches, players, managers and trainers and they ALL tell me they laugh when they hear that.

Oh, you mean the guys who's jobs or playing time depend upon Dan being HC? And just stop with this, "missed FG loses a game" BS. He lost to one of the, if not the worst Sunbelt team, and if that wasn't bad enough...that team was playing without 3 DL starters. And if that wasn't bad enough...that team was one of the worst vs the run last year playing a Sunbelt schedule!

This is not about 1 loss. It's not about his stupid smirk. It's about what got us to the point that we could actually lose that game to that team.

[Tbonewannabe]

Feel free to criticize Mullen for everything under the sun, but I wish this ignorance-fed rumor would die.

What rumor in particular? I heard from a connected Maryland guy that he interviewed and was thinking over their offer. Person had no connection to Mullen at all, just Maryland people. I don't really have a problem with it but then you don't sign a full recruiting class. We are essentially on probation with schollie limits because we can't get enough SEC quality players to come play for Mullen.

Admit it or not but Dan has changed from being fired up and never losing to that team again to not recognizing the USA coach made halftime adjustments.

[MadDawg]

Oh, you mean the guys who's jobs or playing time depend upon Dan being HC? And just stop with this, "missed FG loses a game" BS. He lost to one of the, if not the worst Sunbelt team, and if that wasn't bad enough...that team was playing without 3 DL starters. And if that wasn't bad enough...that team was one of the worst vs the run last year playing a Sunbelt schedule!

This is not about 1 loss. It's not about his stupid smirk. It's about what got us to the point that we could actually lose that game to that team.

They would have no reason to lie to me. I'm not in a position to fire Dan, so why would it matter if they told me he really was just going through the motions like so many folks that have seen a press conference think?

And I'm not excusing losing to a Sun Belt team. Not in the least. Criticize him all you want. Just do it with real reasons and not silly internet rumors or simplistic excuses that fit the narrative.

[Tbonewannabe]

They would have no reason to lie to me. I'm not in a position to fire Dan, so why would it matter if they told me he really was just going through the motions like so many folks that have seen a press conference think?

And I'm not excusing losing to a Sun Belt team. Not in the least. Criticize him all you want. Just do it with real reasons and not silly internet rumors or simplistic excuses that fit the narrative.

We have dodged bullets before by treating those games like scrimmages. People were saying Fitz didn't seem right due to body language, Mullen doesn't seem right either. It isn't just message board folks noticing it.

[BankerDog]

He is pissed off that strick has allowed the cigar boys back in and injecting themselves into the program. This happened after 2013. Byrne would have never let that happened. When you hire someone you have to let the do that job. The last time I checked none of the cigar boys have ever been a d1 football coach


This is about the second or third time I've heard this since Saturday. It looks like it has some legs to it.

[MadDawg]

I think some of Fits not looking right has been exposed in some threads on here today. I've been hearing people complain about Dan's "lack of fire" for years now. Yawn. You actually nailed it though with your first sentence. "We have dodged bullets before by treating those games like scrimmages" BINGO! That is exactly what we did, and it finally caught up to Mullen. I think Mullen would have been perfectly happy winning on that last second FG. He would have felt that he got his message across to X player and it didn't cost them a win in the process. Well, Dan, you failed at that. And with it, you lost the one thing that kept your butt off the hotseat - not losing to teams you aren't supposed to lose to.

[dawgs]

Not really sure how you could get burned out making $4M a year...

People making the most money are often the ones that get burned out because they are working their asses off for that money. Lawyers in big firms flame out all the time because of the hours, and end up taking in house counsel jobs, or government jobs, or opening their own small firm because they are content making less money but having a life outside of work. Coaches (CFB and NFL) step away for a year or 2 and come back better than ever regularly. Putting in the hours these guys put in with the stress levels of the job and the fact that dan should have enough money to live comfortably the rest of his life means that he just doesn't have the fire to prove himself like he once did.

[Johnson85]

They would have no reason to lie to me. I'm not in a position to fire Dan, so why would it matter if they told me he really was just going through the motions like so many folks that have seen a press conference think?

And I'm not excusing losing to a Sun Belt team. Not in the least. Criticize him all you want. Just do it with real reasons and not silly internet rumors or simplistic excuses that fit the narrative.

