The state of State Athletics

[Dawgology]

Find another hobby for the next 12 months and then check back in to join the discussion about the new AD search.

[Cooterpoot]

It's almost like Larry Templeton is back in charge.

[CadaverDawg]

It's bad.

We have some that defend Howland, and a bunch that defend Leach. I don't dislike either of these men, I just know neither is taking us where we want to go.

And after this weekend, I'm worried Lemonis got his job security Title win, and then let up. He will quickly see that losing is tolerated in football and hoops at MSU (for some unknown reason), but losing in baseball is not. He has a grace period after the Natty, but we need a youth and energy injection in hoops and football.....and I don't trust Cohen to give us the injection needed.

I just wish our fan base all wanted to win at a high level like several of us do. I guess I'm different than most, but when I was young and in the dating scene, at the first sign that a girl I was dating was not someone I could spend my life with...I broke it off. I just don't understand us hanging on to guys like Howland and Leach when we know they can't take us where we want to go. Leach ain't competing for the West with a one dimensional offense...he just isn't. And I would like for us to at least see hope in our coach that he can elevate us to that point. If our current guy can't, let's find one that can. I know the usual suspects will tell me I'm crazy for having high expectations, and my response is "it's not what I'm EXPECTING. I just want to have a coach in place that I feel like has that type of potential in him somewhere, if the cards are ever in our favor."

There are 3 guys I personally don't feel confidence in....

Howland
Leach
Cohen (except baseball, but he's the Athletic Director, not the Baseball Director)

But that's just me, and I know many will say my opinion is stupid.

[Bothrops]

I'd give Leach the 2022 season to prove he's here for more than a check and the experience to write about in a future book. It's hard for outsiders to care about the root culture of a different, far away place, but essential to success in Starkville. We hate our rival and hate the rest of the west at the same time.

Men's basketball is a massive challenge for the next coach. Rebuilding culture will be a big obstacle. Many fans have been emotionally removed since Stansbury and the program looks like a tombstone. The Hump renovation will boost attendance, but for how long...?

This baseball team is an enigma to me. We are looking at a dismal early run in league play. Where's the competitiveness? Playing a baseball schedule is a grind, you have to love it. I'm still wishing we would cast a wider net when it comes to recruiting. Why limit recruiting to 5 or 6 states, when we are supposed to be a nationally recognized program?

[Todd4State]

It's bad.

We have some that defend Howland, and a bunch that defend Leach. I don't dislike either of these men, I just know neither is taking us where we want to go.

And after this weekend, I'm worried Lemonis got his job security Title win, and then let up. He will quickly see that losing is tolerated in football and hoops at MSU (for some unknown reason), but losing in baseball is not. He has a grace period after the Natty, but we need a youth and energy injection in hoops and football.....and I don't trust Cohen to give us the injection needed.

I just wish our fan base all wanted to win at a high level like several of us do. I guess I'm different than most, but when I was young and in the dating scene, at the first sign that a girl I was dating was not someone I could spend my life with...I broke it off. I just don't understand us hanging on to guys like Howland and Leach when we know they can't take us where we want to go. Leach ain't competing for the West with a one dimensional offense...he just isn't. And I would like for us to at least see hope in our coach that he can elevate us to that point. If our current guy can't, let's find one that can. I know the usual suspects will tell me I'm crazy for having high expectations, and my response is "it's not what I'm EXPECTING. I just want to have a coach in place that I feel like has that type of potential in him somewhere, if the cards are ever in our favor."

There are 3 guys I personally don't feel confidence in....

Howland
Leach
Cohen (except baseball, but he's the Athletic Director, not the Baseball Director)

But that's just me, and I know many will say my opinion is stupid.

Lemonis won't put up with his pitching coach putting guys out there that can't perform for long. If you think he is just collecting a check I think the rumors of what he said to the team after they lost to USM will change your mind.

