How to get more football talent into the program......

[Taog Redloh]

1) Win the State of Mississippi, should be obvious. This is where our 4 and 5 star players will come from, if anywhere. Have to get half of them. Any less and we have failed.
2) Establish relationships with ALL junior colleges in MS, not just 2-3 of them. Recruit them heavily.
3) Get every good player from the state of Alabama that Alabama and Auburn passes on.
4) Repeat #3 in the state of Louisiana and substitute LSU.
5) Feed off connections everywhere else (coaching, alumni, parents, etc.)

Until we do those 5 things better, games like Saturday will continue to occur. It isn't coaching, crooked officials, etc. It's TALENT, and we never consistently have enough. Perhaps we slacked on the class of 2016, especially, but overall since Mullen has been here I have seen us slack BIG TIME ON #2. We can drive to AL and LA where other coaches around the country have to fly to bigger cities.

Most every guy on that list above will have a chip on their shoulder. The type of guys we need at MSU. Look back at how the 2014 was built. One more decent offensive lineman and we likely are in the playoff. How many did we watch go out to Texas? Avery Gennessy, Donald Hawkins, etc. Got to fix that.

[missouridawg]

How much do we invest in the youth programs around the State?

If we can't talk a four star from Florida into coming here... Why not try to make more four stars in MS?

[MetEdDawg]

1) Win the State of Mississippi, should be obvious. This is where our 4 and 5 star players will come from, if anywhere. Have to get half of them. Any less and we have failed.
2) Establish relationships with ALL junior colleges in MS, not just 2-3 of them. Recruit them heavily.
3) Get every good player from the state of Alabama that Alabama and Auburn passes on.
4) Repeat #3 in the state of Louisiana and substitute LSU.
5) Feed off connections everywhere else (coaching, alumni, parents, etc.)

Until we do those 5 things better, games like Saturday will continue to occur. It isn't coaching, crooked officials, etc. It's TALENT, and we never consistently have enough. Perhaps we slacked on the class of 2016, especially, but overall since Mullen has been here I have seen us slack BIG TIME ON #2. We can drive to AL and LA where other coaches around the country have to fly to bigger cities.

Most every guy on that list above will have a chip on their shoulder. The type of guys we need at MSU. Look back at how the 2014 was built. One more decent offensive lineman and we likely are in the playoff. How many did we watch go out to Texas? Avery Gennessy, Donald Hawkins, etc. Got to fix that.

3 and 4 are huge. Look at that 2014 team. Dak, J Rob, Bear, Ross, Benny, Preston Smith, Ryan Brown, Redmond, Malcolm Johnson, Day, Clausell. These guys were all out of state guys. We find ways to turn these kids into really good players and the majority of these guys are either on an NFL roster or will be soon. Got to continue finding these guys to supplement our program because there is a ton of overlooked talent in the state of Alabama. I mean a local school near me had a player go to OM and another go to Stanford. And that team is a 7A school. Bama and Auburn were never in the picture. We need to be on guys like that.

[TrapGame]

I've wondered why Dan never hit Florida hard the first couple of years he was here. Hell, Florida has 4* and 5* guys falling off trees like oranges. If he could have lured some talent from Florida to pad the MS talent he was bringing in we might be looking at a completely different team today.

[dawgoneyall]

1) Win the State of Mississippi, should be obvious. This is where our 4 and 5 star players will come from, if anywhere. Have to get half of them. Any less and we have failed.
2) Establish relationships with ALL junior colleges in MS, not just 2-3 of them. Recruit them heavily.
3) Get every good player from the state of Alabama that Alabama and Auburn passes on.
4) Repeat #3 in the state of Louisiana and substitute LSU.
5) Feed off connections everywhere else (coaching, alumni, parents, etc.)

