SEC West Got Easier Today

[ShotgunDawg]

Thanks to Georgia, Clemson, and Miami, the SEC West got easier today.

Bama finished 7th, which is their worst class of the Saban era

Auburn finished 12th, which is a little below average for them.

LSU finished 15th which is atrocious for the style they play

A&M finished 17th which is below average for them m

OM finished 30th with a bad apple QB carrying the weight of that.

And Arkansas the team we were praising for their recruiting finished 54th. They are going to be awful

We got closer to Atlanta today.

[BuckyIsAB****]

None of that matters a whole lot to me.

Recruiting rankings are the most overrated part of CFB IMO. Not a lot of difference after the top 5.

SECW will be the toughest division on CFB again

[msstate7]

We finished 5th. If recruiting rankings mean nothing when it comes to us, how come they matter to the others?

[calidawg]

None of that matters a whole lot to me.

Recruiting rankings are the most overrated part of CFB IMO. Not a lot of difference after the top 5.

SECW will be the toughest division on CFB again

Ignorant statement. Since 2001 every national champion had at least 2 top 10 classes in the previous 4 years except for Clemson and they had 1 top 10 class. Recruiting rankings overrated. Lol

[BuckyIsAB****]

We finished 5th. If recruiting rankings mean nothing when it comes to us, how come they matter to the others?

I didnt mean they meant nothing, but the people who get overly excited or down about recruiting rankings dont know the game or how it works.

They def dont know 17-18 yr old high school kids

[Coach34]

We got closer to Atlanta today.

2018 is our best chance at Atlanta for the next 10 years. Today didnt affect that much.

State vs Bama for the West in 2018

[BuckyIsAB****]

Ignorant statement. Since 2001 every national champion had at least 2 top 10 classes in the previous 4 years except for Clemson and they had 1 top 10 class. Recruiting rankings overrated. Lol

Yep and Michigan, Texas, Auburn, LSU, UGA, at times & you could name more have been down and they recruit in the top 10 every year.

I wasnt saying they mean nothing at all but they dont mean as much as the media and others want to tell you

[calidawg]

2018 is our best chance at Atlanta for the next 10 years. Today didnt affect that much.

State vs Bama for the West in 2018

Coach you put a lot of stock in a first time D1 coach being that successful in year 1. I mean I hope that’s the case, but is there any history of a first year D1 head coach going 10-2 or better?

[ShotgunDawg]

2018 is our best chance at Atlanta for the next 10 years. Today didnt affect that much.

State vs Bama for the West in 2018

Agree.

It certainly helps though that our competitors won't have as many impact freshmen & it helps for the future.

[ShotgunDawg]

We finished 5th. If recruiting rankings mean nothing when it comes to us, how come they matter to the others?

We normally recruit in this same range though & we know what type of team we are capable of fielding with this level of talent.

Today we saw some of the super recruiters come back to the field a little.

[vv83]

Coach you put a lot of stock in a first time D1 coach being that successful in year 1. I mean I hope that’s the case, but is there any history of a first year D1 head coach going 10-2 or better?

Gus Malzhan and Chris Peterson come to mind

[msstate7]

2018 is our best chance at Atlanta for the next 10 years. Today didnt affect that much.

State vs Bama for the West in 2018
Yep. This is our shot.

[DudyDawg]

We need to cheat more.

[msstate7]

We normally recruit in this same range though & we know what type of team we are capable of fielding with this level of talent.

Today we saw some of the super recruiters come back to the field a little.
We have certainly performed better in our conference than our rankings suggest we should. Really hope that continues under new staff

[RocketDawg]

We finished 5th. If recruiting rankings mean nothing when it comes to us, how come they matter to the others?

In the SEC? SECW? Surely not nationally. I assume Shotgun's rankings were nationally.

[MagicDawg]

State vs Bama for the West in 2018

If I had no calendar, I could at least tell you whether it was an even-numbered year by looking at the site of our Bama game when we're contending. Always Tuscaloosa, damn it. After 2014, I have no desire to ever set foot in Bryant-Denny ever again.

