So what is TN obsession with Mullen?

[Irondawg]

I know he?s a good coach, a very good coach. But can I say he?s head and shoulders above anybody else 7m would get?

I guess I just don?t get what makes him so much a hotter commodity than a bunch of other guys.

[ShotgunDawg]

He’s about the only proven option that they have any chance at.

They’ve gone through two mid major hires in a row and ain’t doing that again.

[msstate7]

If we have to pay 7 million, I would let him walk. I am huge Mullen guy, but 7 million? Nah

[ShotgunDawg]

If we have to pay 7 million, I would let him walk. I am huge Mullen guy, but 7 million? Nah

I kind of agree but am really not sure. Mullen has a ton of leverage here because we are 1 sub par hire away from sucking

It’s also incredibly unfair that we have to go through this every year.

I can only imagine how much better recruiting would be and would have been had Mullen’s names never come up with any other job.

[cheewgumm]

I think its their perception of Miss State. "If he can do it there, think what he can do here!!" is their thought.

[Liverpooldawg]

Most people away from MSU recognize what he has done here. If it takes 7 million to keep him here and we can afford it, we should pay it.

[bluelightstar]

$7 million would put him right behind Saban and Dabo, and tied with Harbaugh. That's rarefied air.

[Quaoarsking]

If we have to pay 7 million, I would let him walk. I am huge Mullen guy, but 7 million? Nah

Disagree. We should match Tennessee's offer no matter what. It would be a huge positive news story for us if we suddenly bumped him up to 7.5 million or whatever. All the talking heads would be discussing what a great commitment to winning we have as a program. Would be good press for Starkville too.

[Liverpooldawg]

Disagree. We should match Tennessee's offer no matter what. It would be a huge positive news story for us if we suddenly bumped him up to 7.5 million or whatever. All the talking heads would be discussing what a great commitment to winning we have as a program. Would be good press for Starkville too.

Exactly on it all. One comment: Dan Mullen has done more for the city of Starkville than any other individual in its history. Heck, they should be chipping in a LOT of money to help keep him.

[Liverpooldawg]

Disagree. We should match Tennessee's offer no matter what. It would be a huge positive news story for us if we suddenly bumped him up to 7.5 million or whatever. All the talking heads would be discussing what a great commitment to winning we have as a program. Would be good press for Starkville too.

One more, nothing could demonstrate that we aren't what we used to be more. If UT is serious then we have to fish or cut bait here. If we allow it to happen, we are what we have always been. Hopefully we can afford it.

[Cooterpoot]

Boys $7M is about to be the norm in the SEC. Get used to it. College football is about to go to hell.

[NCDawg]

I doubt whether Tennessee will offer Mullen. They are pretty big rivals with Alabama, and I don't think Mullen's record against them has been too good.

[BuckyIsAB****]

I'd like to do a poll of all posters to see who would pay Mullen 7 mil to stay here just to hear it all over again as soon as another job opens up

[Commercecomet24]

Boys $7M is about to be the norm in the SEC. Get used to it. College football is about to go to hell.

I?m afraid you?re right. It?s an arms race now.

[Commercecomet24]

Disagree. We should match Tennessee's offer no matter what. It would be a huge positive news story for us if we suddenly bumped him up to 7.5 million or whatever. All the talking heads would be discussing what a great commitment to winning we have as a program. Would be good press for Starkville too.

Right. It would prove how serious we are and not the same ol poor mstate. And it would shove it right up the behind of all those in the media who talk about our ?lack of resources? screw em all!

[TUSK]

I doubt whether Tennessee will offer Mullen. They are pretty big rivals with Alabama, and I don't think Mullen's record against them has been too good.

If Mullen/UT lost to Bama by only 7 points, they'd give him a lifetime contract...

[Reason2succeed]

One more, nothing could demonstrate that we aren't what we used to be more. If UT is serious then we have to fish or cut bait here. If we allow it to happen, we are what we have always been. Hopefully we can afford it.

Naaaa, then Pawl and Bo Bounds would just say we were desperate. “Haters gonna hate.”

But I do agree. If we need to offer him $7M then so be it but his a$$ is instantly on the hot seat if we don’t beat Bama in the next contract. If you want to be paid like a top 5 coach you have to perform like one. No excuses.

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

If Mullen/UT lost to Bama by only 7 points, they'd give him a lifetime contract...

In the same year Mullen/UT lost as 14 point favorites at home to Flarda? Negative ghost rider.

[civildawg]

No way in hell we should pay Mullen 6-7 million. Let him walk if that?s what Sexton is trying to get

[MetEdDawg]

If you don’t pay it your ass better have an option that will be equal to where Dan is now in 3 years. We are win now job because of the young experienced talent on roster. You willing to hand this team over to a group of 5 HC Or a low end P5 coach or a flash in the pan one good year coach? I’m not.