Until we do those 5 things better, games like Saturday will continue to occur. It isn't coaching, crooked officials, etc. It's TALENT, and we never consistently have enough. Perhaps we slacked on the class of 2016, especially, but overall since Mullen has been here I have seen us slack BIG TIME ON #2. We can drive to AL and LA where other coaches around the country have to fly to bigger cities.

Most every guy on that list above will have a chip on their shoulder. The type of guys we need at MSU. Look back at how the 2014 was built. One more decent offensive lineman and we likely are in the playoff. How many did we watch go out to Texas? Avery Gennessy, Donald Hawkins, etc. Got to fix that.

Pay attention to recruiting instead of job searching. Might help....

[bayoubengal014]

Start winning more than 7 games a year and upgrade facilities. Also hope Ole Miss gets death penalty!!!!

[DogsofAnarchy]

update and upgrade our coaching talent? Louisville has a better scheme and better team with WAY less talent. So coaching is a VERY big percentage of our problem. So how do we fix the real problem?




1) Win the State of Mississippi, should be obvious. This is where our 4 and 5 star players will come from, if anywhere. Have to get half of them. Any less and we have failed.
2) Establish relationships with ALL junior colleges in MS, not just 2-3 of them. Recruit them heavily.
3) Get every good player from the state of Alabama that Alabama and Auburn passes on.
4) Repeat #3 in the state of Louisiana and substitute LSU.
5) Feed off connections everywhere else (coaching, alumni, parents, etc.)

Until we do those 5 things better, games like Saturday will continue to occur. It isn't coaching, crooked officials, etc. It's TALENT, and we never consistently have enough. Perhaps we slacked on the class of 2016, especially, but overall since Mullen has been here I have seen us slack BIG TIME ON #2. We can drive to AL and LA where other coaches around the country have to fly to bigger cities.

Most every guy on that list above will have a chip on their shoulder. The type of guys we need at MSU. Look back at how the 2014 was built. One more decent offensive lineman and we likely are in the playoff. How many did we watch go out to Texas? Avery Gennessy, Donald Hawkins, etc. Got to fix that.

[dawgday166]

Try to expand your emphasis from just guys who show up and perform well in camps. In fact ole Rosey continually talks to Dan's emphasis on recruits coming to camp. Quit having the attitude that if you don't come to camp, you're not worth the staff's time. (Rosey talks about this some too ... in a roundabout way).

Recruiting is more selling than buying. And some recruits might want to feel a little special maybe. Get over it (and yourself Dan) and recruit them hard if they can play.

If you're gonna try and get the "diamonds in the rough", try to make sure they do in fact have elite attributes. Something like truly elite speed. Height and long wing-spans are nice attributes too. Really quick feet for OL are nice or just being able to move at all ***

Oh ... and 1 more thing: Please try to devise a written test to test their football IQ or football mental capacity. I believe whole-heartedly that they ALL can pass the ACT. However, it seems as though a lot of our recruits, while being able to pass the ACT and having attended our camps, just can't understand football concepts. Louisville seems like they may be doing ok in this department ... not sure tho. Give Petrino a call and see what he's doing. ***

[bayoubengal014]

Think about it. In the state of Florida you have fla. St, Fla, Miami, USF and UCF. Then teams like Alabama and LSU and Clemson recruit there. So it's very hard for Mississippi State to recruit in that state of Florida. State needs to worry about out recruiting Ole Miss in their own State.

[Todd4State]

I would switch 3 and 4 because in Louisiana you really only have to worry about LSU and they're going to get the top guys whereas Alabama you have to worry about Alabama and Auburn. So, the Louisiana market has more top end talent that can't all go to LSU. See Dak, Josh, Day, Ryan Brown and now Keytaon.

I do agree about Mississippi and if you look at our best teams, the majority are Mississippi players.

[bayoubengal014]

I would switch 3 and 4 because in Louisiana you really only have to worry about LSU and they're going to get the top guys whereas Alabama you have to worry about Alabama and Auburn. So, the Louisiana market has more top end talent that can't all go to LSU. See Dak, Josh, Day, Ryan Brown and now Keytaon.

