Who is THE guy?

[MetEdDawg]

Here's what I want. We all agree it's time for a change. Question is who is the closest sure thing person we could get to be our HC? Who is the perfect blend of coaching and recruiting, experience, and embracing of MSU culture that would be within reason for us to hire? Who's the one guy you think the entire fan base would get behind, again within reason, that would take us BEYOND where Mullen took us?

Brent Venables is the name I'll put. He may not be considered reasonable though. If he's not considered reasonable I'll say Dave Aranda

Pay one of those guys 5 million a year and make them turn it down. Let them build the staff they need and pay those people what they are competitively worth

[ShotgunDawg]

Good question but it's unanswerable by us because we don't know these coach's personality and that's 80% of this.

I'm fine if we hire a complete unknown HS coach if he has the right personality, right scheme, and commands respect.

[dantheman4248]

Throw money at Les Miles. He fits what we want at MSU to a T. Power I football is what we are built for. No reason we shouldn’t be built like Wisconsin is.

[ShotgunDawg]

Throw money at Les Miles. He fits what we want at MSU to a T. Power I football is what we are built for. No reason we shouldn’t be built like Wisconsin is.

People will laugh at you for saying that but Les is a winner.

He'd be significantly better than what we currently have and he can recruit his balls off

Les would be solid at MSU. Only issue is that you're probably punting on some ceiling with him.

[somebodyshotmypaw]

I'm fine if we hire a complete unknown HS coach if he has the right personality, right scheme, and commands respect.

Coach34 to MSU! Let's get it done!

[ShotgunDawg]

Coach34 to MSU! Let's get it done!

That's basically what Clemson did with Dabo

[dantheman4248]

People will laugh at you for saying that but Les is a winner.

He'd be significantly better than what we currently have and he can recruit his balls off

Les would be solid at MSU. Only issue is that you're probably punting on some ceiling with him.

What ceiling would you punt. It’s clear this style and MSU don’t mesh. I think it’s the style (the play designs) that could beat bama. We don’t have the capability to do it. OL is not built for pass blocking for it. We don’t attract the athletes at WR for it. Why not steer into the skid and win what we know we can win and wait out Saban. Once he’s gone it’s an open season. Don’t believe for a second Ed O and new LSU O can run this division tbh.

[Dawgfan77]

Napier would be number 1 on my list followed by Clark. Napier fits what we need

[ShotgunDawg]

Napier would be number 1 on my list followed by Clark. Napier fits what we need

I really like his offensive style as well, but if need to get to know his personality before agreeing.

[Liverpooldawg]

Here's what I want. We all agree it's time for a change. Question is who is the closest sure thing person we could get to be our HC? Who is the perfect blend of coaching and recruiting, experience, and embracing of MSU culture that would be within reason for us to hire? Who's the one guy you think the entire fan base would get behind, again within reason, that would take us BEYOND where Mullen took us?

Brent Venables is the name I'll put. He may not be considered reasonable though. If he's not considered reasonable I'll say Dave Aranda

Pay one of those guys 5 million a year and make them turn it down. Let them build the staff they need and pay those people what they are competitively worth

Dan Mullen, and I'm not joking.

[dawgday166]

Dan Mullen, and I'm not joking.

Wouldn't argue but ... who could we get I believe is what he really means.

[Cooterpoot]

Venables has no interest in being a HC. He’s had tons of offers. Les Miles is a terrible coach.

[ShotgunDawg]

Venables has no interest in being a HC. He’s had tons of offers. Les Miles is a terrible coach.

Too big of a hot head. Will Muschamp all over again

[shoeless joe]

Too big of a hot head. Will Muschamp all over again

Yeah would hate to have muschamp rite now...

** sorta **

[ShotgunDawg]

Yeah would hate to have muschamp rite now...

** sorta **

Big win today but the bigger picture must be taken into account

[ShotgunDawg]

I'd go sniff around with Gary Patterson. He may be in need of a change in scenery

[HoopsDawg]

bill clark. realistic hire. and what more does the guy have to do?