[Todd4State]

I'd give Leach the 2022 season to prove he's here for more than a check and the experience to write about in a future book. It's hard for outsiders to care about the root culture of a different, far away place, but essential to success in Starkville. We hate our rival and hate the rest of the west at the same time.

Men's basketball is a massive challenge for the next coach. Rebuilding culture will be a big obstacle. Many fans have been emotionally removed since Stansbury and the program looks like a tombstone. The Hump renovation will boost attendance, but for how long...?

This baseball team is an enigma to me. We are looking at a dismal early run in league play. Where's the competitiveness? Playing a baseball schedule is a grind, you have to love it. I'm still wishing we would cast a wider net when it comes to recruiting. Why limit recruiting to 5 or 6 states, when we are supposed to be a nationally recognized program?

Our recruiting net is fine. We will always recruit local first and then fill in the gaps. Going away from local talent is how we allowed Ole Miss and Bianco to build their program while ours declined under Polk II. Not only that- Bednar was from Pennsylvania, KC Hunt from New Jersey, McGowan from Kentucky, and I would daresay no program has had more recent success with JUCO players than MSU. We have or had players recently from all of the four major baseball states- California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida. We have also recruited the best players in Alabama and some of the best from Louisiana which is not easy with LSU.

Most baseball recruiting is done at PG events with travel teams and then we invite them to camp if we are interested and then they either commit to us or not.

[Todd4State]

And consider this about Lemonis- he has a chance to become a legend in baseball here. I don't know that one National Championship necessarily does that if he just tanks it because then it will be that he won with players that Cohen and Cann recruited. He's too young in his career for that to be a discussion as far as all-time greatness. But if he wins multiple championships at MSU with our fanbase and popularity in the sport he essentially replaces Ron Polk as THE face of MSU baseball all time.

Two National Championships gets him into Tim Corbin/Andy Lopez/Ray Tanner and etc. tier. Three gets him into the discussion of the greatest of all time. That would put him second to Skip Bertman as I type this. I don't think that is lost on him.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Cohen has to go and we must find an AD that is not affiliated with MSU and is actually qualified for the job.

[Maroonthirteen]

Well, good to see Im not the Lone Ranger regarding Leach. I want him to win but still think he was a bad fit at MSU. He was an "interesting" hire for the media to have a little fun with at a press conferences. However You better win some football games. Monologues about candy corn are funny with the sec network but not the home crowd if you lose.

If leach doesn't work out for Cohen, that's very bad. Since he sold "total rebuild". "Rebuild MSU football to a modern passing program." Because it will be a total rebuild post leach.

Basketball was fun back in the day with Super D and Timmy Bowers. However it seems fan interest is very low now. Even if Cohen makes a meh hire here, I don't think enough people care to pressure Cohen.

Baseball will be ok. This may be a down year by our standards but State will always have a strong baseball program. The older I get. The more I enjoy the baseball program more so than football.

[Cooterpoot]

If Leach loses to OM next season and has another 5-7 win season, it might as well be over because the fans will be done with him. He was a terrible fit because his offense isn't what a lot of people thought it was. But, if he has a big year, nobody will care and everyone will be on board.
Baseball is dead for two years if this year is bad. Next year is a huge step back. Two bad years is no good for a State coach or the baseball coach AD. Those two programs have to be better.
But Cohen was handed his job by the cigar boys to get them what they want. They don't care. They never have cared.

[KOdawg1]

This has turned into one of the worst athletic years I can remember. Just "meh" all the way across the board.

[BiscuitEater]

It's bad.

I just wish our fan base all wanted to win at a high level like several of us do.


There are 3 guys I personally don't feel confidence in....

Howland
Leach
Cohen (except baseball, but he's the Athletic Director, not the Baseball Director)



Thanks for ponying up the MILLIONS of $$ to buyout all three! Oh wait .. you didn"t Sorry, without the $$, your 'opinion' is worthless!

