What If Dan Wins a NC With Another Team

[sleepy dawg]

Since everyone is playing the hypothetical game, I am interested to know from this from the "Fire Dan Now" group:

Ignoring what MSU does in the future, what will your opinion be about Dan and us firing him if he goes to Florida next year and wins a NC within 2-3 years.

Obviously everyone will say "mistake" if we win 3 games a year again, and everyone will say "good move" if we start winning more games, so let's ignore our future results and focus just on his.

What say ye?

[DanDority]

I'll donate $10,000 to whatever team he does it with

[Dawg61]

Florida will never hire CDM

[FlabLoser]

Different types of schools need different kinds of coaches. A guy that can X & O, but is not a good recruiter would be a better fit somewhere that recruits are lining up to come to school.

[sleepy dawg]

So far I see one sarcastic answer, one blatantly divert from the question, and another who's already making excuses.

I'm back at SPS!

[cheewgumm]

Really hard to answer, but Flab nailed it. Mullen would probably come close at Flroida. Any place that does not depend on his recruiting he's gonna strive at, no doubt.

My opinion would be about the same as I have of him now. If he has better players(ie can recruit) he will win. It kind of fits his MO. If he out talents you, he wins. If he doesn't, he doesn't.

We're not gonna win 3 games per year, if 4 of our games are Alcorn, UAB, Troy and UT Martin.

[msstate7]

The problem with coaches that are good at X's and O's, but not recruiting don't get very good jobs. Terry Bowden was very good at coaching, but couldn't recruit. He never got a good job after auburn

[Todd4State]

My answer is so what? If he's hypothetically not working out here, he's not going to somehow win a National Title here just out of the blue.

It would end the "MSU is a coaching graveyard" debate- and it might actually help us get a better coach in the future.

[Todd4State]

The problem with coaches that are good at X's and O's, but not recruiting don't get very good jobs. Terry Bowden was very good at coaching, but couldn't recruit. He never got a good job after auburn

Auburn is a destination type job for a lot of coaches.

[msstate7]

Auburn is a destination type job for a lot of coaches.

Oh I agree. I wasn't slighting auburn.

[Todd4State]

Different types of schools need different kinds of coaches. A guy that can X & O, but is not a good recruiter would be a better fit somewhere that recruits are lining up to come to school.

I agree with this. For us to reach our maximum potential we need a coach that is a good X and O guy and can recruit. And we really need someone that is flexible as far as scheme so that we can use either a dual threat or a drop back passer to utilize whatever kind of talent we get on offense.

[Political Hack]

I'd be happy for him.

[CadaverDawg]

Since everyone is playing the hypothetical game, I am interested to know from this from the "Fire Dan Now" group:

Ignoring what MSU does in the future, what will your opinion be about Dan and us firing him if he goes to Florida next year and wins a NC within 2-3 years.

Obviously everyone will say "mistake" if we win 3 games a year again, and everyone will say "good move" if we start winning more games, so let's ignore our future results and focus just on his.

What say ye?

I'm still trying to find the "fire Dan now" group you are referring to. Most have said he gets a chance to finish the season strong and prove he can get it turned around.

But to answer your question, if we fire him he obviously isn't getting it done here, so it doesn't matter what he does elsewhere. As most have said, he could probably succeed in a place where he doesn't have to recruit hard. But he will never win a natty as anything but an assistant. He lacks the ability to make the big time head coach decisions in big games IMO. But hypothetically I tip my cap if he wins one, bc it sure as hell wouldn't be at MSU if we gave him a 60 year contract.

[Dawgfan77]

Dan did a great job his first three years here. I think Dan could win big at somewhere like UVA or GT

[EnterpriseDawg]

Wouldn't be the first time a coach left state to win a NC somewhere else.

[engie]

He's not a national championship caliber head coach. Just isn't. His micromanagement will hurt him wherever he goes too -- until he learns to trust assistants to do their jobs well.

[PendingTransaction]

Pretty much sums it up

[State82]

He's not a national championship caliber head coach. Just isn't. His micromanagement will hurt him wherever he goes too -- until he learns to trust assistants to do their jobs well.

THIS. And I would add that in addition to trusting assistants to do their jobs well, he will need to learn how to hire such assistants that are capable of performing their job well. Of course, that's a $ thing.

[Yossarian]

Darryll Royal won three. He was 6-4, 6-4 at State. A lot of you would have wanted him fired also.

[ckDOG]

He could win one at a historical powerhouse where the program essentially recruits itself...as could dozens of other coaches if given the chance.

Problem for Mullen is that he will need to do something a little more special in his current gig than beating scrubs and lower tier conf schools if he wants that big job.

[bgover4]

He's not a national championship caliber head coach. Just isn't. His micromanagement will hurt him wherever he goes too -- until he learns to trust assistants to do their jobs well.


Saban disagrees. I don't think I know any coaches who micro manage the way he does. But he still has some pretty great coordinators.

[engie]

Saban disagrees. I don't think I know any coaches who micro manage the way he does. But he still has some pretty great coordinators.

Saban micromanages EXCELLENCE. And he's the best damn recruiter in all of college football. What does Mullen micromanage? What does he recruit?

All Mullen's micromanagement does is constantly run off assistant coaches that are good -- and thus threatening to his absolute power over the program. Meanwhile, how long has Kirby Smart stuck with Saban again?

There are no absolute truths -- but comparing Mullen to Saban is total hilarity.

[bgover4]

I'm not saying mullen is doing it right, just the premise of the argument was that a national championship coach wouldn't micromanage and would trust his assistants. I do agree that mullen and saban are no where close to the same level on or off the field, just that they both do micromanage although sabans seems to be beneficial and *cough**cough**cough**cough**cough**cough**cough* not so much. Just wish it worked as well for mullen since he is stuck on doing it.

[engie]

Darryll Royal won three. He was 6-4, 6-4 at State. A lot of you would have wanted him fired also.

Never had a losing season in a 23 year head coaching career. He also beat Bama twice and split with Tennessee and LSU. Also had a .500 SEC record. I'm waiting on you to tell me how 13-21 = .500 as well.

I've got Mullen sized up as Mike Bianco. Someone that can win more than we've been able to historically -- but someone that will always lose the tight game when it's all on the line against equal or better talent. Those people win alot of games, but they do not win national championships. Hope he proves me wrong one day...

It still bothers me that we can't say that Mullen hasn't outcoached a single current SEC coach in a single game. I'm sick of waiting on the cocky SOB who put together masterful ground games many times in 2009 -- and knocked OM's asses out of the Capital One Bowl -- along with a masterful season in 2010. Everyone else is getting better all around us -- while we stay the same and are told we should be happy with it.

The writing is on the wall with recruiting... Mullen's window is closing here.

[engie]

There's an outlier to every truth in sports that prevents it from being a "universal truth". It works for Saban -- it doesn't for practically anyone else. The difference is -- Saban has found something that works for him and stuck with it. Mullen has found something that isn't working -- and he's boldly sticking with it. Failure to introspect and change = not a great coach. Same thing Bianco is guilty of.

Meanwhile, Cohen basically did a complete 180 on his entire managerial style last year to fit the team he had assembled -- and look what happened when the bright lights came on. The great ones check their egos at the door -- and are willing to change everything -- including themselves when it's necessary.

[Fader21]

I would be happy for CDM if he won a national championship elsewhere ( non SEC team of course ). I have always been the type who supports former coaches. Hell I might be the only MSU fan who would go up to Croom today and thank him for our Liberty Bowl victory, while cursing him under my breathe. I did like somethings Croom was doing here, and I hated him for somethings.