So your explanation is that Dan has forgotten how to coach? 17 no. He didn't get lucky for 7 years (even though his record wasn't good his first year, he still did a good job against a brutal schedule) and he hasn't been the victim of an unlikely string of bad luck nor did he just suffer the inevitable moderate upset. He lost to a 17ing bad sunbelt team with reasonably good luck on injuries outside of CB. Mullen is just burnt out and cant' generate the kind of intensity that is required to be successful as an SEC coach. He probably still works harder than the vast majority of people on this board, but that's not good enough for the SEC West (or apparently even the Sunbelt).

Honestly, I think he lost some intensity in 2013, it's just that between already having laid the groundwork for a successful 2014 and 2015 and having strong player leadership in place, his loss of intensity didn't show up in overall record.

[AusTexDawg]

Was it Dan or somebody else that said that the max coaching tenure is typically 10 years? I recall somebody saying this a few years back but am not sure if it was him.

I think he was referencing something Lou Holtz has said, that a head coach loses 10% of the fanbase every year they stay at the same school. By the end of it, there's no goodwill left.

[Bothrops]

Prolly. If I were him I would entertain the idea of stepping away from coaching and football for a year, just to see if anything else tickles my fancy. He would either find something more fulfilling, or come back with a renewed self on a mission.

[Liverpooldawg]

I don't think so. And I realize I am in a very small minority. But I don't get my info from watching a zoom-in on the coach after a missed FG loses a game. And I don't get it from call-in shows. And I don't get it from watching a press conference on my phone. I've talked to coaches, players, managers and trainers and they ALL tell me they laugh when they hear that.

YEP.

[BayouDawg]

I don't think so. And I realize I am in a very small minority. But I don't get my info from watching a zoom-in on the coach after a missed FG loses a game. And I don't get it from call-in shows. And I don't get it from watching a press conference on my phone. I've talked to coaches, players, managers and trainers and they ALL tell me they laugh when they hear that.

I'd laugh too if I just got paid to put on a shit show like that and not be held accountable. Hell I'd be smiling all the way to the bank.

[Homedawg]

He is pissed off that strick has allowed the cigar boys back in and injecting themselves into the program. This happened after 2013. Byrne would have never let that happened. When you hire someone you have to let the do that job. The last time I checked none of the cigar boys have ever been a d1 football coach

You mean the ones who allow him to make what he makes??? This is funny. Hell man how do you think he makes 4+mil. Cigar boys foot that shit. If they don't pay, it comes from budget, which isn't there. They've always had say so. To believe otherwise is, well, just silly. And that's why he's been kissing their asses more too. Fact

[munk_munk92]

Maybe this is why Alabama has so many assistance or football staff members. To help lessen the load on Saban. To be honest, we need to hire more people to help out with the football program. Just too much for one person. We need someone setting up meetings with recruits, someone calling them, we need someone who keeps up with the boys already on campus.

[RougeDawg]

He is pissed off that strick has allowed the cigar boys back in and injecting themselves into the program. This happened after 2013. Byrne would have never let that happened. When you hire someone you have to let the do that job. The last time I checked none of the cigar boys have ever been a d1 football coach

Strick sitting on his vag*na is why the cigar boys came back around. Strick wasn't and isn't doing his job. The cigar boys saw/see the same things we all see. Perkins over JRob, Concrete feet over Dak, shrimp over "insert name", Holloway/Perkins up the gut, air raid with 10 yard Williams. I could go on and on but the money folks see the same things we do. The things that are hurting our program from multiple standpoints. One is not getting best players on the field in the best positions to succeed and help the team win. The other glaring one is our inability to get young talent on the field earlier and more often. Every other f*cking team in the nation does it, even the ones chocked full of 4-5* guys. Why can't MSU get their 4-5* guys on the field as early as possible when we have few to begin with? The cigar boys see Mullen for what he is, a developmental coach. He doesn't know how to treat elite talent. Look at his roots. Look at his recruiting? Look at his best players that move on to the next level. He is successful developing players and that's it. He doesn't know how to react to day 1 ready for PT players (Chris jones, et al). He treats these guys the same as a developmental Dillon Day or Dak. This hurts us in recruiting as well. Go elsewhere and can play from day 1 or go to MSU and you'll get significant Pt when your upperclassmen counterpart leaves? Shit, even Bama can sell freshmen PT easier than we can and they are the most talented f*cking team on the planet not in the NFL.