[msstate7]

In the SEC? SECW? Surely not nationally. I assume Shotgun's rankings were nationally.

27th nationally
9th sec
5th sec West

[Coach34]

Coach you put a lot of stock in a first time D1 coach being that successful in year 1. I mean I hope that’s the case, but is there any history of a first year D1 head coach going 10-2 or better?

Chris Petersen went from OC to 13-0 in his 1st season as HC
Jim Tressell went 14-0 and won a NC in his 2nd year ats Ohio State
Malzahn went from OC at UPig and Tulsa, to HC at Ark State 9-3 for his 1 season...and then 12-2 at Auburn in Year 1
Phillip Fulmer went 10-2 his 1st season at Tennessee after winning the last 4 games the previous year as Interim coach
Mark Richt went 13-1 in his 2nd season at Georgia after an 8-4 season 1.
Cutcliffe went 8-4 in season 1 with Mississippi
Jimbo Fisher went 10-4 in his 1st season as Fla State HC

JoMo has HC experience on a smaller level- but as an OC at Penn State- he knows what the bigtime is. The thing is- he is inheriting a loaded team. That rarely happens. It's so rare a coach leaves a team like we will have in 2018. Thats the difference

[TUSK]

Thanks to Georgia, Clemson, and Miami, the SEC West got easier today.

Bama finished 7th, which is their worst class of the Saban era

Auburn finished 12th, which is a little below average for them.

LSU finished 15th which is atrocious for the style they play

A&M finished 17th which is below average for them m

OM finished 30th with a bad apple QB carrying the weight of that.

And Arkansas the team we were praising for their recruiting finished 54th. They are going to be awful

We got closer to Atlanta today.

This is that, drilled down a bit.... feel free to check it... I'm feelin' foggy today... It's 2015 to 2017 avg vs 2018... 247

team . 15-17 ave . 2018

Alabama 93.05 / 92.78
Auburn 89.53 / 90.20
LSU 90.28 / 90.11
A&M 87.40 / 89.69
MSU 85.36 / 87.21
Mississippi 87.04 / 86.76
Arkansas 85.99 / 86.16

[ShotgunDawg]

27th nationally
9th sec
5th sec West

We finished 24th in 247's non-composite rankings. Which for us you could argue means more because Rivals & ESPN don't do any evaluations in MS.

[ShotgunDawg]

This is that, drilled down a bit.... feel free to check it... I'm feelin' foggy today... It's 2015 to 2017 avg vs 2018... 247

team . 15-17 ave . 2018

Alabama 93.05 / 92.78
Auburn 89.53 / 90.20
LSU 90.28 / 90.11
A&M 87.40 / 89.69
MSU 85.36 / 87.21
Mississippi 87.04 / 86.76
Arkansas 85.99 / 86.16

This looks right.

Size of classes does matter though, as I'm sure every team would sign another great player. So, some of these teams fell further in the recruiting rankings than they did in average recruit, but class size does matter. Problem is, some of these teams ran out of good players to sign.

[msstate7]

We finished 24th in 247's non-composite rankings. Which for us you could argue means more because Rivals & ESPN don't do any evaluations in MS.

I agree with that

[RocketDawg]

Given all the gloom and doom posts over LSU, doesn't look like they fell off too much today, just a small bit under Auburn and a couple points below Alabama.

[ShotgunDawg]

Given all the gloom and doom posts over LSU, doesn't look like they fell off too much today, just a small bit under Auburn and a couple points below Alabama.

They finished 15th today.

Their previous 3 recruiting classes were ranked 7, 2, & 5.

Throw that in with them losing a ton of JRs and they are having a pretty substantial talent transition.

Add all of that to Orgeron being their coach, and they’ve got a disaster on their hands.

[ShotgunDawg]

2018 is our best chance at Atlanta for the next 10 years. Today didnt affect that much.

State vs Bama for the West in 2018

If the SEC West talent levels continue to deteriorate, more windows may open

[Homedawg]

None of that matters a whole lot to me.

Recruiting rankings are the most overrated part of CFB IMO. Not a lot of difference after the top 5.

