Neal Brown is the right coach for the job...

[HoopsDawg]

but I guess I will just have to get behind Pruitt.

[msstate7]

Thought you wanted norvell.

I too would rather have another guy, but hopefully Cohen hits another HR like cann

[Tbonewannabe]

Pruitt seems like he is a better hire than Dan was as an OC. Pruitt might not have the QB development level but he has been extremely successful everywhere he has been. He is also supposedly a great recruiter which Dan lacked. I think it helps if your head coach is a great recruiter because it sets the tone for the entire staff. We always struggled with Dan because of that reason. The Country Club were lazy recruiters and it affected the rest of the staff.

[mstatefan91]

Why would Neal Brown be the right coach? I'm not against it. I just don't understand how winning at Troy translates to winning at Mississippi State. Genuinely curious

[preachermatt83]

This is dumb.

[jumbo]

.

[Saltydog]

Recruiting at MSU will tell the tale.

[msstate7]

.

My sources say we taking the interim off our current guy**

[HoopsDawg]

Thought you wanted norvell.

I too would rather have another guy, but hopefully Cohen hits another HR like cann

Norvell is my no. 1 but apparently we aren't pursuing him at all. So Neal is my number 1.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Norvell is my no. 1 but apparently we aren't pursuing him at all. So Neal is my number 1.

Sun Belt recruiting and SEC recruiting are two different animals no matter how well connected you are with the coaches in the South. He'd need to bring on a coordinator with SEC experience for people to be ok with this hire.

[HoopsDawg]

Why would Neal Brown be the right coach? I'm not against it. I just don't understand how winning at Troy translates to winning at Mississippi State. Genuinely curious

Offensive minded coach. Played under Mike Leach and Hal Mumme. Winning at Troy. Beat LSU at LSU. Young, up and comer. But the advantage he has over Pruitt is that he has been a head coach. Listen to Mullen today, it's takes a while to go from being a coordinator to the guy in charge. Neal runs the spread, it will be an easy transition for offensive personnel.

[Cooterpoot]

Nobody would know who Brown is if not for 1 damn win.

[HoopsDawg]

Nobody would know who Brown is if not for 1 damn win.

Maybe you wouldn't know him. I do. He did a good job as OC at UK. His first year at Troy they were 4-8. Then 10-3 and now they are 9-2. That's a guy that knows what he's doing.

The DC at Bama isnt the guy in charge. Smart is doing well, awesome. The SEC east is trash. They got blown out by AU and Smart has elite talent to work with.

[TrapGame]

Nobody would know who Brown is if not for 1 damn win.

Good point.

I told some non-football following folks at work we're looking at getting Jeremy Pruitt and they said who is that? When I said the current DC at Alabama it was oh, yeah, that sounds good.

Now tell regular folks we got the head coach of Troy. They'd look at you like where's that? and who's that?

[HoopsDawg]

Good point.

I told some non-football following folks at work we're looking at getting Jeremy Pruitt and they said who is that? When I said the current DC at Alabama it was oh, yeah, that sounds good.

Now tell regular folks we got the head coach of Troy. They'd look at you like where's that? and who's that?

Tell them he's the guy that beat LSU in Tiger stadium at night.

A head coach needs to be able to stand on his own. The only people here who are excited about Pruitt is if Pruitt brings the right offensive coordinator. That's not the guy you want.

[thf24]

A head coach needs to be able to stand on his own. The only people here who are excited about Pruitt is if Pruitt brings the right offensive coordinator. That's not the guy you want.

Isn't that true for any defensive-minded head coach? Well, not named Saban anyway.

[HoopsDawg]

Isn't that true for any defensive-minded head coach? Well, not named Saban anyway.

Yeah, my point is Neal Brown has 3 years of head coaching experience. Pruitt has 0. We can find a good defensive coordinator.

[NCDawg]

Norvell is my no. 1 but apparently we aren't pursuing him at all. So Neal is my number 1.

I agree with you, but looks like they're hiring Pruitt.

[calidawg]

Yeah, my point is Neal Brown has 3 years of head coaching experience. Pruitt has 0. We can find a good defensive coordinator.

I hear you. Best team roster we've had next year and we would have to go through head coach growing pains. Will cost us at least 1 loss.