I do agree about Mississippi and if you look at our best teams, the majority are Mississippi players. I'm still upset Dak chose State over LSU.. But I don't think I blame him being Miles inability to develope QBs

[ShotgunDawg]

Start winning more than 7 games a year and upgrade facilities. Also hope Ole Miss gets death penalty!!!!

We have been winning more than 7 games a year and have excellent facilities.

[ShotgunDawg]

I'm still upset Dak chose State over LSU.. But I don't think I blame him being Miles inability to develope QBs

MSU committed him in the Summer and LSU didn't offer till November

[ShotgunDawg]

- Form a nation wide network of boosters

- have boosters and coaches collaborate to make sure players are financially taken care of.

- Kiss the media's ass relentlessly with every opportunity.

- write letters to everyone of your players before a big game and make sure the media knows every last detail about it. Because it's more important for the media to pump it than the actual affect it has on your players.

[NCDawg]

I've wondered why Dan never hit Florida hard the first couple of years he was here. Hell, Florida has 4* and 5* guys falling off trees like oranges. If he could have lured some talent from Florida to pad the MS talent he was bringing in we might be looking at a completely different team today.

I wondered that myself. He was the OC at Florida and should have had good connections down there. Charley Strong, the DC at Florida, went to Louisville and signed tons of good Florida players.

[parabrave]

1) Win the State of Mississippi, should be obvious. This is where our 4 and 5 star players will come from, if anywhere. Have to get half of them. Any less and we have failed.
2) Establish relationships with ALL junior colleges in MS, not just 2-3 of them. Recruit them heavily.
3) Get every good player from the state of Alabama that Alabama and Auburn passes on.
4) Repeat #3 in the state of Louisiana and substitute LSU.
5) Feed off connections everywhere else (coaching, alumni, parents, etc.)

Until we do those 5 things better, games like Saturday will continue to occur. It isn't coaching, crooked officials, etc. It's TALENT, and we never consistently have enough. Perhaps we slacked on the class of 2016, especially, but overall since Mullen has been here I have seen us slack BIG TIME ON #2. We can drive to AL and LA where other coaches around the country have to fly to bigger cities.

Most every guy on that list above will have a chip on their shoulder. The type of guys we need at MSU. Look back at how the 2014 was built. One more decent offensive lineman and we likely are in the playoff. How many did we watch go out to Texas? Avery Gennessy, Donald Hawkins, etc. Got to fix that.

Go to Louisiana, Texas, Ga and recruit heavily there. Sorry guys and gals but the OOS talent is better than MS. We need to recruit heavily the Catholic and other private schools in New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas. These private schools give out scholarships or other financial aid and they rule the LA Foootball landscape. Hey theses kids are not only talented but most likely qualify.

[Bothrops]

Hit Florida for defensive needs and hit Texas for playmakers and lineman on offense.

[dawgs]

Try to expand your emphasis from just guys who show up and perform well in camps. In fact ole Rosey continually talks to Dan's emphasis on recruits coming to camp. Quit having the attitude that if you don't come to camp, you're not worth the staff's time. (Rosey talks about this some too ... in a roundabout way).

Recruiting is more selling than buying. And some recruits might want to feel a little special maybe. Get over it (and yourself Dan) and recruit them hard if they can play.

If you're gonna try and get the "diamonds in the rough", try to make sure they do in fact have elite attributes. Something like truly elite speed. Height and long wing-spans are nice attributes too. Really quick feet for OL are nice or just being able to move at all ***

This.

[Dawgfan77]

Start winning more than 7 games a year and upgrade facilities. Also hope Ole Miss gets death penalty!!!!
We have invested over a 100 million in football facilities. Stadium expansion and football only facilities

[dawgday166]

Hit Florida for defensive needs and hit Texas for playmakers and lineman on offense.