SECW will be the toughest division on CFB again

Facts prove that to be wrong. They do matter if you are talking about big things like championships of any sort. But carry on.

[Coach34]

Given all the gloom and doom posts over LSU, doesn't look like they fell off too much today, just a small bit under Auburn and a couple points below Alabama.

Name 1 SEC school that you would say LSU is better at QB than them? UPig? They literally may be 14th in the SEC at QB. UPig is their competition for last in the SEC. You want to bet on that panning out vs the toughest schedule in the country?

[DogsofAnarchy]

2018 is our best chance at Atlanta for the next 10 years. Today didnt affect that much.

State vs Bama for the West in 2018

Stupidity is deep today. How in the hell can you possibly say that? How in the f$)(-/@ HELL can you say for the next 10 years? You have NO DAMN idea what?s gonna happen unless Elon Musk has let you in on time travel. Come on 34, get out of your feelings man. DAMN! You got to be smarter than that.

[Coach34]

Stupidity is deep today. How in the hell can you possibly say that? How in the f$)(-/@ HELL can you say for the next 10 years? You have NO DAMN idea what?s gonna happen unless Elon Musk has let you in on time travel. Come on 34, get out of your feelings man. DAMN! You got to be smarter than that.

Because I'm a Genie and know how recruiting works.

We wont be as talented the next 10 years as we are in 2018. Just like the 1998-1999 and 2014 teams were "moments in time"....so is this 2018 team. Thats life for Miss State football

[Dawg61]

2018 is our best chance at Atlanta for the next 10 years. Today didnt affect that much.

State vs Bama for the West in 2018

Hope our DC knows this. I ain't worried bout the offense with Moorhead.

[Homedawg]

Stupidity is deep today. How in the hell can you possibly say that? How in the f$)(-/@ HELL can you say for the next 10 years? You have NO DAMN idea what?s gonna happen unless Elon Musk has let you in on time travel. Come on 34, get out of your feelings man. DAMN! You got to be smarter than that.

Well based on previous history and the fact we have an extremely talented team coming back his post makes sense. But if you are just arguing to argue, yeah, we can't read the future, no shit.

[msstate7]

Stupidity is deep today. How in the hell can you possibly say that? How in the f$)(-/@ HELL can you say for the next 10 years? You have NO DAMN idea what?s gonna happen unless Elon Musk has let you in on time travel. Come on 34, get out of your feelings man. DAMN! You got to be smarter than that.

I think it is a pretty safe assumption. Bama is not going anywhere, LSU will fire ed o next season, auburn will continue to be good, and aTm is about to take a major step forward.

[ShotgunDawg]

I think it is a pretty safe assumption. Bama is not going anywhere, LSU will fire ed o next season, auburn will continue to be good, and aTm is about to take a major step forward.

I just completely disagree with your assertion that A&M will take a major step forward.

[BeardoMSU]

Because I'm a Genie and know how recruiting works.

We wont be as talented the next 10 years as we are in 2018. Just like the 1998-1999 and 2014 teams were "moments in time"....so is this 2018 team. Thats life for Miss State football

So it's been 10 years since 2014?

[msstate7]

I just completely disagree with your assertion that A&M will take a major step forward.

I really hope you are correct here.

I look at jimbo situation a lot like urban at Florida. Urban won a natty, won big every year, killed it recruiting at Florida, and then saban passed him. Florida fans freaked out, and made urban want to move along after a terrible season without a qb (cam transfer for Florida and injury for fsu). Now plug in jimbo for urban, FSU for Florida, and dabo for saban. Urban got a fresh start and picked right back up where he left off; I expect the same for jimbo

[Homedawg]

So it's been 10 years since 2014?

Nope and we didn't win the west either. Don't know why y'all are arguing w his post. It was reasonable and based on our recruiting and past it's damn near fact.

[Dawg61]

I really hope you are correct here.

