Here's a thought I have been turning over in my head

[starkvegasdawg]

This past Saturday we finally saw a MSU team that refused to quit against A&M. Due to that they almost came away with the victory. What I have been wondering about since that game is whether or not we finally turned the corner as a team and will be playing like that the remainder of the season or if that was a one shot deal where they were feeding off of Dak and now that all of that is over they go back to merely going through the motions in the second half. I really hope it is the former but can't shake the suspicion it is the latter. Really wish we had another opponent this week to test this theory out on. Alabama is good enough to make a team look like they quit when they haven't.

[engie]

This past Saturday we finally saw a MSU team that refused to quit against A&M. Due to that they almost came away with the victory. What I have been wondering about since that game is whether or not we finally turned the corner as a team and will be playing like that the remainder of the season or if that was a one shot deal where they were feeding off of Dak and now that all of that is over they go back to merely going through the motions in the second half. I really hope it is the former but can't shake the suspicion it is the latter. Really wish we had another opponent this week to test this theory out on. Alabama is good enough to make a team look like they quit when they haven't.

Good post. Agree wholeheartedly with what you are saying.

I disagree on Alabama not being a sample we can use though. We FOUGHT Alabama in 2010 and 2011 and hit them in the mouth HARD. Neither game was ever in doubt -- but they knew we'd been there and fought(Trent Richardson said as much). Last year, we quit and mailed it in. You can determine effort in that game just as easily as any other. I was happy with the effort vs aTm for the first time since Troy(previously since the second half of MTSU). I hope we carry it forward.

[FISHDAWG]

I think that's all everyone is wanting to see ... we're not naive enough to think we win those games but just want to see a hard effort and not seeing this for so long is the reason Mullen has been getting so much grief ..... not the recruiting

[Sam&DeansDawg]

As much as I would love to agree with this post and think the table has turned... I'm afraid it hasn't and won't this year.

TAMU has the worst defense in the SEC and almost in Div 1-A. Anyone can score on them. That game was MSU vs Johnny Football.
Next year when JF and Evans are gone we can win big! Ever DAWG has his day!

[maroonmania]

This past Saturday we finally saw a MSU team that refused to quit against A&M. Due to that they almost came away with the victory. What I have been wondering about since that game is whether or not we finally turned the corner as a team and will be playing like that the remainder of the season or if that was a one shot deal where they were feeding off of Dak and now that all of that is over they go back to merely going through the motions in the second half. I really hope it is the former but can't shake the suspicion it is the latter. Really wish we had another opponent this week to test this theory out on. Alabama is good enough to make a team look like they quit when they haven't.

No doubt that we played hard and didn't quit which I very much appreciate. Totally disagree with saying "they almost came away with the victory". The home team having a 24 point lead on you in the 4th quarter does not constitute having a realistic chance to actually win the game. We have got to be able to play a game without shooting off our own feet to have a real chance to beat a really good team. At SC it was turnovers, at A&M it was horrendous special teams play, all that better get solved before we play Ark and OM.

[FlabLoser]

This past Saturday we finally saw a MSU team that refused to quit against A&M. Due to that they almost came away with the victory. What I have been wondering about since that game is whether or not we finally turned the corner as a team and will be playing like that the remainder of the season or if that was a one shot deal where they were feeding off of Dak and now that all of that is over they go back to merely going through the motions in the second half. I really hope it is the former but can't shake the suspicion it is the latter. Really wish we had another opponent this week to test this theory out on. Alabama is good enough to make a team look like they quit when they haven't.

Me too. I've always felt that if we could just play 4 damn quarters we have a pretty good football team. Not saying we have to play mistake free. But if we just play pretty much like we did against aTm minus some really appalling special teams mistakes, we're pretty good.

I hope we put up that effort against against Bama. No reason to think we won't. I think the aTm game was a good barometer of what 4 quarters of effort can get.

Look, Bama isn't hopeless. They're damn good and probably deserve #1. But as they say, "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard". If they stroll over hear and mail it in or don't play well we can beat them...if we work like hell.

[cheewgumm]

Is dak for sure out against bama?

If so, i think it should temper the expectation, if expectations are based on the a& m game.




Good post. Agree wholeheartedly with what you are saying.

I disagree on Alabama not being a sample we can use though. We FOUGHT Alabama in 2010 and 2011 and hit them in the mouth HARD. Neither game was ever in doubt -- but they knew we'd been there and fought(Trent Richardson said as much). Last year, we quit and mailed it in. You can determine effort in that game just as easily as any other. I was happy with the effort vs aTm for the first time since Troy(previously since the second half of MTSU). I hope we carry it forward.

[slickdawg]

As much as I would love to agree with this post and think the table has turned... I'm afraid it hasn't and won't this year.

TAMU has the worst defense in the SEC and almost in Div 1-A. Anyone can score on them. That game was MSU vs Johnny Football.
Next year when JF and Evans are gone we can win big! Ever DAWG has his day!


Against the TAMU defense - State and Alabama put up almost identical numbers. So both offenses are performing well. It will come down to defense.

[Sam&DeansDawg]

Against the TAMU defense - State and Alabama put up almost identical numbers. So both offenses are performing well. It will come down to defense.

If you put it that way then TAMU plays as good as the competition... Almost every game they have played that mattered was around a ten point difference
Bama
Arkansas
Ole Miss
Auburn
Us...
But like every game this season it will come down the the other defense.

[4Dawgs4Life]

You do realize we lost by 10 and was down by more than that?

You do realize that aTm needed some luck and a field goal on the last play of the game to beat OM?

[ShotgunDawg]

Is dak for sure out against bama?

If so, i think it should temper the expectation, if expectations are based on the a& m game.

NO, Dak isn't for sure out. He has a stinger, which is a very hit or miss injury, meaning he could feel great today and ready to go, or it could linger for months, with the former being the most likely.

We won't know anything till gametime.

[ShotgunDawg]

You do realize we lost by 10 and was down by more than that?

You do realize that aTm needed some luck and a field goal on the last play of the game to beat OM?

I just looked this up: Do you realize that OM hasn't won a game on grass since 2008 against LSU?

Go look it up. The only questionable game is that they beat Vanderbilt in Nashville in 2009, and I'm not sure if Vandy was playing on grass or turf at that point. Either way, it's mind boggling.

So in order to beat us, they will have to overcome a little history.