You pay Mullen. He wants to be here. But he’s going to go where he’s got the opportunity to be successful. We want to be a big time team? Time to shell out the big time money. We need Dan at MSU to continue building the brand. We’ve still got a long way to go and I think for the next 5-7 years we would be stupid to not think he’s the guy to lead it and that he’s just replaceable.

[maroonmania]

I think its their perception of Miss State. "If he can do it there, think what he can do here!!" is their thought.

Problem is that if he did there what he is doing here (winning 6 to 8 regular season games per year) he would be in hot water and they would want to fire him. I think you are right in the fact that people still see us as poor ol' MSU where it takes a miracle worker to just get us to bowl eligibility and I guess that will never change no matter how much our facilities and game day atmosphere improves. The only reason it would be easier to win more games at TN right now is that the East sucks so bad. However, that won't always be the case and you still have to play Bama every year.

[msstate7]

If we pay 7 million, what can we pay assistants? Does it affect baseball, MBB, and WBB?

[Dawgface]

But I do agree. If we need to offer him $7M then so be it but his a$$ is instantly on the hot seat if we don’t beat Bama in the next contract. If you want to be paid like a top 5 coach you have to perform like one. No excuses.

Exactly. The bar will be raised if he gets top 5 money.

[civildawg]

So I?m just curious, you?re ok with paying Mullen basically a Saban salary and getting half the results? I just don?t think that?s the smartest thing to do but I will back whatever Cohen decides for now

[msudawg1200]

Asking in all seriousness, can we pay 7M? Where does this money come from?

[Cooterpoot]

Exactly. The bar will be raised if he gets top 5 money.

With all the big jobs open, $7M might not be top 5. Mullen already makes $6M with everything included. He needs to push for a larger recruiting budget. Ours is the smallest in the SEC.

[msstate7]

With all the big jobs open, $7M might not be top 5. Mullen already makes $6M with everything included. He needs to push for a larger recruiting budget. Ours is the smallest in the SEC.

And if salary goes up, that could mean less recruiting budget or less for assistants.

[maroonmania]

With all the big jobs open, $7M might not be top 5. Mullen already makes $6M with everything included. He needs to push for a larger recruiting budget. Ours is the smallest in the SEC.

Exactly, Mullen makes PLENTY for himself. If he wants a top level program here he should be asking for more money for assistants and recruiting. Apparently Mullen really wants to win championships. If that's the case he will never get that at MSU eating up all of our available money with his own personal salary. He could potentially get that done spending more money on things that would really help strengthen the program.

[Dawgology]

With all the big jobs open, $7M might not be top 5. Mullen already makes $6M with everything included. He needs to push for a larger recruiting budget. Ours is the smallest in the SEC.

This is what I was thinking. All of these jobs opening at once in the SEC will create a sellers market. I think we are about to see 5+ coaches in the SEC being paid 7 mil+.

[Maroonthirteen]

If Mullen/UT lost to Bama by only 7 points, they'd give him a lifetime contract...

BS! If that happens in year one or even two, he will get a golf clap and head nod. If he goes 0-3 vs Bama, the natives will get restless and question the salary.

[dawgday166]

Mullen's record as a ranked team:
2010 4 - 2 beat UAB by 5, KY by 7, a 3-8 OM team by 8, and waxed an unranked 7- 5 Michigan team in bowl game. Beat OM as ranked team.
2011 1 - 2 Started out ranked and beat Memphis. Lost next 2 to AU (who ended year 7 - 5) & LSU. Beat OM as unranked team.
2012 5 - 4 (Started 7 - 0 that year). As ranked team beat S. Alabama, KY, a Tenn team that finished 5 - 7, Middle Tenn, an Arky Team that finished 4 - 8 after Petrino was fired before season. Lost as a ranked team to a 6 - 6 OM team.
2013 0 - 0 Beat OM as unranked team.
2014 6 - 3 2 of those wins were as lesser of 2 ranked teams (TAM & AU ranked higher going in). Other 4 wins were struggles against KY & Arky (2-6 for SEC that year; 6-6 overall), then Tenn-Martin and Vandy. Lost to Bama, lost to an injury decimated OM team that finished 9 - 4, and Ga Tech.
2015 1 - 4 Beat a 5 - 7 Missouri team. Lost to LSU, TAM, Bama, and lost to OM.
2016 0 - 0 Beat OM as unranked team.
2017 2 - 4 got blown out vs. Ga and AU. Beat UMass by 11 at home, beat a very crappy Arky team late in 4th, played close one against Bama at home, lost to crappy OM team.

Overall record as ranked team: 19 - 29. The 19 wins consist of UAB, Memphis, USA (S. Bama), KY (3 times), UT Martin, Vandy, UMass. Also beat .500 (or below) opponents OM, Tenn, Arky (twice), Mizzou. That's 14 very crappy teams out of the 19 wins.

Record vs OM as ranked team 1 - 4.

If Tenn wants to pay $7 mill for that, more power to them.