I look at jimbo situation a lot like urban at Florida. Urban won a natty, won big every year, killed it recruiting at Florida, and then saban passed him. Florida fans freaked out, and made urban want to move along after a terrible season without a qb (cam transfer for Florida and injury for fsu). Now plug in jimbo for urban, FSU for Florida, and dabo for saban. Urban got a fresh start and picked right back up where he left off; I expect the same for jimbo

Florida State is a top 10 program all-time. I think you're giving the man too much credit and not enough to the school.

[ShotgunDawg]

I really hope you are correct here.

I look at jimbo situation a lot like urban at Florida. Urban won a natty, won big every year, killed it recruiting at Florida, and then saban passed him. Florida fans freaked out, and made urban want to move along after a terrible season without a qb (cam transfer for Florida and injury for fsu). Now plug in jimbo for urban, FSU for Florida, and dabo for saban. Urban got a fresh start and picked right back up where he left off; I expect the same for jimbo

Not sure why you are balls deep on Jimbo.

Outside of having Winston as his QB, his record at FSU when considering his talent level vs others in his conference, was meh.

Jimbo runs pro style offense and refuses, verbally, to use the QB as a runner. Think about trying that vs the defenses in the SEC.

It ain’t gonna work. He’ll be Sumlin level with different looking schemes

[ShotgunDawg]

Florida State is a top 10 program all-time. I think you're giving the man too much credit and not enough to the school.

Agree and Ohio State and A&M ain’t similar at all.

Urban is 10 times the coach Jimbo.

Again Jimbo runs a pro style offense and has verbally stated he won’t use his QB as a runner. 10 v 11 with less than elite talent ain’t gonna work.

[msstate7]

Florida State is a top 10 program all-time. I think you're giving the man too much credit and not enough to the school.

So is Bama... how did they do with DuBose, Fran, and Shula?

So is ND... how have they done since lou left?

So is Florida... how have they done since urban left?

What is the saying that you never wanna be the guy to replace a legend? Jimbo did that, and elevated the program back to where they were before Bowden fell off. In 34 years, Bowden won 2 titles; jimbo won 1 in 8 years

[Dawg61]

Texas A&M isn't a top 20 program all-time. Everyone calls them a sleeping giant but that giant has never woken up once in its entire history. Eventually you aren't sleeping if that's all you've ever been you're in a coma or dead.

[msstate7]

Not sure why you are balls deep on Jimbo.

Outside of having Winston as his QB, his record at FSU when considering his talent level vs others in his conference, was meh.

Jimbo runs pro style offense and refuses, verbally, to use the QB as a runner. Think about trying that vs the defenses in the SEC.

It ain’t gonna work. He’ll be Sumlin level with different looking schemes

Who recruited Winston? Winston has yet to get his team in the playoffs in the nfl. Do not act like he is Brady 2.0

[Homedawg]

Florida State is a top 10 program all-time. I think you're giving the man too much credit and not enough to the school.

Fla state was a nobody up until 30 years ago. A&I'm has way more advantages today than fsu did back then. A&m will win the west at some point. How often who knows.... and to say they never have done anything is nuts. They would have been in the playoff if we had today's system under sherrill.

[Commercecomet24]

The Texas AM discussion is interesting. I think Jimbo is a really good coach. Imo he?s not Saban, Meyer, Dabo level but very good. AM will never be regular contender in the west until they figure out how to recruit and play defense. Texas recruiting is great for offensive players but lack the defensive talent needed in sec. Jimbo gonna have to recruit elsewhere to get that defensive talent. Can he do that? We shall see. If they can get defensive talent they will be tough.

[Homedawg]

Who recruited Winston? Winston has yet to get his team in the playoffs in the nfl. Do not act like he is Brady 2.0

Never understand in the college game people say stuff like if it weren't for cam newton or winston they wouldn't have won. Well hell, no shit. So they get punished for recruiting them and winning w them because they are studs? That's stupid

[msstate7]

Never understand in the college game people say stuff like if it weren't for cam newton or winston they wouldn't have won. Well hell, no shit. So they get punished for recruiting them and winning w them because they are studs? That's stupid

Yeah, but what is saban record without all those 1st round LBs? Lol

[Commercecomet24]

Yeah, but what is saban record without all those 1st round LBs? Lol

Good one lol!