[MetEdDawg]

bill clark. realistic hire. and what more does the guy have to do?

The recruiting part is what concerns me about him. Guy seems like he can coach. But he's the perfect person to be a lifelong coach at UAB. Went to Jacksonville State, he's from small town Alabama, coached small and big time high school football, and can use those connections to build a consistent winner at a low stress job close to home.

Honestly I don't know that he would leave UAB for us because of that. But if he did recruiting would be my concern.

[Saltydog]

I like Bill Clark, I really do but my fear with him would be how well he would recruit. I just don't see that being a strong suit with him.

[HoopsDawg]

I like Bill Clark, I really do but my fear with him would be how well he would recruit. I just don't see that being a strong suit with him.

That's what Tony Hughes is for. Mullen was known as an awful recruiter. Seriously, have a great on field and off field recruiting staff. But why do you think he wouldn't be able to recruit?

[RougeDawg]

If a coach recruits well but is a disaster on game day, what do you have? You can get all the players in the world, but if you prepare for games like the last two we have played, it does not matter who you have on the field.

Give me a coach who can do more with less. Not a SloMo who does less with more. This was evident last year and people kept defending him.

[Saltydog]

I got nothing concrete to base it on Hoops. It's more of a hunch. I just think we need someone with a little more energy and charisma. That's just me though Hoops.

[DeputyDawg94]

Grantham and give him the funds to pay a top OC. Guaranteed not to be a soft undisciplined team at least.

[HoopsDawg]

If a coach recruits well but is a disaster on game day, what do you have? You can get all the players in the world, but if you prepare for games like the last two we have played, it does not matter who you have on the field.

Give me a coach who can do more with less. Not a SloMo who does less with more. This was evident last year and people kept defending him.

exactly. and here's a news flash for everyone, we are always going to recruit in the same range. somewhere around 25-30.

[RougeDawg]

exactly. and here's a news flash for everyone, we are always going to recruit in the same range. somewhere around 25-30.

Correct. Given the conference we play in and our recent track record of NFL draftees, we can slip up recruiting and still recruit top 35 classes. We need someone who knows that they have and plays to their strengths. Not a coach who is trying to teach calculus 4 to a bunch of freshmen.

[HoopsDawg]

I got nothing concrete to base it on Hoops. It's more of a hunch. I just think we need someone with a little more energy and charisma. That's just me though Hoops.

He's a good ole boy for sure. But I think the high school coaches in MS and AL would love him.

[Dawgology]

1. Bill Clark
2. Bill Clark
3. Bill Clark

And if that doesn?t work out then as a backup plan:

Bill Clark

[Rex54]

Kyle Whittingham

[RougeDawg]

I think the Slytanic could have won 10 games with the talent on the 2018 team. Let That sink in. That?s how shitty of a job SloMo did last year. 3 first round nfl draft picks and 8 wins. JokeMo.

[HoopsDawg]

I think the Slytanic could have won 10 games with the talent on the 2018 team. Let That sink in. That?s how shitty of a job SloMo did last year. 3 first round nfl draft picks and 8 wins. JokeMo.

the simpletons couldn't get past the fact that "we won 8 games". they just couldn't understand how bad of a job he did last year.

[Dawgology]

the simpletons couldn't get past the fact that "we won 8 games". they just couldn't understand how bad of a job he did last year.

Yep. You had several lone voices in the wilderness trying to open eyes. It was a bad hire and obvious by the end of last season.

[CadaverDawg]

Willie Fritz

[CadaverDawg]

the simpletons couldn't get past the fact that "we won 8 games". they just couldn't understand how bad of a job he did last year.

1000%

[ShotgunDawg]

Something to add:

Look at the best head coaching hires over the past 5 years or so:

LSU - DL coach

Clemson - WR coach

Ohio State - OC

Oklahoma - OC

Georgia - DC

Florida - HC

Missouri - DC

Wisky - HC

Point is: great head coaches come from everywhere. Hire the RIGHT GUY.