[gravedigger]

Yeah, my point is Neal Brown has 3 years of head coaching experience. Pruitt has 0. We can find a good defensive coordinator.

we just lost a guy who had no head coaching experience. weak argument at best. Croom has head coaching experience.

[HoopsDawg]

we just lost a guy who had no head coaching experience. weak argument at best. Croom has head coaching experience.

Not when we hired him.

Read all of my posts. I want a coach with an offensive background and can develop QB's and for gravy on top, one who has been a head coach so we don't have to suffer through the growing pains that are inevitable. It just so happens there are 2 such candidates within a 2 hour drive: Mike Norvell and Neal Brown.

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

Actually Memphis is 2:42 hours from Starkville and Troy is 4:06 hours from Starkville.......I get what you're saying. I'm JFWY.

[Alumni50]

If "played under Mike Leach" is such a fine prerequisite why in the hell woukd you bot just hire Mike Leach?? lol

[RocketDawg]

Any idea why Norvell isn't a possibility? Is it because he really wants to stay at Memphis, or is there something wrong with him?

[Bass Chaser]

Any idea why Norvell isn't a possibility? Is it because he really wants to stay at Memphis, or is there something wrong with him?

According to all the boards, there’s some heavy baggage.

[Mutt the Hoople]

Because he's 86 years old.

[gravedigger]

Mike Norvell is not hireable. And Mullen didnt have head coaching experience when we hired him. Which means that that isnt a guarantee of success or failure. I want a guy who is hungry to prove himself. I want a guy that knows how to develop a STAFF, then a player. I want a guy that understands taht if you compromise defense, you will lose in this conference unless you are in the east and even then you will be second fiddle. I want a guy that can use the clock correctly. I want a guy that knows he isnt the smartest person on the planet and needs his people.

What I want to continue from mullen is the idea that the rest of the world knows exactly nothing on how to evaluate a player and pays NO attention to recruiting rankings that the average fan worships. What I want is a coach that understands that he cannot compromise the recruitment of ANY position just because he wants depth at another. What I want is a man who understands that the boosters are important, and ultimately, need to be told where the door is if they think they run the program.

But here is the bottom line if fans of MSU havnt figured it out by now: Keenum runs this show. Not Brett or Cohen. Keenum. If he has to choose between public embarassment (think Freeze or our last run in with the ncaa) and losing, he will choose losing EVERY TIME. This is his livelihood. It's not our sports program with education attached. Its the other way around and the next coach better understand that fact. Otherwise he's as gone as he is here.

Norvell's problems are a non starter. Kiffins problems are a non starter. Brown, well, I'm not as familiar. But this search isnt like Ole Miss's. They will take anyone notable they can get once that tub of lard starts losing again. Keenum wont allow it.

Know this search isnt going to be like the rest of them. Dan was a great hire. But he had to be reigned in at one point. The next coach will start with tight reigns.

[maroonmania]

Not when we hired him.

Read all of my posts. I want a coach with an offensive background and can develop QB's and for gravy on top, one who has been a head coach so we don't have to suffer through the growing pains that are inevitable. It just so happens there are 2 such candidates within a 2 hour drive: Mike Norvell and Neal Brown.

Hoops, I agree with you. Given the choice I would much rather get a guy that has proven he can be a good HC even in a smaller league because its a different animal being a HC that being a coordinator. I would compare it to the fact that usually the best Presidents are ex-Governors. That is because they have already run a Government just on a smaller scale. Doesn't mean that ex-Congressman and the like can't learn on the job but if you already know how to do something its not a huge deal to basically do the same type job on a bigger stage.

[Really Clark?]

There is no exact science that a head coach at a smaller school translates to a better success rate than a coordinator. It's a crap shoot either way. You do your due dilligence and find the right man that fits your criteria and fits the program. That means more than anything else.

[Cooterpoot]

Maybe you wouldn't know him. I do. He did a good job as OC at UK. His first year at Troy they were 4-8. Then 10-3 and now they are 9-2. That's a guy that knows what he's doing.

The DC at Bama isnt the guy in charge. Smart is doing well, awesome. The SEC east is trash. They got blown out by AU and Smart has elite talent to work with.

It?s the damn Sunbelt. HUD looked great at one time. Give me Bamas DC over KYs OC every day.