[Dawg61]

Fla state was a nobody up until 30 years ago. A&I'm has way more advantages today than fsu did back then. A&m will win the west at some point. How often who knows.... and to say they never have done anything is nuts. They would have been in the playoff if we had today's system under sherrill.

I'm not gonna make it easier for aTm by pumping them up. Sooner or later perception becomes reality and for all the aTm lovers out there you're gonna get exactly what you're thinking they are. I'm going to do the opposite. Texas A&M ain't shit and I'll do my best to keep that perception alive despite all of you trying your best to turn them into a nightmare.

[msstate7]

I'm not gonna make it easier for aTm by pumping them up. Sooner or later perception becomes reality and for all the aTm lovers out there you're gonna get exactly what you're thinking they are. I'm going to do the opposite. Texas A&M ain't shit and I'll do my best to keep that perception alive despite all of you trying your best to turn them into a nightmare.

Just like you and shotgun cannot prevent aTm from becoming a power by holding your nuts on jimbo, my pumping him up will not do it either. You must be a big name it, claim it guy

[Dawg61]

Just like you and shotgun cannot prevent aTm from becoming a power by holding your nuts on jimbo, my pumping him up will not do it either. You must be a big name it, claim it guy

3 people won't do shit in either direction. 30 million will. You can choose to be on the side that helps aTm become a power or you can be on the other side that wants to keep that from ever happening.

[msstate7]

3 people won't do shit in either direction. 30 million will. You can choose to be on the side that helps aTm become a power or you can be on the other side that wants to keep that from ever happening.

aTm will sink or swim on the back of jimbo, his players, and their alumni. We have nothing to do with it.

[Homedawg]

3 people won't do shit in either direction. 30 million will. You can choose to be on the side that helps aTm become a power or you can be on the other side that wants to keep that from ever happening.

Good grief man. Don't start saying stupid stuff now. You've better

[DogsofAnarchy]

Well based on previous history and the fact we have an extremely talented team coming back his post makes sense. But if you are just arguing to argue, yeah, we can't read the future, no shit.

He don’t need any back up bruh. All I’m saying is neither one of you KNOW what’s gonna transpire in the next 10 years. You have No idea who is going to develop and who isn’t or who is going to get injured or not. So stop with the Nostradamus bullshit because it makes you look like a damn cheerleading rookie.

[Dawg61]

aTm will sink or swim on the back of jimbo, his players, and their alumni. We have nothing to do with it.

Perception is powerful. Croom had half our fan base believing we could never be ranked #1 ever still five years after he got fired. A bonfire doesn't become a bonfire from one log but throw enough of them and well. The log I throw for aTm is they are overrated always have been always will be.

[Homedawg]

He don’t need any back up bruh. All I’m saying is neither one of you KNOW what’s gonna transpire in the next 10 years. You have No idea who is going to develop and who isn’t or who is going to get injured or not. So stop with the Nostradamus bullshit because it makes you look like a damn cheerleading rookie.

Gee thanks nobody knows the future. Wow. But if one has a brain they can come up w the most likely scenario. His was reasonable based on everything we know up until today. Yours just make you look like a bitchy ass prick that doesn't like coach. Keep whining.

[Coach34]

He don’t need any back up bruh. All I’m saying is neither one of you KNOW what’s gonna transpire in the next 10 years. You have No idea who is going to develop and who isn’t or who is going to get injured or not. So stop with the Nostradamus bullshit because it makes you look like a damn cheerleading rookie.

Here is where I apologize to posters like you because I’m so far over your heads and have to realize how slow you guys are. State becomes talented enough to win the SEC about once per generation. You can argue it, be mad about it, or throw a tantrum about it like you have tonight- but facts is facts.

We had our shot in 1980 but ****ed it vs Florida
We had our shot in 1992 but Sleepy tore his ACL
we had our shot in 1998 but Madkin wasn’t ready to complete enough passes win the game
We had our shot in 1999 but simply didn’t have the OL
We had our shot in 2014 but weren’t good enough on the OL
We have the best shot we have had in my lifetime in 2018

We simply don’t get many of these chances and you are being moronic to act like we do or will in the future.