I keep hearing people say "hire a big time head coach", but that isn't necessarily the answer.

[Rex54]

Point is: great head coaches come from everywhere. Hire the RIGHT GUY.

I keep hearing people say "hire a big time head coach", but that isn't necessarily the answer.

Bob Stoops
Kyle Whittingham
Greg Schiano
Lane Kiffin
Bill Clark

[Turfdawg67]

All I know is that as I get older, I'll never see a Natl Championship at MSU in my lifetime. Possibly Women's BBall, I guess.

[Turfdawg67]

Bob Stoops
Kyle Whittingham
Greg Schiano
Lane Kiffin
Bill Clark

That's our choices... Stoops? Kiffin? Oh boy.

[RougeDawg]

Yep. You had several lone voices in the wilderness trying to open eyes. It was a bad hire and obvious by the end of last season.

I think it was more of the old Mississippi State mindset of, this is the best we can do. People who continuously settle for mediocrity because they believe all of the headlines and talking heads about how things should be. They do not think independently and become self created victims. Sad part of a passive society. Our fan base has historically been the epitome of it.

Easy to see, if you allow yourself to see. Most only see what they want to see and think everything else is a lie or a ghost.

[ShotgunDawg]

What's the deal with Schiano?

Why isn't he in more demand?

[BayouDawg]

Willie Fritz

I really like fritz. Fitz would have thrived in his offense last year we would?ve probably made the Peach Bowl.

[Maroonthirteen]

H U D.

[HoopsDawg]

Fck it, Joe Brady.

[Liverpooldawg]

Wouldn't argue but ... who could we get I believe is what he really means.

Yep, beyond our reach. I'm not sure we have the $ to fire Joe anyway so it's a moot point.

[state66]

Only concern with Bill Clark is his network and ability to put together an SEC staff. He hasnt been in college that long and never at a P5 conference.

[Dawgfan77]

It?s my belief that we should have hired a HC with HC experience and preferably from the urban tree. Here are my top three
1. Luke Fickel
2. Skip Holtz
3. Billy Napier

[HailState007]

My List

Urban Meyer
Bob Stoops
Matt Rhule
Dave Clawson
Steve Sarkisian
Mike Norvell

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

My List

Urban Meyer
Bob Stoops
Matt Rhule
Dave Clawson
Steve Sarkisian
Mike Norvell

Is Dave Clawson not eliminated from "the GUY" list? He committed his most ardent supporter's cardinal sin last night and lost as a 7 point favorite at home.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I think you have to be realistic with a coaching search, and we don’t have 50 million lying around to be able to pay whatever to get a guy like Stoops, Meyer, etc. My list would probably be:

1. Willie Fritz- built a great program at Ga. Southern and has built Tulane into a contender in the AAC. He runs an offense similar to Mullen. If he could get Will Hall to come and be his OC I think it would be a home run hire.
2. Todd Grantham- He would bring the discipline back to the program and the defense loved him in his one year here. He’d have to bring a good OC with him, but I think he’d do it.
3. Gary Patterson- This is probably a stretch, but maybe he’s reached his peak at TCU and could be poached for the right price.
4. Bryan Harsin- Has kept Boise rolling since he’s been there and was great in his one year at Arkansas State.
5. PJ Fleck- ENERGY. He brings a ton of it. He’s an elite recruiter. I mean the guy built a damn monster at Western Michigan and has Minnesota undefeated and just polished off skulling wonder boy Scott Frost.
6. Dave Arranda- Same thing as Grantham. He needs a good OC to come on board. He’s just an extremely bright defensive mind.
7. Luke Fickell- Comes from the Urban Meyer coaching tree and our last coach from that tree turned out pretty well. Has built a really solid program at Cincinnati and really looks like he’s learned a lot since his one year of coaching at Ohio St as the interim.

