How Do We Keep Our Next Coach from Shopping Himself Once Successful?

[ShotgunDawg]

When the time comes for us to hire our next head coach, how do we prevent him from being Mullen 2.0?

How do we not enter into the same cycle that has led to Mullen destroying the program he built by shopping his name around & cheating on his fanbase?

I can see it now, we hire PJ Fleck or Brohm, he gets the program going & we rise back to being a consistent top 25 team. Then he starts shopping himself to bigger programs & Wallah, we are right back where we are currently?

This is by no means a "Fire Dan Mullen" thread. This is a "how to we learn from Mullen's tenure & not get burned again thread".

Whats the answer here? Your thoughts?

[QuadrupleOption]

When the time comes for us to hire our next head coach, how do we prevent him from being Mullen 2.0?

How to we not enter into the same cycle that has led to Mullen destroying the program he built by shopping his name around & cheating on his fanbase?

I can see it now, we hire PJ Fleck or Brohm, he gets the program going & we rise back to being a consistent top 25 team. Then he starts shopping himself to bigger programs & Wallah, we are right back where we are currently?

This is by no mean a "Fire Dan Mullen" thread. This is a "how to we learn from Mullen's tenure & not get burned again thread".

Whats the answer here? Your thoughts?

Honestly, you don't. But hopefully we can build our program up enough that leaving for anything less than a premier job would be unthinkable.

A coach leaving for Georgia or Penn State is somewhat understandable. A coach leaving for Miami or Maryland? **** that.

[BrunswickDawg]

Immediate thought - when have we been a consistent top 25 team? We have been in and out of the rankings over the past 7 years, but we have not been a consistent top 25 team. That said, it is the closest we have ever been to a consistent top 25 team.

[ShotgunDawg]

Immediate thought - when have we been a consistent top 25 team? We have been in and out of the rankings over the past 7 years, but we have not been a consistent top 25 team. That said, it is the closest we have ever been to a consistent top 25 team.

We have been a consistent top 25 team. Over the past 5 or 6 years, we jumped in & out of the top 25 & into the top 10 at times, but our level of play has been top 25 caliber.

In the SECW, sometimes your record won't allow you to be in the top 25, but you may absolutely be a top 25 caliber team. We've been there

[ShotgunDawg]

Honestly, you don't. But hopefully we can build our program up enough that leaving for anything less than a premier job would be unthinkable.

A coach leaving for Georgia or Penn State is somewhat understandable. A coach leaving for Miami or Maryland? **** that.

Agree. This is one things the blue bloods don't have to deal with. Once they get things figured out, they keep going. It's an unfair disadvantage that the 2nd tier programs have.

[Dawgfan77]

You can't pure and simple but what you hope is that they continue to work and build there resume and body of work and not just settle as Mullen did. If a guy comes in and wins and moves on so be it but your hope is they do it as there still building

[BrunswickDawg]

We have been a consistent top 25 team. Over the past 5 or 6 years, we jumped in & out of the top 25 & into the top 10 at times, but our level of play has been top 25 caliber.

In the SECW, sometimes your record won't allow you to be in the top 25, but you may absolutely be a top 25 caliber team. We've been there
So, it counts that we are in and out, but doesn't count for other teams we beat in 2014 (or any other season) that were ranked at the time but didn't finish that way? I see (and that is not a direct slap to you, just a statement on general ED sentiment).

[basedog]

Times have changed, so has money, social media kills college football coaches, so much pressure and demand.

In the past Msu fans wanted or would have begged for a coach who used Msu as I stepping stone, what we really want now is a coach who doesn't get fired. Msu is known for a "grave yard for coaches", don't believe me then go back and see how many get fired and never coach again.

I still thank Mullen, it was a good run, one of the best ever.

[MetEdDawg]

We have to become a powerhouse. And we aren't that. We will be a stepping stone until we are a Top 15 job. And paying Top 15 salary does not equal being a top 15 program.

To be honest we are probably at best a Top 25-30 job when you factor in money, facilities, recruiting, tradition, and winning. And the gap between Top 25-30 and Top 15 is astronomical.

[SDDawg]

Let's talk about this in 3 - 4 years when it is relevant.

[preachermatt83]

BIG BUYOUT! Hire a coach that really wants to be here. Offer him the job with top notch pay but with a huge buyout if he leaves.

[TrueMaroon]

Probably by just hiring one with a true sports agent and not one that just represents celebrites.

[Indndawg]

[QUOTE=ShotgunDawg;637361]When the time comes for us to hire our next head coach, how do we prevent him from being Mullen 2.0?

He could have statue like Bear and St. Nick; he could have a fricken anything named after him at MSU...but he chose the path of selfishness by whoring himself for two years and half-assing it on the recruiting trail.

In 2000, we beat bama 23-7 on a cold Nov day...we gave JWS a pay boost and extension and we know how that went. Yes bama was pursuing JWS but it all went south after that seminal game. Should we have done that for JWS? up for debate.

We need a young, vibrant coach that will not be satisfied w/the status quo and that will make his home at MSU and grow w/the the university and town...like Snyder.

[Jarius]

You have to find a guy with ties to MSU like Freeze has to Ole Miss. I don't see that in the cards.

[ScottH]

Let Mrs. Howland interview their wife.

[ShotgunDawg]

[QUOTE=ShotgunDawg;637361]When the time comes for us to hire our next head coach, how do we prevent him from being Mullen 2.0?

He could have statue like Bear and St. Nick; he could have a fricken anything named after him at MSU...but he chose the path of selfishness by whoring himself for two years and half-assing it on the recruiting trail.