[maroonmania]

This has turned into one of the worst athletic years I can remember. Just "meh" all the way across the board.

But, but what about volleyball?***

Seriously, I am not ready to give up on Leach just yet. His offense really hasn't gotten established here yet like it did at TT and WSU. Go look at WSU's offensive numbers in 2019 with Anthony Gordon if you want a reference. I think it just needs more time with the right players. And if we were putting up big numbers now against non-SEC competition but just not against SEC defenses then I might believe that "won't work in the SEC" jargon. However when you don't put up big numbers against defenses such as a Memphis or a Texas Tech then the issue has nothing to do with SEC defenses which, by the way, aren't that great statistically these days anyway. The issue is on our end.

[msstatelp1]

Lemonis won't put up with his pitching coach putting guys out there that can't perform for long. If you think he is just collecting a check I think the rumors of what he said to the team after they lost to USM will change your mind.

What did Lemonis say? I haven't kept up with the rumors due to things being hectic IRL.

[Jarius]

People that think Mike Leach isn’t going to win at an acceptable level at Mississippi State at this point are really really really stupid.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

It's almost like Larry Templeton is back in charge.
LT 2.0 is in charge. Thats the problem.

[R2Dawg]

Lemonis won't put up with his pitching coach putting guys out there that can't perform for long. If you think he is just collecting a check I think the rumors of what he said to the team after they lost to USM will change your mind.

Well I guess it worked in game one. Guess he should have repeated it to himself for game 2. What did he say?

[R2Dawg]

People that think Mike Leach isn’t going to win at an acceptable level at Mississippi State at this point are really really really stupid.

Stupid how, have you watched the first two years? I guess if you like 300-500 football I guess he is your guy. I'm not against him even if I don't agree with him but he needs to show something this year. It is year 3 for goodness sakes.

[Jarius]

Stupid how, have you watched the first two years? I guess if you like 300-500 football I guess he is your guy. I'm not against him even if I don't agree with him but he needs to show something this year. It is year 3 for goodness sakes.

Stupid how? Like counting a first year of an all sec schedule as some sort of reason to doubt that the guy will win here. A year where a team that won 1 more game than we did went to the ****ing Outback bowl. That entire year is different and trying to use the record the same way you use records in normal years proves you are either ignorant or have an agenda. The offense clearly works. The improvement from year 1 to 2 was extremely easy to See and everywhere he has been it gets better in year 3. We return a ton of starters and picked up some great transfers to plug in on defense (and on the OL). Our best pass rusher also returns which will provide a much needed boost up front. I don’t know what some of you have watched but you sound like complete morons acting like Leach is trending towards failure. Losing to ole miss sucks but basing his entire tenure on that is ludicrous (and no one is Going to admit that’s what they are doing because it makes them sound stupid but they are full of shit because if he wins those 2 games the past 2 years no one is bitching at all). He won 7 games last year and the same dumbasses were spouting 5-7 or 6-6 before the season.

[Cooterpoot]

Stupid how? Like counting a first year of an all sec schedule as some sort of reason to doubt that the guy will win here. A year where a team that won 1 more game than we did went to the ****ing Outback bowl. That entire year is different and trying to use the record the same way you use records in normal years proves you are either ignorant or have an agenda. The offense clearly works. The improvement from year 1 to 2 was extremely easy to See and everywhere he has been it gets better in year 3. We return a ton of starters and picked up some great transfers to plug in on defense (and on the OL). Our best pass rusher also returns which will provide a much needed boost up front. I don’t know what some of you have watched but you sound like complete morons acting like Leach is trending towards failure. Losing to ole miss sucks but basing his entire tenure on that is ludicrous (and no one is Going to admit that’s what they are doing because it makes them sound stupid but they are full of shit because if he wins those 2 games the past 2 years no one is bitching at all). He won 7 games last year and the same dumbasses were spouting 5-7 or 6-6 before the season.

