Mullen has the hardest job

[justwin]

in the country in terms of recruiting.

He has had to share his home state with the most corrupt program in NCAA football. Think about that for a second.

Think about how hard it has to be to maintain your integrity and not give in to cheating like your instate counterparts have done. Yes, sure, he could definitely improve but if you look back over the last 8 years, there has always been 1-3 instate guys who were bought by OM that would've become much better college players & bettered their chances at pro ball had they not gotten swept up by cash inducements from OM and actually gotten to go through the recruiting process with MSU with an unbias perception.

For me, I cant imagine what I would do day in and day out if I had to work alongside the dirtiest and most corrupt person in my profession and couldn't distance myself from it. Good for Mullen.

Those mfers used Werner's kid sickness as a recruiting advantage with the runner Barney on the trail. That is so sick & disgusting. That's just the top of the iceberg.

[Reason2succeed]

Couldn't agree more

[Bothrops]

The reason it's harder to recruit here than anywhere is because of said corrupt institution, and the best program in college football history are both less than 100 miles away. Nobody has that to deal with other than MSU.

[HoopsDawg]

Before we start feeling sorry for Mullen, remember that you just have to find 25 players per year. And that's what he gets paid 4.5 million to do. We certainly have some disadvantages, but we have a lot of advantages too. You have to identify the decision makers early in the process and treat them like family. You have to focus on the positives of your program and university. MSU has a lot to sell.

[BossDawg]

Not to mention being quite literally surrounded by the rest of the Western Division. Being that close to Bama is bad enough, but Auburn, LSU to the south and the rest of the schools dotting the perimeter isn't helping things. But yes, UM has most certainly gotten desperate the past few years, and thankfully it looks like they've bitten off more than they can chew. Mullen has definitely done a great job. If you compare what he's done with the majority of the rest of the SEC, he is doing an average to above-average job - and I think the relative consistency he brings will create great seasons every few years, like the '14 season.

[SDDawg]

Before we start feeling sorry for Mullen, remember that you just have to find 25 players per year. And that's what he gets paid 4.5 million to do. We certainly have some disadvantages, but we have a lot of advantages too. You have to identify the decision makers early in the process and treat them like family. You have to focus on the positives of your program and university. MSU has a lot to sell.

I don't think anyone should feel sorry for him, but acknowledging he has a hard job is ok to do. I'm happy for him that he's been so successful and I expect him to sign a really good class this year. I think that the next two years in-state are going to be really big for him as well.

[Bothrops]

Only certain material turns Mullen on. Luckily it's the qb. Other than that, he's not and never will be a recruiting go-getter.

[maroonmania]

Only certain material turns Mullen on. Luckily it's the qb. Other than that, he's not and never will be a recruiting go-getter.

Exactly, we do have some disadvantages but a lot of it is Mullen is just not that into recruiting like some coaches are. He loves to coach and develop but recruiting is not really his thing. But that was no real secret when we got him. He has gotten better at it though and is at least pulling in some much better QB prospects these days.

[NCDawg]

Exactly, we do have some disadvantages but a lot of it is Mullen is just not that into recruiting like some coaches are. He loves to coach and develop but recruiting is not really his thing. But that was no real secret when we got him. He has gotten better at it though and is at least pulling in some much better QB prospects these days.

He's getting paid 4.5M per year. He should be required to get "into recruiting like some coaches are".. Otherwise, we have zero chance to ever get to Atlanta.

[lamont]

Before we start feeling sorry for Mullen, remember that you just have to find 25 players per year. And that's what he gets paid 4.5 million to do. We certainly have some disadvantages, but we have a lot of advantages too. You have to identify the decision makers early in the process and treat them like family. You have to focus on the positives of your program and university. MSU has a lot to sell.

technically its 21 players per year

[was21]

Right. Urban Meyer said as much about him when we hired him. Meyer also said that he would win at State provided he had the athletes to do it. I think he's done a commendable job of recruiting a mix of athletes as far as stars are concerned. The ones that didn't have so many stars were developed. Mullen is what he is and that's good because he's solid and doesn't deviate from his original plan. On the other hand he appears to have learned that he needs staff to be better recruiters and he has also done that.

[fader2103]

I would give both my nuts, legs and arms to coach football for 4.5 mil

[ShotgunDawg]

How much money he makes has absolutely nothing to do with how hard the job is. Not sure why that came up

[Turfdawg67]

How much money he makes has absolutely nothing to do with how hard the job is. Not sure why that came up

Cause it's the same ole song and dance with a group of Mullen haters on this board. They think he should somehow overcome a bag-o-dollars by "working harder". Get the influencer on board early is all it takes... even though said influencer IS the one usually with their hand out.

