Mullen and Bowl Games

[DownwardDawg]

Let's assume Mullen goes 4-8 or 5-7 this year and he keeps his job. Next year it really looks like he will go bowling at the least. I'm thinking 7-5 at the worst next year. I don't know what the schedule looks like in 2015 but I assume we play Vandy again and of course Kentucky. If he goes 6-6 or better that would be 5 bowl games in 7 years at MSU. How in the hell could we fire a coach that does that?

I'm just throwing this out there for discussion. I'm still very much on the Hud bandwagon but damn, it would be hard to justify. I'm just a fan so maybe I really am and dubmass.

[BogeyGolfer]

It's insanity to want to fire one of the most successful coaches in our terrible history... Although, Mullen, Admin and our fan base need to be " all in"

[Quaoarsking]

Unless we go to a 9-game schedule, I don't think we'll be playing the same rotating East team in back to back years anymore. I believe Florida will be next on the docket for 2015, unless they insert Missouri in or change the order somehow. Therefore 2015 will probably be Kentucky at home and Florida on the road.

[engie]

Unless we go to a 9-game schedule, I don't think we'll be playing the same rotating East team in back to back years anymore. I believe Florida will be next on the docket for 2015, unless they insert Missouri in or change the order somehow. Therefore 2015 will probably be Kentucky at home and Florida on the road.

Yep...

[cheewgumm]

I don't even think a bowl us a legitimate reason to keep a coach. I mean damn... The sec has TEN bowl tie ins, right?

I get sick of finishing 10 th and calling it success just because the bowls are so watered down . Our fanbase expects nothing.



Let's assume Mullen goes 4-8 or 5-7 this year and he keeps his job. Next year it really looks like he will go bowling at the least. I'm thinking 7-5 at the worst next year. I don't know what the schedule looks like in 2015 but I assume we play Vandy again and of course Kentucky. If he goes 6-6 or better that would be 5 bowl games in 7 years at MSU. How in the hell could we fire a coach that does that?

I'm just throwing this out there for discussion. I'm still very much on the Hud bandwagon but damn, it would be hard to justify. I'm just a fan so maybe I really am and dubmass.

[DownwardDawg]

I don't even think a bowl us a legitimate reason to keep a coach. I mean damn... The sec has TEN bowl tie ins, right?

I get sick of finishing 10 th and calling it success just because the bowls are so watered down . Our fanbase expects nothing.

No. I completely understand and agree somewhat. I expect more. That's why I want to hire Hud now but we would never fire Mullen if he does that.

[engie]

Let's assume Mullen goes 4-8 or 5-7 this year and he keeps his job. Next year it really looks like he will go bowling at the least. I'm thinking 7-5 at the worst next year. I don't know what the schedule looks like in 2015 but I assume we play Vandy again and of course Kentucky. If he goes 6-6 or better that would be 5 bowl games in 7 years at MSU. How in the hell could we fire a coach that does that?

I'm just throwing this out there for discussion. I'm still very much on the Hud bandwagon but damn, it would be hard to justify. I'm just a fan so maybe I really am and dubmass.

Coaches that drop out of bowl eligibility in the SEC and keep their job fall apart the next year the vast majority of the time. It's extremely hard to stop the rock from rolling downhill. Pinkel is the only example to the contrary in recent times -- and his was an extenuating circumstance with the conference jump, the #2 SOS, and an ridiculous number of injuries...

Nutt? 4-8 to 2-10
Phillips? 5-7 to 2-10
Dooley? 5-7 to 5-7

The other cases were fired for ONE year of failing to make a bowl.
Caldwell
Tuberville
Fulmer
Chizik
John L
Sherman(went bowling and still got fired)

This was a 6-7 win schedule this year. Next year is an 8+ win schedule. Last year was a 10 win schedule(incl bowl game).

"Winning 7" is NOT good enough with a 8 or 9-win schedule. @LSU, aTm, Auburn, @Kent, Arky, @Bama, Vandy, OM. If we can't win 4 of those games -- in year 6 -- with a team chock full of 4th yr JRs and 5th yr SRs -- well, what then? Can't fire a bowl coach at MSU...

So, in spite of failing to truly reach expectation for what would be 3.5 of the previous 4 years of his tenure, we'd have a coach heading for year 7.