I definitely think we need a sitting HC unless there’s an elite coordinator.

[shoeless joe]

What's the deal with Schiano?

Why isn't he in more demand?

I?ll stick my neck out and say he?d be my #1 or #2 choice at this point. I think he?d bring the mentality needed. And an overall mentality change within the program is what is needed most. I mentioned him a few weeks back and nothing has changed my mind.

[Really Clark?]

I think you have to be realistic with a coaching search, and we don’t have 50 million lying around to be able to pay whatever to get a guy like Stoops, Meyer, etc. My list would probably be:

1. Willie Fritz- built a great program at Ga. Southern and has built Tulane into a contender in the AAC. He runs an offense similar to Mullen. If he could get Will Hall to come and be his OC I think it would be a home run hire.
2. Todd Grantham- He would bring the discipline back to the program and the defense loved him in his one year here. He’d have to bring a good OC with him, but I think he’d do it.
3. Gary Patterson- This is probably a stretch, but maybe he’s reached his peak at TCU and could be poached for the right price.
4. Bryan Harsin- Has kept Boise rolling since he’s been there and was great in his one year at Arkansas State.
5. PJ Fleck- ENERGY. He brings a ton of it. He’s an elite recruiter. I mean the guy built a damn monster at Western Michigan and has Minnesota undefeated and just polished off skulling wonder boy Scott Frost.
6. Dave Arranda- Same thing as Grantham. He needs a good OC to come on board. He’s just an extremely bright defensive mind.
7. Luke Fickell- Comes from the Urban Meyer coaching tree and our last coach from that tree turned out pretty well. Has built a really solid program at Cincinnati and really looks like he’s learned a lot since his one year of coaching at Ohio St as the interim.

I definitely think we need a sitting HC unless there’s an elite coordinator.

Fickell shouldn’t count toward Urban. He is from the John Cooper (Woody Hayes) Jim Tressel coaching tree. Urban smartly kept him as Co-DC and I’m sure he learned a good bit from Urban, but he spent a vast majority of his career and playing time under Cooper and Tressel

[Quaoarsking]

What's the deal with Schiano?

Why isn't he in more demand?

A Nashville radio personality made up that Schiano is a child rape enabler so that Tennessee wouldn't hire him, and now schools are shy to hire him.

He may get the Rutgers job this year, although I think we all hope that Moorhead gets it instead.

[Quaoarsking]

I think you have to be realistic with a coaching search, and we don’t have 50 million lying around to be able to pay whatever to get a guy like Stoops, Meyer, etc. My list would probably be:

1. Willie Fritz- built a great program at Ga. Southern and has built Tulane into a contender in the AAC. He runs an offense similar to Mullen. If he could get Will Hall to come and be his OC I think it would be a home run hire.
2. Todd Grantham- He would bring the discipline back to the program and the defense loved him in his one year here. He’d have to bring a good OC with him, but I think he’d do it.
3. Gary Patterson- This is probably a stretch, but maybe he’s reached his peak at TCU and could be poached for the right price.
4. Bryan Harsin- Has kept Boise rolling since he’s been there and was great in his one year at Arkansas State.
5. PJ Fleck- ENERGY. He brings a ton of it. He’s an elite recruiter. I mean the guy built a damn monster at Western Michigan and has Minnesota undefeated and just polished off skulling wonder boy Scott Frost.
6. Dave Arranda- Same thing as Grantham. He needs a good OC to come on board. He’s just an extremely bright defensive mind.
7. Luke Fickell- Comes from the Urban Meyer coaching tree and our last coach from that tree turned out pretty well. Has built a really solid program at Cincinnati and really looks like he’s learned a lot since his one year of coaching at Ohio St as the interim.

I definitely think we need a sitting HC unless there’s an elite coordinator.

I think all 7 of these would be solid hires, though I would start the process by offering $6M or more to Stoops and Meyer just to see what they say, without any expectations of a yes.