For O-linemen also go (and this may need to be the emphasis for O-linemen) to Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Idaho, Wyoming, etc). Farm bread, corn fed white dudes that are strong as an Ox. Iowa's O-line is most usually pretty darn good because this is where they get theirs. Those guys may have a big desire to come down here and play in the SEC. I'll bet some of them do.

Look for guys like Big Country Dave Stewart was. I saw him destroy a few SEC DTs and DEs in his day.

Of course, that may mean someone has to quit supporting the fight against global warming by actually getting on a plane a few times during the course of a recruiting year and burning some jet fuel. I've never believed that Dan was responsible for global warming and in fact, am aware he actually does his part in the fight against it *** I'm hoping he'll give up that fight somewhat.

[bulldawg28]

For O-linemen also go (and this may need to be the emphasis for O-linemen) to Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Idaho, Wyoming, etc). Farm bread, corn fed white dudes that are strong as an Ox. Iowa's O-line is most usually pretty darn good because this is where they get theirs. Those guys may have a big desire to come down here and play in the SEC. I'll bet some of them do.

Look for guys like Big Country Dave Stewart was. I saw him destroy a few SEC DTs and DEs in his day.

Of course, that may mean someone has to quit supporting the fight against global warming by actually getting on a plane a few times during the course of a recruiting year and burning some jet fuel. I've never believed that Dan was responsible for global warming and in fact, am aware he actually does his part in the fight against it *** I'm hoping he'll give up that fight somewhat.

Big country is from Alabama

[dawgday166]

Big country is from Alabama

I knew he was from down here (I'd forgotten it was Alabama, I was thinking he was from Mississippi) ... I was trying to make the point to just look for guys in that mold in the midwest (and also down here). You're more likely to find them in the midwest tho.

[bulldawg28]

I knew he was from down here (I'd forgotten it was Alabama, I was thinking he was from Mississippi) ... I was trying to make the point to just look for guys in that mold in the midwest (and also down here). You're more likely to find them in the midwest tho.

What makes you say that? Country wasn't a big cornbread eating guy. He was tall, long, and lanky. Honestly, that's probably the reason we got him. He was a diamond in the rough.

[dawgday166]

What makes you say that? Country wasn't a big cornbread eating guy. He was tall, long, and lanky. Honestly, that's probably the reason we got him. He was a diamond in the rough.

Ok ... maybe so. I guess I'm sorta talking about how he was his last year or so. The point is a big ole country, farm bread white dude that's strong as an ox.

I'm not a total expert on Big Country, just knew what the mold looked like his senior year.

[msstate7]

We have invested over a 100 million in football facilities. Stadium expansion and football only facilities

We're last in the sec west in HC salary, assistant salary, recruiting budget, and overall football budget. Mullen hasn't been a world beater here, but he's had the least to work with of any of the SEC west football HCs.

[BrunswickDawg]

1) Win the State of Mississippi, should be obvious. This is where our 4 and 5 star players will come from, if anywhere. Have to get half of them. Any less and we have failed.
2) Establish relationships with ALL junior colleges in MS, not just 2-3 of them. Recruit them heavily.
3) Get every good player from the state of Alabama that Alabama and Auburn passes on.
4) Repeat #3 in the state of Louisiana and substitute LSU.
5) Feed off connections everywhere else (coaching, alumni, parents, etc.)

Until we do those 5 things better, games like Saturday will continue to occur. It isn't coaching, crooked officials, etc. It's TALENT, and we never consistently have enough. Perhaps we slacked on the class of 2016, especially, but overall since Mullen has been here I have seen us slack BIG TIME ON #2. We can drive to AL and LA where other coaches around the country have to fly to bigger cities.

Most every guy on that list above will have a chip on their shoulder. The type of guys we need at MSU. Look back at how the 2014 was built. One more decent offensive lineman and we likely are in the playoff. How many did we watch go out to Texas? Avery Gennessy, Donald Hawkins, etc. Got to fix that.