In 2000, we beat bama 23-7 on a cold Nov day...we gave JWS a pay boost and extension and we know how that went. Yes bama was pursuing JWS but it all went south after that seminal game. Should we have done that for JWS? up for debate.

We need a young, vibrant coach that will not be satisfied w/the status quo and that will make his home at MSU and grow w/the the university and town...like Snyder.

I think this is what everyone wants, but your talking about finding a unicorn. Not sure this is realistic.

[LC Dawg]

We need to turn Starkville into a metropolis of a few million people with many shopping, entertainment, and educational options or slip the new coach a roofie, hire hookers, and get pictures.

[Jack Lambert]

Find some one from the five state area who is a small town kind of guy. Surely there is someone from LA, AR, MS, Tenn or AL that would take the job that would do a great job and be happy living close to home making 4 mil a year.

[bluelightstar]

I don't mind you listening if someone else calls or occasionally inquiring at a school or two, but for goodness sake, get out there and recruit. If I'm interested in changing jobs, I have to keep doing my current one until I leave.

[Tbonewannabe]

So, it counts that we are in and out, but doesn't count for other teams we beat in 2014 (or any other season) that were ranked at the time but didn't finish that way? I see (and that is not a direct slap to you, just a statement on general ED sentiment).

Does anyone think 2012 was a top 15 level team? We believe we can beat Bama then reality set in. The run to #1 was fantastic and maybe top 3 thing to ever happen to MSU football but at the end of the season those were just good teams. Mullen hasn't beaten a great team which is why a major program hasn't hired him away.

[Really Clark?]

[QUOTE=ShotgunDawg;637361]When the time comes for us to hire our next head coach, how do we prevent him from being Mullen 2.0?

He could have statue like Bear and St. Nick; he could have a fricken anything named after him at MSU...but he chose the path of selfishness by whoring himself for two years and half-assing it on the recruiting trail.

In 2000, we beat bama 23-7 on a cold Nov day...we gave JWS a pay boost and extension and we know how that went. Yes bama was pursuing JWS but it all went south after that seminal game. Should we have done that for JWS? up for debate.

We need a young, vibrant coach that will not be satisfied w/the status quo and that will make his home at MSU and grow w/the the university and town...like Snyder.

Bill Snyder was great. He was also 50 when he got his first HC job at Kansas State. He had been the OC at Iowa for 9 years prior and was with Hayden Fry at North Texas before Fry took over at Iowa. Snyder followed him their. Not sure I would call 50 a young and vibrant OC.

[Beaver]

AD who won't tolerate it... It's fine if the head coach is successful enough that he draws interest from bigger programs and interviews. But it's not cool if the coach is spending the offseason looking for other places he'd rather be instead of doing his job (recruiting)

[Taog Redloh]

You can't. But what you CAN do is not overpay a guy because he shops, because you think you'll never do better.

[Indndawg]

You can't. But what you CAN do is not overpay a guy because he shops, because you think you'll never do better.

Nicely done Goat

[dawgday166]

Does anyone think 2012 was a top 15 level team? We believe we can beat Bama then reality set in. The run to #1 was fantastic and maybe top 3 thing to ever happen to MSU football but at the end of the season those were just good teams. Mullen hasn't beaten a great team which is why a major program hasn't hired him away.

Agree with this.

2012 - No. We were overrated with a weak schedule going into Bama game. We may have been top 25 that year, not top 15 tho.
2014 - I think talent wise, physicality, etc. we were top 5. If Dan doesn't crap the bed in preparing and getting team to play loose against Bama, might've been a different outcome. Same with OM. I think if Dan doesn't crap bed, we would beat both Oregon and FSU in 2014 if we jump all over them like we could. If it's close and comes down to wire, Dan will screw it up. We were more physical than both of Oregon and FSU. Of course he would've had to play JRob and for some reason JRob seemed to get in his doghouse after Bama game.

[Taog Redloh]

Agree with this.

2012 - No. We were overrated with a weak schedule going into Bama game. We may have been top 25 that year, not top 15 tho.
2014 - I think talent wise, physicality, etc. we were top 5. If Dan doesn't crap the bed in preparing and getting team to play loose against Bama, might've been a different outcome. Same with OM. I think if Dan doesn't crap bed, we would beat both Oregon and FSU in 2014 if we jump all over them like we could. If it's close and comes down to wire, Dan will screw it up. We were more physical than both of Oregon and FSU. Of course he would've had to play JRob and for some reason JRob seemed to get in his doghouse after Bama game.
Mullen built the 2014 team. He gets every bit of credit for that. You take the good with the bad.

[dawgday166]

Mullen built the 2014 team. He gets every bit of credit for that. You take the good with the bad.

He's the HC so yes, I will agree with that. But staff members that should get some credit IMO are: Brian Johnson working with Dak, Collins as D coordinator, and especially Rick Court, who I believe was S&C coach then. Even Hev to some extent since O-line was pretty decent (with his type of players).

A dichotomy that I've noticed on this board with some: As HC Mullen gets all the credit for success which, he the head man and I won't discount that. As a coordinator under Meyer I believe he gets a lot more credit than he deserves in some cases. I also think as HC he should take the brunt of the blame ... not the staff, coordinators, or players.

[BB30]

You don't unless you hire an older retread with a little baggage like Jackie or find a State guy. This is no different than any other profession. I don't have much of a problem with him entertaining other job offers but that should be done behind closed doors and you shouldn't get lazy on the current job because clearly nothing is guaranteed. There is nothing wrong with looking at other jobs in my opinion especially if you are starting to get burned out or feel that you can't take the program any further. I think in that situation it is best for both parties involved to make a move. It really would have been better for him to have gotten a higher profile job after the 14 or 15 season if he was going to leave looking back. That would have left us in a much better position.