Is this weekend's game a pivotal game for Mullen's career?

[Maroonthirteen]

You win this weekend in front of a sell out. You get a big win vs a ranked opponent and mostly likely are looking at a winning season. You lose.....You lose the fan base and getting to 6 wins is questionable.

Then the media continues the ..."can't win the big one" angle on Mullen. Regardless if he aspires to stay here or for a bigger job, he has to win this weekend. As it is his most likely chance at a big win for the remainder of the season.

[HoopsDawg]

Only if he wins.

[CadaverDawg]

I say yes.

It won't hurt him too bad if it's a close loss....but a blowout loss or a win would be big for his career. Most MSU fans and national media think we can play with LSU, so a blow out loss at home could get ugly for Mullen. Especially if we lose big while playing Tyler Russell a majority of the game.

Meanwhile, a win likely keeps our bowl streak alive, and Mullen is back in the hunt for better jobs and has our fans feeling good about him. There are no bigger games this season for Mullen than this one, and ole miss. And only because LSU is happening right now and is beatable, and because ole miss has been beating him on and off the field since Freeze arrived.

[PendingTransaction]

A 20-point loss with Dak at QB will be ok. A 2-point loss with Tyler, fire Mullen Sunday.

[HancockCountyDog]

No - I think Mullen's two biggest games will be Ark and the bears.

He wins those two we are a 6 win team at least, bowl streak alive, and Dak full time next year.

[fishwater99]

Well, I am coming to my first game of the year.
I think we gets the Monkey off his back and gets that first Top 20 Win...

It's time Dan!!!!

[maroonmania]

No - I think Mullen's two biggest games will be Ark and the bears.

He wins those two we are a 6 win team at least, bowl streak alive, and Dak full time next year.

Agree, the Auburn game was actually much more pivotal than this one and we pivoted in the wrong direction. Now yes, if we win this game it will BECOME a pivotal game for Mullen, but this is not a game we are likely to win and if we don't its not a big black mark against him.

[Coach34]

A 20-point loss with Dak at QB will be ok. A 2-point loss with Tyler, fire Mullen Sunday.

Problem being it would more likely play out the other way- we lost by 20 with Tyler at QB last year...and he played about as well as he possibly could vs them

[Coach34]

Mullen has 3 pivotal games-

Auburn- loss
UPig- ???
BearSharks- ???

He really cant afford to lose anymore pivotal games

This is an opportunity game for Mullen. 2 weeks to get ready, a good defense, playing at home....this is the type of game to make an upset happen.

[BulldogBear]

Agree, the Auburn game was actually much more pivotal than this one and we pivoted in the wrong direction. Now yes, if we win this game it will BECOME a pivotal game for Mullen, but this is not a game we are likely to win and if we don't its not a big black mark against him.

First, I do not believe Mullen will or should be fired even if we only win 4 games. I wouldn't personally consider it unless we didn't follow with a bowl next year. But I AM in "TR can't win the big one camp." Not really trying trying to debate that in this post, just establishing my point of view.

So... I disagree that it will not be big black mark to lose this game IF Russell plays most of the snaps. And I'm not alone or even in the minority. Experience is a big plus but TR is a known equation. I believe we lose by 20 with TR at the helm. Now, for all I know we might lose by 40 with Dak at the helm. But he's the unknown factor... we have to try it. So, I agree with PendingTransaction's post about losing by 2 with TR (except for the firing part). If TR plays most, any loss in this game, regardless of score, is going to be a major blight on Mullen. I won't agree with all the crap about firing him, but I will be screaming that you cannot ignore this any longer. TR is not a good fit against teams that we can't run on with a drop back QB at the reigns. At least if we lost with TR, I would be calling for Dak to start every game from here on out. He is the future. Use TR in certain situations.

But, I will not BOO TR or MUllen. If TR comes in, I hope he gets it done and he'll have my support. BUt not after if we lose.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

Mullen has 3 pivotal games-

Auburn- loss
UPig- ???
BearSharks- ???

He really cant afford to lose anymore pivotal games

This is an opportunity game for Mullen. 2 weeks to get ready, a good defense, playing at home....this is the type of game to make an upset happen.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with this. If he wins the games he should + beat Arkansas and Ole Miss that will get him to 6 wins and a bowl game. Missing a bowl this season is unacceptable.

[cheewgumm]

To me, this is a pivotal game. It's a chance for him to do something we normally don't do(win games that we're not supposed to, but are winnable). LSU is beatable this year...unlike some past years for us.

For all the reasons C34 outlined.."it's time". He needs to win this one.

We don't need to keep going down the road of never beating anyone good. Next year we will win 8 because of schedule, but if we are getting better...we need to win games like this. If we get through this year, not winning against anyone that is "decent", then next year we win 8 again by not betaing anyone "decent"...then to me Mullen is Mullen and we'll nkow Problem will be then that we';; have 8 manufactured wins...so more of the same.

I really hope we win this week, so I can think we are progressing.


Mullen has 3 pivotal games-

Auburn- loss
UPig- ???
BearSharks- ???

He really cant afford to lose anymore pivotal games

This is an opportunity game for Mullen. 2 weeks to get ready, a good defense, playing at home....this is the type of game to make an upset happen.

[chef dixon]

This is the argument every year against LSU. Just hope it actually turns out differently than it always does.

[Todd4State]

If we play like crap and lose by 21, how is that really any different than any other year?

I'm expecting us to play like crap and Mettenberger to have a career day.

[ChupacabraDawg]

I think that if there is going to be moves in the right direction (up) we have to start winning a few of these kinds of games. LSU is the kind of team that constantly plays down to its competition. I don't think we are really that far off from being a better team its just putting all the pieces together.

[preachermatt83]

Mullet can't beat ranked teams. He's proven it over and over again

[CadaverDawg]

Mullet can't beat ranked teams. He's proven it over and over again

Great post**

['Merica Dawg]

If we play like crap and lose by 21, how is that really any different than any other year?

I'm expecting us to play like crap and Mettenberger to have a career day.

well said... Mullen: HIStory has shown he can't win games we aren't suppose to. Prove me wrong Dano... Prove me wrong. PLEEEEEEEASE.