I posted part of this in another thread before I read this one - but it seems to fit better here:

Other than #5 - which we seem to trip over in FB and in baseball - I am pretty sure you just outlined our recruiting approach from 2009-2014. And, it is one that won't work anymore, hence the past two down classes.

I think the recruiting falling apart the last 2 years has a couple of factors people are ignoring. After 2013, with OM going All In, we started loosing in state kids we had been getting during Dan's tenure - a trend that has continued and we haven't matched. But, you have also seen us strike out on kids the last 2 years in Alabama and Louisiana we had been getting under Dan as well. Why? Because after 2014 Bama and LSU started paying closer attention to who we were recruiting - to the point that they are also coming after in-state kids more aggressively (like Lashley) they might not have given a second look. Prior to 2014, how often did we go head to head with LSU or Bama on a recruit? Not often. Now look at how many we went head to head on last year. Simmons, AJ, Raekwon, Lashley, the lineman that LSU got. I really think Dan and Co were shocked by it and had no back up plans because those were kids we normally get. Now, not having back ups can be considered lazy, as can not working it to the end to make sure we had all of those guys tied up. But, it isn't just "lazy" recruiting at play, other teams are watching what we are doing and have adapted to Dan's recruiting.

Now, can we adapt? I think we saw part of that this off season with the hires on D and off-field that were all about recruiting. Will it be enough? Time will tell.

[DownwardDawg]

We have invested over a 100 million in football facilities. Stadium expansion and football only facilities

You are wasting your time. He's a troll. Anyone that says that has no knowledge at all about our facilities.

[Boodawg]

Tell all the recruits that you fear for their souls if they go elsewhere***

[Taog Redloh]

- Form a nation wide network of boosters

- have boosters and coaches collaborate to make sure players are financially taken care of.

- Kiss the media's ass relentlessly with every opportunity.

- write letters to everyone of your players before a big game and make sure the media knows every last detail about it. Because it's more important for the media to pump it than the actual affect it has on your players.
Cheating at MSU is stupid. We aren't good at it and will never be good at it. Yeah, I know a few guys get paid but leave that to the big ballers.

Kissing the media's ass is stupid. They don't like us and never will. We need to be the team with a tremendous chip on our shoulder, it fits us.

Those are not our strengths. Should we improve them? Sure, but we can't build our program around them. Matter of fact, you just described Ole Miss.

[Taog Redloh]

I posted part of this in another thread before I read this one - but it seems to fit better here:

Other than #5 - which we seem to trip over in FB and in baseball - I am pretty sure you just outlined our recruiting approach from 2009-2014. And, it is one that won't work anymore, hence the past two down classes.

I think the recruiting falling apart the last 2 years has a couple of factors people are ignoring. After 2013, with OM going All In, we started loosing in state kids we had been getting during Dan's tenure - a trend that has continued and we haven't matched. But, you have also seen us strike out on kids the last 2 years in Alabama and Louisiana we had been getting under Dan as well. Why? Because after 2014 Bama and LSU started paying closer attention to who we were recruiting - to the point that they are also coming after in-state kids more aggressively (like Lashley) they might not have given a second look. Prior to 2014, how often did we go head to head with LSU or Bama on a recruit? Not often. Now look at how many we went head to head on last year. Simmons, AJ, Raekwon, Lashley, the lineman that LSU got. I really think Dan and Co were shocked by it and had no back up plans because those were kids we normally get. Now, not having back ups can be considered lazy, as can not working it to the end to make sure we had all of those guys tied up. But, it isn't just "lazy" recruiting at play, other teams are watching what we are doing and have adapted to Dan's recruiting.

Now, can we adapt? I think we saw part of that this off season with the hires on D and off-field that were all about recruiting. Will it be enough? Time will tell.
I disagree. I think we have to make it work. Where else are we going to recruit talent? Florida and Texas are crazy talk, we are just another team in a sea of others out there.