ETA: Anyone who wonders why we get "no respect", I believe it is self-explanatory above. Anyone who thinks we have a chance to win SEC W next year is delusional.

[Churchill]

Boys $7M is about to be the norm in the SEC. Get used to it. College football is about to go to hell.

From what I saw from the OM team, coaches and the refs last night....we're already there.

[RockyTop85]

UT fan and grad. Came over here looking to see if there was any speculation to be had. My in-laws are Ole Miss fans. Watched the game last night and secretly cheered for you guys. 😂

FWIW one of our former players has a radio show in Knoxville and says we?re not getting Mullen. He?s not always very reliable so who knows. We do have rumors going around that the media has been told to keep their schedules open on Sunday.

To answer the OP, UT fans are actually split.

We have some fans that think we?re a top 10 job, nationally, and we can hire pretty much anybody except Saban, but that an ESPN color commentator is going to come in and whip Saban and Dan Mullen is a ?meh? hire.

We also have a group who looks at the last few hires in the SEC East and thinks Mullen would be the modern equivalent of a Homerun who would do better in the East.

Good luck to you guys! Condolences about last night, but sounds like Fitzgerald?s injury may not be as bad as it looked?

[Dawgology]

It’s what I said the other day and got lambasted by some posters. We have a good football program and a REALLY good AD right now. Whatever happens we are positioned well for the future. What Mullen has done here is unprecedented to a certain extent but I think that thought process is also based on what we went through with Croom and the last years of JS.

[ShotgunDawg]

He needs to push for a larger recruiting budget. Ours is the smallest in the SEC.

Ours is the smallest because we recruit mostly players from this area not because we can't afford a larger recruiting budget.

I always laugh at this comment. The coaches can do whatever they want in recruiting, b

[Jack Lambert]

Asking in all seriousness, can we pay 7M? Where does this money come from?

Bull dog club, Athletic department, boosters and State money. Not so much state money. I think there is a limit.

[Churchill]

Dan would bring UT great stability and 8-10 wins per season. If that's your goal....he's your guy.

[ILOATHEBears]

Dan would bring UT great stability and 8-10 wins per season. If that's your goal....he's your guy.

UT is flying down to meet with Mullen today, according to rosebowl. Cohen has a vetted list of candidates but they aren?t very exciting in my opinion

[fader2103]

We could get another good/great coach for what we?re paying Dan at the moment. I have a hard time paying Dan 7mm when he hasn?t even won a SECw title

[msstate7]

UT is flying down to meet with Mullen today, according to rosebowl. Cohen has a vetted list of candidates but they aren?t very exciting in my opinion

Who are they? I personally hope mike norvell and Willie fritz are on the list

[civildawg]

Is bill Clark on that list?

[Leeshouldveflanked]

One thing that hurts us is that state law limits us to a maximum 4 year contract... other states can give longer contracts.

[civildawg]

I think that actually helps us avoid potentially bad contracts like Arkansas and Tennessee

[WSOPdawg]

With all the big jobs open, $7M might not be top 5. Mullen already makes $6M with everything included. He needs to push for a larger recruiting budget. Ours is the smallest in the SEC.

Exactly, Mullen is already paid as a top-15 coach in America. People are also forgetting the revenue jump we had a few short years ago with the SEC network coming into play. We can afford to keep Mullen if we choose. Unlike what the media would have the rest of the country believe, not all of us drive tractors to Omaha.

[ILOATHEBears]

Is bill Clark on that list?

List: Neal Brown at Troy, Mike Norvell at Memphis, Bill Clark at UAB, Brent Venables at Clemson, Barry Odom at Missouri and Jeremy Pruitt at Alabama among others.

[msstate7]

List: Neal Brown at Troy, Mike Norvell at Memphis, Bill Clark at UAB, Brent Venables at Clemson, Barry Odom at Missouri and Jeremy Pruitt at Alabama among others.

I doubt seriously we could get vanables, but I would take him in a heartbeat. Geoff Collins should be interviewed. He has done a good job at temple considering they completely changed their offensive philosophy

[dawgday166]

I doubt seriously we could get vanables, but I would take him in a heartbeat. Geoff Collins should be interviewed. He has done a good job at temple considering they completely changed their offensive philosophy

Nice call dude. So you noticed that too.

[HoopsDawg]

No way in hell we should pay Mullen 6-7 million. Let him walk if that?s what Sexton is trying to get

1000% agree

[NCDawg]

Exactly, Mullen makes PLENTY for himself. If he wants a top level program here he should be asking for more money for assistants and recruiting. Apparently Mullen really wants to win championships. If that's the case he will never get that at MSU eating up all of our available money with his own personal salary. He could potentially get that done spending more money on things that would really help strengthen the program.

My thoughts exactly. I understand Alabama paying Saban an exorbitant amount of money because he is a great ROI. I don't think Mullen is there yet.