I would also speak to Jim McElwain and Mark Helfrich, just to see how they can explain how Florida and Oregon fell apart under their watch and what they would do differently if they got a second chance at a P5 job.

I'd also look into Mike Norvell, Kendall Briles, Josh Heupel, Billy Napier, Bill Clark, Seth Littrell, Nick Rolovich, Lance Leipold, and Craig Bohl.

[CovertDawg]

Most of the world outside the Mississippi bubble views what Mullen did here as the absolute ceiling for the program...and even that was a slightly less than .500 SEC record over almost a decade. No way an established current Power 5 head coach like Garry Patterson or PJ Fleck who does not need the money would ever consider it. Best hope is a young up and comer from non Power 5 who gets seduced by the cash, a coordinator, or a relatively successful head coach at one time who got fired and is looking to be the head man again. Pretty sure Mullen never coached any NFL receiver in his 9 seasons here and you are never going to win an SEC title or even get back to the title game with that talent level...... and sadly that is the lens through which the program is viewed.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I think all 7 of these would be solid hires, though I would start the process by offering $6M or more to Stoops and Meyer just to see what they say, without any expectations of a yes.

I would also speak to Jim McElwain and Mark Helfrich, just to see how they can explain how Florida and Oregon fell apart under their watch and what they would do differently if they got a second chance at a P5 job.

I'd also look into Mike Norvell, Kendall Briles, Josh Heupel, Billy Napier, Bill Clark, Seth Littrell, Nick Rolovich, Lance Leipold, and Craig Bohl.

We don't have that kind of money to throw out. Especially if you have to pay a buyout with Moorhead

[tcdog70]

Our best players have come from the JUCO ranks. I say sign at least 6 Jucos every year and then, bust your ass signing Miss. High Schoolers. bill Clark would be a good fit. Les Miles would be ok. The first question I would ask the new coach is would you run a QB sneak with under a yard to go on 3td down? If he says no-dump him.

[dawgday166]

I'm somewhat intrigued by what little research I've done on Fleck myself.

[MetEdDawg]

I'm somewhat intrigued by what little research I've done on Fleck myself.

This board lost its crap with Moorhead being a northern guy. Fleck might be more northern than Moorhead. And zero SEC experience.

[dawgday166]

This board lost its crap with Moorhead being a northern guy. Fleck might be more northern than Moorhead. And zero SEC experience.

Hell ... Saban, Urban, Miles are northern guys. Haven't read enough about Fleck but I don't think being northern should exclude him. And there is a difference between coaching up in northern Ivy League territory at Fordham and coaching at Minnesota and waxing Scott Frost. Now I'm not saying that's great and Minnesota ain't Mississippi but they ran the ball right down Nebraska's throat yesterday.

Overall ... it will be a crap shoot this time too. Sitting HC or OC/DC .. either way. Fleck might be interested in warmer weather tho **

[Bothrops]

The problem is there are extremely few coaching guys around these days that can appreciate a place like Starkville. Even fewer that are successful.

[BankerDog]

Brian Johnson-OC at FL. Has been here, called plays here, coached Dak to what he became.
Billy Napier
Fickell
Grantham
Whittingham

[BankerDog]

Fck it, Joe Brady.

He runs the same offense as Joe does. Which, as we see this year with LSU, if you have the talent it works. Problem for us, we will never have LSU talent at WR.

Joe?s biggest problem in my mind: Would rather prove his offense works then winning, his failure to basically not game plan because he thinks he can outsmart everyone, and his lack of structure in his locker room.

[BankerDog]

Our best players have come from the JUCO ranks. I say sign at least 6 Jucos every year and then, bust your ass signing Miss. High Schoolers. bill Clark would be a good fit. Les Miles would be ok. The first question I would ask the new coach is would you run a QB sneak with under a yard to go on 3td down? If he says no-dump him.

