We are seeing happen at KY what should have happened to our recruiting after 2014?

[IMissJack]

The difference is they have a coach that does not seem to be actively putting his name in for jobs every season. They moved from 34 to 11 this year.

[RougeDawg]

Looks like it. That's the difference in a coach selling himself every season or selling his program. It's a crap shoot on hiring a guy who is content at a place like UK or State. One that will stay and build a program while remaining content and not look for the next gig. You never know what you will get with a hire and some programs get lucky like UK and Virginia Tech with Frank Beamer. Even USM with Bower. Those guys are not common.

Looks like UK is venturing into Little 10 country and pulling some talented players. Leach will expand our footprint and needs time to build something similar to what Stoops is doing at UK. Not only can you build it your way, the continuity and consistency of recruits knowing the head coach isn't likely to go anywhere is a gift that keeps on giving and starts to snowball.

[Catfish]

Looks like it. That's the difference in a coach selling himself every season or selling his program. It's a crap shoot on hiring a guy who is content at a place like UK or State. One that will stay and build a program while remaining content and not look for the next gig. You never know what you will get with a hire and some programs get lucky like UK and Virginia Tech with Frank Beamer. Even USM with Bower. Those guys are not common.

Looks like UK is venturing into Little 10 country and pulling some talented players. Leach will expand our footprint and needs time to build something similar to what Stoops is doing at UK. Not only can you build it your way, the continuity and consistency of recruits knowing the head coach isn't likely to go anywhere is a gift that keeps on giving and starts to snowball.

Good post!!

[Dak Holliday]

Looks like it. That's the difference in a coach selling himself every season or selling his program. It's a crap shoot on hiring a guy who is content at a place like UK or State. One that will stay and build a program while remaining content and not look for the next gig. You never know what you will get with a hire and some programs get lucky like UK and Virginia Tech with Frank Beamer. Even USM with Bower. Those guys are not common.

Looks like UK is venturing into Little 10 country and pulling some talented players. Leach will expand our footprint and needs time to build something similar to what Stoops is doing at UK. Not only can you build it your way, the continuity and consistency of recruits knowing the head coach isn't likely to go anywhere is a gift that keeps on giving and starts to snowball.

Really good post. USM has never really recovered from what they did to Bower.

[RougeDawg]

Thanks fellas. Our best hope is that Mike Leach is at that stage. The stage where he is content and wants to prove what he does can produce large results in the SEC. People like him are more driven when people say they cannot do something. Hopefully that?s the case and hopefully he wants to finish out his career in Starkville. Of course the results have to be there but the trend shows they will. Will he be around in 3 or 10 years? If he?s around 10 years there will be some good times and happy Dogs.

[Catfish]

Thanks fellas. Our best hope is that Mike Leach is at that stage. The stage where he is content and wants to prove what he does can produce large results in the SEC. People like him are more driven when people say they cannot do something. Hopefully that?s the case and hopefully he wants to finish out his career in Starkville. Of course the results have to be there but the trend shows they will. Will he be around in 3 or 10 years? If he?s around 10 years there will be some good times and happy Dogs.

I believe this is his last gig. He's got his quarterback for 2-3 more years and his recruiting has been exceptional. Things are looking good. Hail State!!!

[IMissJack]

Thanks fellas. Our best hope is that Mike Leach is at that stage. The stage where he is content and wants to prove what he does can produce large results in the SEC. People like him are more driven when people say they cannot do something. Hopefully that?s the case and hopefully he wants to finish out his career in Starkville. Of course the results have to be there but the trend shows they will. Will he be around in 3 or 10 years? If he?s around 10 years there will be some good times and happy Dogs.

Yes. I did not mean to imply anything against Leach in the OP. Rather, just showing how Mullen and Co. could not take the next step with one foot out the door all the time. KY and MSU are similar in football, so I hope we have the same growth.

[CaptainObvious]

Well we do have to consider how good the Mississippi crop of 2015 HS seniors was also. Mississippi State recruiting will always be better when there is a good crop in this state. Mullen and Leach did step up some of our out of state recruiting but for the most part, outer classes go as the State of Mississippi talent goes.

[Barking 13]

I think it will take a couple-three more years to get this puzzle figured out. The next class or two will be crucial getting all the pieces he needs. Meanwhile, fine tune what you’ve got.

[Cooterpoot]

Really good post. USM has never really recovered from what they did to Bower.

You obviously missed the coach after Bower winning (34-19 in 4 years with no losing seasons and a 12 win season). P5 and conference realignment killed USM. The lack of money and support there is beyond comprehension.

[Coach34]

The power and money shift killed the Nasty Bunch- not Bower leaving.

[Dak Holliday]

I am not a USM fan, so I don?t follow them close enough to know. I can see this. I thought the only really good year after Bower was the one season that propelled Fedora to UNC.

[ShotgunDawg]

The new SEC schedule, once OU and TX come into the league, is going to do KY in. They're schedule will get significantly more difficult while ours and OM's should get easier.

[Todd4State]

I am not a USM fan, so I don?t follow them close enough to know. I can see this. I thought the only really good year after Bower was the one season that propelled Fedora to UNC.

Todd Monken had some success there too. USM is a typical G5 team. They could be 12-1 one year and then three or four years later be 1-11.

[Todd4State]

The power and money shift killed the Nasty Bunch- not Bower leaving.

They also had coaches that I don't think totally understood their footprint. I think Will Hall has the right idea though. They went away from Mississippi kids under previous coaches and they need to take MSU and Ole Miss leftovers. Also, I think USM going to the Sun Belt will help them out too- if for no other reason it will cut down on their travel costs.