[engie]

I don't even think a bowl us a legitimate reason to keep a coach. I mean damn... The sec has TEN bowl tie ins, right?

I get sick of finishing 10 th and calling it success just because the bowls are so watered down . Our fanbase expects nothing.

This is true. But only one bowl-eligible SEC coach has been fired in the past 5 years, and he wasn't even in the SEC then(Sherman).

The way I see it, it shouldn't be about some artificial "number" of wins that say a coach's job is secure. It should be about meeting expectations. Did we meet or surpass reasonable expectations in 2011? No. Because they were at an all-time high. But that's forgivable by itself due to injuries at the one position we couldn't afford them(hindsight still pins this shit on Mullen for not signing a half dozen JUCOs in the 2010 and 2011 classes). Did we meet them in 2012? For 8 games, we did. For the last 5, it was hot-seat worthy. Are we meeting expectations in 2013? In wins and losses, we're close(expectations have gone to total shit since 2010). In play on the field, we've only impressed once. Troy.

So, are we going to start meeting or surpassing reasonable expectations in the last 5? Bowl eligibility is reasonable as hell. If we can't manage that, it's time to make a damn change.

[Quaoarsking]

On the flip side, Steve Spurrier missed a bowl once at SC and was quite mediocre for the first 5 years, and then turned them into a consistently good program.

[cheewgumm]

I got your point . I think I'm basically agreeing.


No. I completely understand and agree somewhat. I expect more. That's why I want to hire Hud now but we would never fire Mullen if he does that.

[engie]

On the flip side, Steve Spurrier missed a bowl once at SC and was quite mediocre for the first 5 years, and then turned them into a consistently good program.

He won 7,7,6,7,7 in the regular season -- and never dipped below 3 SEC wins a single time. It's unthinkable with the way tie-ins are now that a bowl-eligible SEC team could get left at home. They also play Clemson every single year in the OOC.

Mullen would get a lot more leniency on this if his name was Chip Kelly or Pete Carroll and had proven it before. No one would consider the idea of his seat getting warm if he was going to win 7 this year either...

[EngineerDawg]

Coaches that drop out of bowl eligibility in the SEC and keep their job fall apart the next year the vast majority of the time. It's extremely hard to stop the rock from rolling downhill. Pinkel is the only example to the contrary in recent times -- and his was an extenuating circumstance with the conference jump, the #2 SOS, and an ridiculous number of injuries...

Nutt? 4-8 to 2-10
Phillips? 5-7 to 2-10
Dooley? 5-7 to 5-7

The other cases were fired for ONE year of failing to make a bowl.
Caldwell
Tuberville
Fulmer
Chizik
John L
Sherman(went bowling and still got fired)

This was a 6-7 win schedule this year. Next year is an 8+ win schedule. Last year was a 10 win schedule(incl bowl game).

"Winning 7" is NOT good enough with a 8 or 9-win schedule. @LSU, aTm, Auburn, @Kent, Arky, @Bama, Vandy, OM. If we can't win 4 of those games -- in year 6 -- with a team chock full of 4th yr JRs and 5th yr SRs -- well, what then? Can't fire a bowl coach at MSU...

So, in spite of failing to truly reach expectation for what would be 3.5 of the previous 4 years of his tenure, we'd have a coach heading for year 7.

you bring up at good point with Sherman and aTm.... I gathered aTm wanted an upgrade even though they had a decent HC? Situations aren't exactly the same but we are in a boat of the brand (maybe not the exact same model)?

[BrunswickDawg]

you bring up at good point with Sherman and aTm.... I gathered aTm wanted an upgrade even though they had a decent HC? Situations aren't exactly the same but we are in a boat of the brand (maybe not the exact same model)?
They fired Sherman because his teams had a history of jumping out to a lead and then pissing it away in dramatic fashion. They lost something like 4 games his last season in which they had 2+ score leads. I'd say that is not meeting expectations.....

[EngineerDawg]

They fired Sherman because his teams had a history of jumping out to a lead and then pissing it away in dramatic fashion. They lost something like 4 games his last season in which they had 2+ score leads. I'd say that is not meeting expectations.....

ah! that's right, that's right... so he wasn't a second half coach either?