Dan is pissed off that Influentual people are calling him out and he refuses to change himself. He's pissed off because his arrogance no longer flies unnoticed and without consequence. Strick never has stood up to Mullen and he's pissed that people finally are. I hate to say but upperclassmen injuries are the reason we even made 6-6 in 2013. Let that sink in. Injuries were the only reason Dak got significant Pt in 13 and led us on the run in 14. Without injuries we stick with concrete feet and perk all season and finish up no better than 5-7. Dak wouldn't have had the PT to come in and lead that EB comeback. JRob wouldve been holding a clip board in Little Rock the week before, instead of slashing the Arkansas defense. Come on people, wake up. This is not a one game incident. This has been happening since the 2011-2012 seasons, but everyone was just happy to be finally winning a few games that they overlooked some glaring issues wth Dan.

[bulldogcountry1]

I think he was referencing something Lou Holtz has said, that a head coach loses 10% of the fanbase every year they stay at the same school. By the end of it, there's no goodwill left.

I've heard Mullen say that many times. It sounds like a built-in excuse to be a stubborn jerk and not adapt.

[WinningIsRelentless]

Strick sitting on his vag*na is why the cigar boys came back around. Strick wasn't and isn't doing his job. The cigar boys saw/see the same things we all see. Perkins over JRob, Concrete feet over Dak, shrimp over "insert name", Holloway/Perkins up the gut, air raid with 10 yard Williams. I could go on and on but the money folks see the same things we do. The things that are hurting our program from multiple standpoints. One is not getting best players on the field in the best positions to succeed and help the team win. The other glaring one is our inability to get young talent on the field earlier and more often. Every other f*cking team in the nation does it, even the ones chocked full of 4-5* guys. Why can't MSU get their 4-5* guys on the field as early as possible when we have few to begin with? The cigar boys see Mullen for what he is, a developmental coach. He doesn't know how to treat elite talent. Look at his roots. Look at his recruiting? Look at his best players that move on to the next level. He is successful developing players and that's it. He doesn't know how to react to day 1 ready for PT players (Chris jones, et al). He treats these guys the same as a developmental Dillon Day or Dak. This hurts us in recruiting as well. Go elsewhere and can play from day 1 or go to MSU and you'll get significant Pt when your upperclassmen counterpart leaves? Shit, even Bama can sell freshmen PT easier than we can and they are the most talented f*cking team on the planet not in the NFL.

Dan is pissed off that Influentual people are calling him out and he refuses to change himself. He's pissed off because his arrogance no longer flies unnoticed and without consequence. Strick never has stood up to Mullen and he's pissed that people finally are. I hate to say but upperclassmen injuries are the reason we even made 6-6 in 2013. Let that sink in. Injuries were the only reason Dak got significant Pt in 13 and led us on the run in 14. Without injuries we stick with concrete feet and perk all season and finish up no better than 5-7. Dak wouldn't have had the PT to come in and lead that EB comeback. JRob wouldve been holding a clip board in Little Rock the week before, instead of slashing the Arkansas defense. Come on people, wake up. This is not a one game incident. This has been happening since the 2011-2012 seasons, but everyone was just happy to be finally winning a few games that they overlooked some glaring issues wth Dan.

You discredited yourself right out of the gate on that one. Do you think what we have seen from Jrob since he has left has just started? Hell no he has done 10x worst when he was in the program and that's why he wasn't playing. You can't let one animal run the house and expect the rest to do right. Look at the Sidney situation in basketball.

[I seen it dawg]

Burnt out? That's another ***** generation excuse for this situation.

[RougeDawg]

You discredited yourself right out of the gate on that one. Do you think what we have seen from Jrob since he has left has just started? Hell no he has done 10x worst when he was in the program and that's why he wasn't playing. You can't let one animal run the house and expect the rest to do right. Look at the Sidney situation in basketball.

Nice rebuttal. Proves my point. These kids aren't robots. If they aren't committing crimes and acting like complete idiots you play the best player. They are 18-23 yr olds who make mistakes learning to become adults. They don't automatically transform from kids to adults like the flip of a switch. Dan uses this bs excuse when the lesser talented kids work harder than the more talented kids. Sound like Obama saying everyone who works hard, no matter their talents, should be paid the same. It doesn't work that way. Someone with little talent can work more than someone with tons of talent and the one with tons of talent will provide and produce more value than the less talented hard worker. It's just life. Our coach doesn't understand that, amongst many other things.