[Homedawg]

Here is where I apologize to posters like you because I’m so far over your heads and have to realize how slow you guys are. State becomes talented enough to win the SEC about once per generation. You can argue it, be mad about it, or throw a tantrum about it like you have tonight- but facts is facts.

We had our shot in 1980 but ****ed it vs Florida
We had our shot in 1992 but Sleepy tore his ACL
we had our shot in 1998 but Madkin wasn’t ready to complete enough passes win the game
We had our shot in 1999 but simply didn’t have the OL
We had our shot in 2014 but weren’t good enough on the OL
We have the best shot we have had in my lifetime in 2018

We simply don’t get many of these chances and you are being moronic to act like we do or will in the future.

But but but....you don't know the future and in only ONE of those years did we lose just one conference game, in 1980 and that year we played 6 league games. So dude can ignore the facts all he wants. But history does show us lots.

[Dawg61]

Sports are unexpected. Butler playing in back to back national championships in basketball would seem impossible in 1990. Oregon playing for a national championship in football would seem impossible in 1995. MSU playing for a national championship after beating UConn in WBB would seem impossible in 2005. We aren't a set in stone only play for a SEC Champ program once a generation just like all those teams could never play for a championship. You once spent two years telling MSU fans we could NEVER compete on the same level as LSU. That was just five years ago. Don't set limitations on our program. You'll be proven wrong every time you do.

[Homedawg]

Here is where I apologize to posters like you because I?m so far over your heads and have to realize how slow you guys are. State becomes talented enough to win the SEC about once per generation. You can argue it, be mad about it, or throw a tantrum about it like you have tonight- but facts is facts.

We had our shot in 1980 but ****ed it vs Florida
We had our shot in 1992 but Sleepy tore his ACL
we had our shot in 1998 but Madkin wasn?t ready to complete enough passes win the game
We had our shot in 1999 but simply didn?t have the OL
We had our shot in 2014 but weren?t good enough on the OL
We have the best shot we have had in my lifetime in 2018

We simply don?t get many of these chances and you are being moronic to act like we do or will in the future.

But but but....you don't know the future and in only ONE of those years did we lose just one conference game, in 1980 and that year we played 6 league games. So dude can ignore the facts all he wants. But history does show us lots.

[QuadrupleOption]

Here is where I apologize to posters like you because I’m so far over your heads and have to realize how slow you guys are. State becomes talented enough to win the SEC about once per generation. You can argue it, be mad about it, or throw a tantrum about it like you have tonight- but facts is facts.

We had our shot in 1980 but ****ed it vs Florida
We had our shot in 1992 but Sleepy tore his ACL
we had our shot in 1998 but Madkin wasn’t ready to complete enough passes win the game
We had our shot in 1999 but simply didn’t have the OL
We had our shot in 2014 but weren’t good enough on the OL
We have the best shot we have had in my lifetime in 2018

We simply don’t get many of these chances and you are being moronic to act like we do or will in the future.

Yep. My one caveat to this is that times have changed and we aren't the same MSU we were even 15 years ago. I think these shots will come more and more often until we are one of those programs that has a shot every few years regularly. We just have to keep moving that direction slowly and building up our recruiting profile over time. I do believe Mullen did a lot to help us there and I hope that Moorhead is a guy that will keep us going the right direction.

[RougeDawg]

aTm will sink or swim on the back of jimbo, his players, and their alumni. We have nothing to do with it.

A&M will never threaten the SEC until Texas high schools abandon the spread offenses. Which means never. Texas high school football is like the big 12. Mini me defenses and 65-62 scores. That?s not going to hold up through a brutal SEC schedule, let alone the SECWest. Brute force 4-6 games a season wears down a finess team like A&M. That?s why Oklahoma has been the dominant team in Big12. They are the closest thing to a SEC defense In The BIG12.

ETA. Everyone said the same thing when Sumlin went there. The only year they even sniffed the West they needed a once in a lifetime talent QB to give them any hope.