[Maroons]

He's getting paid 4.5M per year. He should be required to get "into recruiting like some coaches are".. Otherwise, we have zero chance to ever get to Atlanta.

Seriously? How quickly some forget 2014.

Also, nobody is getting to Atlanta right now except Saban.

[Maroonthirteen]

technically its 21 players per year

Also, to be competitive with our schedule, he can't get any 21. He has to get 21 from the best 200 in the United States.

[HoopsDawg]

Also, to be competitive with our schedule, he can't get any 21. He has to get 21 from the best 200 in the United States.

No he doesn't. Not every year. We don't need eight 4 and 5 star WR's, but we better have 1 or 2. We don't need a ridiculous 3 deep at O-line, but we better have 7, etc., etc.

[Dawgsfanalongtime77]

Mullen has proven time and time again that he does more with less than just about anyone in the nation. We have had some quality players come through his program but as is the case they all for the most part had to develop. Mississippi state will never have the luxury of a bama or lsu when they can just reload from one year to the next.

[BB30]

No he doesn't. Not every year. We don't need eight 4 and 5 star WR's, but we better have 1 or 2. We don't need a ridiculous 3 deep at O-line, but we better have 7, etc., etc.

How many SEC programs this year had an above average to elite OL? We will never have an elite OL we will have years where we have a solid group but they will never be elite. Do you know how many 6'6" 300 pounders that are athletic enough to play in the SEC out there? Not many, you have to sign guys that fit a profile and can develop into a player that will lead to misses. Our OL played really well at the end of they year and statistically speaking they were not that bad this year.

There are plenty of athletes out there at WR, RB, etc. we will usually have enough skill talent to be competitive year in and year out with Mullen here. As long as we can get back to winning 7-9 games and have a season every 3-4 years where we really make a run at it I think that would be a step up from where we have come from. It takes a long time to change perception and we are currently on our way to doing that.

[lamont]

Bama, Auburn, LSU, UPig, Kentucky, A&M, Tennessee

[Bubb Rubb]

There are many more difficult places to recruit than Mississippi State.

We were just talking about Oregon last week - That is a nightmare scenario where you have to recruit nationally because there's not enough local talent to sustain the program.

Yes, we have to compete with big time programs and a corrupt one 80 miles away, but the fact is that we play in the SEC and we are in a pretty fertile area for talent. We have been recruiting at a top-25 level consistently. It just so happens that everyone else in our division does as well.

Once the NCAA smacks Ole Miss, our recruiting will benefit. It is already benefiting from that. Alabama, Auburn, and the like will get theirs, but they can't take everyone.

[lamont]

All we have to do is improve our OL recruiting and be more consistent at the other positions.

Mississippi doesn't produce enough OL talent- so let's get creative. Has to be Midwestern guys that want to play SEC football as well as get out of the cold. Kentucky's OL recruiting has been a lot better and guess what? They are bowling and should be solid again next year. We are 8 years in and haven't been able to recruit well enough from Miss, Al, and Louisiana- so let's start hitting some other spots. Stop doing the same thing over and over that isn't working

[maroonmania]

All we have to do is improve our OL recruiting and be more consistent at the other positions.

Mississippi doesn't produce enough OL talent- so let's get creative. Has to be Midwestern guys that want to play SEC football as well as get out of the cold. Kentucky's OL recruiting has been a lot better and guess what? They are bowling and should be solid again next year. We are 8 years in and haven't been able to recruit well enough from Miss, Al, and Louisiana- so let's start hitting some other spots. Stop doing the same thing over and over that isn't working

Well, we all know a good way to improve our OL recruiting but Mullen is not going to do that. So it is what it is.

[Todd4State]

All we have to do is improve our OL recruiting and be more consistent at the other positions.

Mississippi doesn't produce enough OL talent- so let's get creative. Has to be Midwestern guys that want to play SEC football as well as get out of the cold. Kentucky's OL recruiting has been a lot better and guess what? They are bowling and should be solid again next year. We are 8 years in and haven't been able to recruit well enough from Miss, Al, and Louisiana- so let's start hitting some other spots. Stop doing the same thing over and over that isn't working

I'd like to start with an o-line coach that doesn't quit when one of our prospects is offered by another SEC school.