Whoever it is, the first two hires need to be Tony and Patrick Austin. Peterson deserves an on the field role now, he has paid his dues.

[KOdawg1]

Throw money at Urban Meyer until he says yes

After he tells us no, either Napier or Norvell. Either one would be successful here

[HoopsDawg]

He runs the same offense as Joe does. Which, as we see this year with LSU, if you have the talent it works. Problem for us, we will never have LSU talent at WR.

Joe?s biggest problem in my mind: Would rather prove his offense works then winning, his failure to basically not game plan because he thinks he can outsmart everyone, and his lack of structure in his locker room.

BS.

[dawgday166]

Whoever it is, the first two hires need to be Tony and Patrick Austin. Peterson deserves an on the field role now, he has paid his dues.

I agree with this. Was thinking that everyone wants a HC that can recruit but it helps to have the support staff in place to do that. Mullen's recruiting staff coming out of 2016 and going into 2017 was pretty good IMO.

[BankerDog]

BS.

He worked under Moorhead at Penn State...

[HoopsDawg]

He worked under Moorhead at Penn State...

He was a grad assistant under James Franklin at Penn State for 2 years. Moorhead was there 1 of those years. Moot point, we aren't hiring him but their offenses aren't the same.

[dantheman4248]

He was a grad assistant under James Franklin at Penn State for 2 years. Moorhead was there 1 of those years. Moot point, we aren't hiring him but their offenses aren't the same.

Play designs and philosophy are a lot of the same. Playcalling and in-game decisions are different.

[Really Clark?]

Play designs and philosophy are a lot of the same. Playcalling and in-game decisions are different.

No. He took some RPO concepts but the bulk of what he brought in (and he and Emmsinger had to develop the system they wanted to run at LSU this offseason) came very heavily from Sean Payton. Conception wise, formation wise, tempo wise and philosophy is a lot more from Payton than Moorehead

[timotheus]

Moorhead reminds me of a monkey trying to hump a football.

[ShotgunDawg]

Fck it, Joe Brady.

Too young. Only 30 years old.

You really want to say 17 it with this next hire like nothing could go wrong?

[Cooterpoot]

Brian Johnson-OC at FL. Has been here, called plays here, coached Dak to what he became.
Billy Napier
Fickell
Grantham
Whittingham

Johnson wasn?t good here or at his last stop.

[ShotgunDawg]

Johnson wasn?t good here or at his last stop.

Johnson isn't ready

[vv83]

PJ Fleck would be my #1 by a long shot assuming you throw out the guys who?d never come (Urban, Stoops, etc)

[Todd4State]

What about Todd Monken?

NFL OC who has had moderate success there. Turned around USM so we know that he knows the college game and maybe more importantly the state of Mississippi. Per 24/7 had the number 2 and 3 recruiting classes in C-USA despite USM being putrid at that time. Left USM in good shape since he left. He's known as a really good WR coach despite not having a bunch of Jerry Rice's and Randy Moss's to work with. Found some really good diamond's in the rough in Ito Smith and Nick ******* so he can obviously identify talent.

Someone like him would be ideal because he might be able to keep Shoop around too.

[Cooterpoot]

Monken left USM because he hates college coaching/recruiting. He also struggled with play calling and had to turn over those duties at USM.

[MetEdDawg]

Hell ... Saban, Urban, Miles are northern guys. Haven't read enough about Fleck but I don't think being northern should exclude him. And there is a difference between coaching up in northern Ivy League territory at Fordham and coaching at Minnesota and waxing Scott Frost. Now I'm not saying that's great and Minnesota ain't Mississippi but they ran the ball right down Nebraska's throat yesterday.

Overall ... it will be a crap shoot this time too. Sitting HC or OC/DC .. either way. Fleck might be interested in warmer weather tho **

I agree about the northern thing and have used the coaches you mentioned before to show how it doesn't matter.

The lack of SEC experience concerns me more honestly about Fleck