[Todd4State]

Here is where I apologize to posters like you because I?m so far over your heads and have to realize how slow you guys are. State becomes talented enough to win the SEC about once per generation. You can argue it, be mad about it, or throw a tantrum about it like you have tonight- but facts is facts.

We had our shot in 1980 but ****ed it vs Florida
We had our shot in 1992 but Sleepy tore his ACL
we had our shot in 1998 but Madkin wasn?t ready to complete enough passes win the game
We had our shot in 1999 but simply didn?t have the OL
We had our shot in 2014 but weren?t good enough on the OL
We have the best shot we have had in my lifetime in 2018

We simply don?t get many of these chances and you are being moronic to act like we do or will in the future.

You could add 2010 in there too especially if we had landed Newton. We had a NFL RB in Ballard and Perkins was a good change of pace. WR's were decent- Arceto played in the NFL and Bumphis is up there on the school leaderboards. Sherrod was a first round pick caliber LT and we had some solid veterans on the o-line. The defense was stacked- Fletcher Cox, Pernell McPhee, KJ Wright, Chris White, Banks, and I'm sure I'm leaving a few obvious ones out. I remember we had some solid guys who were good college players too like Charles Mitchell, Corey Broomfield, Patrick Hanrahan, and Marcus Green and of course Relf was solid even though he was limited as a passer.

[Todd4State]

Yep. My one caveat to this is that times have changed and we aren't the same MSU we were even 15 years ago. I think these shots will come more and more often until we are one of those programs that has a shot every few years regularly. We just have to keep moving that direction slowly and building up our recruiting profile over time. I do believe Mullen did a lot to help us there and I hope that Moorhead is a guy that will keep us going the right direction.

We benefitted a LOT from integration. Maybe more than any other program in the SEC. That allowed us to get even or better with Ole Miss. And you are right about the SEC- the rise of the power five and the SEC has eliminated USM from the equation for us. Blowing them out twice has helped a lot too. What the rise of the power five has allowed us to do is build a gap between us and the USM's, Memphis, La Tech, Tulane, and whoever else to the point where we can reasonably expect to win those games consistently and often times blow them out. As compared to the 90's even when a lot of times those games were very competitive for us like any other SEC game. That has given us 3-4 built in wins right off the bat as long as we don't follow the Larry Templeton scheduling model.

It has gotten to the point where 6 wins should be our absolute floor and anything less really should have a coach on the hot seat here. We should be a consistent 8 win team- which we are- striving to be a consistent 10 win team. And as Coach34 said every 10 years or so we should have the opportunity to have a "special" season.

[BrunswickDawg]

You could add 2010 in there too especially if we had landed Newton. We had a NFL RB in Ballard and Perkins was a good change of pace. WR's were decent- Arceto played in the NFL and Bumphis is up there on the school leaderboards. Sherrod was a first round pick caliber LT and we had some solid veterans on the o-line. The defense was stacked- Fletcher Cox, Pernell McPhee, KJ Wright, Chris White, Banks, and I'm sure I'm leaving a few obvious ones out. I remember we had some solid guys who were good college players too like Charles Mitchell, Corey Broomfield, Patrick Hanrahan, and Marcus Green and of course Relf was solid even though he was limited as a passer.

I was about to bring 2010 up. The great "what if" - Cam at MSU. We know that would have gotten us past AU and Arky, but would that have been enough to get us over the Bama & LSU hump? At the time I thought yes. In hindsight, I don't think it would have - Dan would have gone in his shell and lost those games.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

You act like this recruiting class is all going to be playing right away. It didn't get easier. All it would take is Alabama to finish top 3 the next few years and the train would keep going. I mean let's not act like Alabama has fell off any with a recruiting class inside the top 10. Get real. One year doesn't dictate crap. Successful teams are about consistent top classes.

[vv83]

I was about to bring 2010 up. The great "what if" - Cam at MSU. We know that would have gotten us past AU and Arky, but would that have been enough to get us over the Bama & LSU hump? At the time I thought yes. In hindsight, I don't think it would have - Dan would have gone in his shell and lost those games.

I don't think so. 2010 Dan was a completely different coach than 2017 Dan.