I am not saying our coaches can't improve their recrootin work ethic. There is no doubt we slacked last year.

[Taog Redloh]

I like the idea of going to the Midwest (or anywhere somewhat off the beaten path) for offensive linemen. No doubt we are going to have to innovate in that department, it's usually our biggest weakness.

[Dawgfan77]

You are wasting your time. He's a troll. Anyone that says that has no knowledge at all about our facilities.
So me pointing out that we have 25 million football only facility and a 65 million stadium expansion is me being a troll? So it's 90 million. My bad

[msstate7]

I disagree. I think we have to make it work. Where else are we going to recruit talent? Florida and Texas are crazy talk, we are just another team in a sea of others out there.

I am not saying our coaches can't improve their recrootin work ethic. There is no doubt we slacked last year.

We have 3 current commits from Florida: dunning (13 offers... 5 sec), Johnson (15 offers... 4 sec), and Suggs (36 offers... 3 sec). We're also in the mix for Reid (30 offers... 3 sec). We landed Reese last year, who by all accounts is gonna be a good olineman for us. Why not recruit Florida?

[Taog Redloh]

So me pointing out that we have 25 million football only facility and a 65 million stadium expansion is me being a troll? So it's 90 million. My bad

I think he's talking about that LSU guy bengalbayoujimbob or whatever.

[Taog Redloh]

We have 3 current commits from Florida: dunning (13 offers... 5 sec), Johnson (15 offers... 4 sec), and Suggs (36 offers... 3 sec). We're also in the mix for Reid (30 offers... 3 sec). We landed Reese last year, who by all accounts is gonna be a good olineman for us. Why not recruit Florida?

Hey if we can go down there and get good players, I'm all for it. That's the end game anyway, getting talent. I just don't want to take a bunch of nobodies just because their driver's license says Florida. Contributors? Sure, sign them up. Geography really doesn't matter as far as the actual talent.....it only matters when it comes to our percentage change of SIGNING that talent.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

Some interesting numbers of offer numbers by year and state:
2012: Alabama (15), Florida (6), Georgia (36), Louisiana (13), Mississippi (28), Texas (8), Tennessee (17) Total offers: 136
2013: Alabama (21), Florida (49), Georgia (57), Louisiana (21), Mississippi (25), Texas (32), Tennessee (15) Total offers: 258
2014: Alabama (24), Florida (61), Georgia (53), Louisiana (24), Mississippi (33), Texas (11), Tennessee (16) Total offers: 255
2015: Alabama (31), Florida (65), Georgia (47), Louisiana (30), Mississippi (31), Texas (28), Tennessee (23) Total offers: 301
2016: Alabama (35), Florida (62), Georgia (52), Louisiana (44), Mississippi (37), Texas (25), Tennessee (12) Total offers: 306
2017: Alabama (27), Florida (80), Georgia (61), Louisiana (27), Mississippi (36), Texas (34), Tennessee (17) Total offers: 337

[PassInterference]

💰

[mic]

I like the idea of going to the Midwest (or anywhere somewhat off the beaten path) for offensive linemen. No doubt we are going to have to innovate in that department, it's usually our biggest weakness.

Do you think Hev is going to go to the Midwest and try and get OL talent? He can't even close a guy 20 miles from Starkville.
He will keep doing what he has done for the last 8 years, recruit the low hanging fruit and try and coach them up or have another coach (TBuck) hopefully close a more polished talented kid for him..

[Percho]

Do you think Hev is going to go to the Midwest and try and get OL talent? He can't even close a guy 20 miles from Starkville.
He will keep doing what he has done for the last 8 years, recruit the low hanging fruit and try and coach them up or have another coach (TBuck) hopefully close a more polished talented kid for him..

Was --- ===== just to much?

[GreaterCowbell]

Satellite MSU campus in Samoa for offensive lineman. Install tiki bar in Seal Center & convert DWS cabanas to tiki huts to make them fill at home.