Much to the surprise of the general public, we are not all created equal in terms of talent and abilities. If that were the case there would be no NFl or Corporate CEL's because those people wouldn't be able to differentiate themselves based on their abilities and talents.

[Liverpooldawg]

You discredited yourself right out of the gate on that one. Do you think what we have seen from Jrob since he has left has just started? Hell no he has done 10x worst when he was in the program and that's why he wasn't playing. You can't let one animal run the house and expect the rest to do right. Look at the Sidney situation in basketball.

That stuff with basketball started LONG before Sidney. You would think we would have learned something from that. When I say "we" I mean the fans. We obviously haven't.


Just an observation about the Cigar Boys: I appreciate what they do. Without them we wouldn't have what we have. That being said ours really don't have that great a track record IF they had been interfering over the years in the day to day running of the football team. If it's also true that they had been not doing it since Mullen arrived up until this year then it kind of confirms that track record. This is strictly an observation and I have no actual knowledge on this to back it up. That should mean it is perfectly acceptable as gospel here should you guys choose to believe it. :)

[WinningIsRelentless]

Strick sitting on his vag*na is why the cigar boys came back around. Strick wasn't and isn't doing his job. The cigar boys saw/see the same things we all see. Perkins over JRob, Concrete feet over Dak, shrimp over "insert name", Holloway/Perkins up the gut, air raid with 10 yard Williams. I could go on and on but the money folks see the same things we do. The things that are hurting our program from multiple standpoints. One is not getting best players on the field in the best positions to succeed and help the team win. The other glaring one is our inability to get young talent on the field earlier and more often. Every other f*cking team in the nation does it, even the ones chocked full of 4-5* guys. Why can't MSU get their 4-5* guys on the field as early as possible when we have few to begin with? The cigar boys see Mullen for what he is, a developmental coach. He doesn't know how to treat elite talent. Look at his roots. Look at his recruiting? Look at his best players that move on to the next level. He is successful developing players and that's it. He doesn't know how to react to day 1 ready for PT players (Chris jones, et al). He treats these guys the same as a developmental Dillon Day or Dak. This hurts us in recruiting as well. Go elsewhere and can play from day 1 or go to MSU and you'll get significant Pt when your upperclassmen counterpart leaves? Shit, even Bama can sell freshmen PT easier than we can and they are the most talented f*cking team on the planet not in the NFL.

Dan is pissed off that Influentual people are calling him out and he refuses to change himself. He's pissed off because his arrogance no longer flies unnoticed and without consequence. Strick never has stood up to Mullen and he's pissed that people finally are. I hate to say but upperclassmen injuries are the reason we even made 6-6 in 2013. Let that sink in. Injuries were the only reason Dak got significant Pt in 13 and led us on the run in 14. Without injuries we stick with concrete feet and perk all season and finish up no better than 5-7. Dak wouldn't have had the PT to come in and lead that EB comeback. JRob wouldve been holding a clip board in Little Rock the week before, instead of slashing the Arkansas defense. Come on people, wake up. This is not a one game incident. This has been happening since the 2011-2012 seasons, but everyone was just happy to be finally winning a few games that they overlooked some glaring issues wth Dan.


Nice rebuttal. Proves my point. These kids aren't robots. If they aren't committing crimes and acting like complete idiots you play the best player. They are 18-23 yr olds who make mistakes learning to become adults. They don't automatically transform from kids to adults like the flip of a switch. Dan uses this bs excuse when the lesser talented kids work harder than the more talented kids. Sound like Obama saying everyone who works hard, no matter their talents, should be paid the same. It doesn't work that way. Someone with little talent can work more than someone with tons of talent and the one with tons of talent will provide and produce more value than the less talented hard worker. It's just life. Our coach doesn't understand that, amongst many other things.

Much to the surprise of the general public, we are not all created equal in terms of talent and abilities. If that were the case there would be no NFl or Corporate CEL's because those people wouldn't be able to differentiate themselves based on their abilities and talents.

Who is still getting paid to play football and who isn't?