We won three more games with an OOC schedule and completely folded end of season. We lost to Memphis. In fact, we lost to every school around us but AU. 7 wins with a loss to OM and a terrible bowl showing in a terrible bowl game isn't success by any measurement. Especially if you compare to coaches hired his same cycle. It's been very blah.

[calidawg]

We are in a really bad spot. We have the hardest schedule in the country next year in football and yet if we go 6-6 with another loss to OM our fans will be done with Leach.

To make matters worse even if we wanted to get rid of Leach our whole offensive roster is now turned over to fit his scheme so it's a total rebuild for whoever is next.

Our football program desperately needs to win at least 7 games WITH an OM win...Yes there is a big difference between going 7-5 with an OM win and 7-5 with an OM loss to our fan base. Leach cannot go 0-3 vs OM unless he somehow manages 8 or 9 wins outside of that loss. 8-4 with an OM loss will buy him another year with the fanbase.

[PGHBulldogBG]

I would say that assessment is spot on and how I feel as a fan. 7-5 with an ole miss win and I am good with that considering we have Bama, UGA, aTm, @LSU and @UK on the schedule. 8-4 with an Ole Miss loss is still enough to be supportive because it most likely means he won 1 of the above 5.

[Johnson85]

Cohen has to go and we must find an AD that is not affiliated with MSU and is actually qualified for the job.

If Leach doesn't pull things together next year, then Cohen will have to go. That will be two bad hires, with the second one after he tried to hire somebody with zero experience as a head coach, offensive coordinator, or defensive coordinator.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

We are going to have the best athletic year in MSU history next go round. Book it.

[Bothrops]

And consider this about Lemonis- he has a chance to become a legend in baseball here. I don't know that one National Championship necessarily does that if he just tanks it because then it will be that he won with players that Cohen and Cann recruited. He's too young in his career for that to be a discussion as far as all-time greatness. But if he wins multiple championships at MSU with our fanbase and popularity in the sport he essentially replaces Ron Polk as THE face of MSU baseball all time.

Two National Championships gets him into Tim Corbin/Andy Lopez/Ray Tanner and etc. tier. Three gets him into the discussion of the greatest of all time. That would put him second to Skip Bertman as I type this. I don't think that is lost on him.

I'd keep recruiting our primary region just the same, but I'd go get kids from south Florida and California every year.

[Jarius]

We won three more games with an OOC schedule and completely folded end of season. We lost to Memphis. In fact, we lost to every school around us but AU. 7 wins with a loss to OM and a terrible bowl showing in a terrible bowl game isn't success by any measurement. Especially if you compare to coaches hired his same cycle. It's been very blah.

We played the bowl game with half a team. Is this a freaking joke? Get a clue. We won 4 more regular season games this year than we did last year (and if Leach’s first year would have been a normal schedule that would have been a game or 2 better than his first year which is improvement). Bowl games where half the team opts out or has COVID counting as some sort of measuring stick is beyond ridiculous. Outside of a couple of people on this board who are idiots that don’t know where we fall in the pecking order of college football most people are going to be ok with us winning 6-8 games a year with an occasional big year of 10 wins or so. That’s who we are. If you don’t like it then pull for someone else. All the big message board talk in the world won’t change what we are. Telling people not to accept that ceiling may make people feel better but it doesn’t change the ceiling.

[EdwardDrayton]

I love John Cohen; he is a BullDawg without compromise. But I do believe it?s time for a professional AD. And I don?t mean that John is not professional; he has represented the athletic department and the university well. But he is a baseball player and coach who assumed an AD position. We need someone with a broader AD experience.

[Dawgology]

Thanks for ponying up the MILLIONS of $$ to buyout all three! Oh wait .. you didn"t Sorry, without the $$, your 'opinion' is worthless!


Hope the whole athletic department doesn?t feel this way. When thousands of fans have that opinion and every sporting event looks like one of our basketball game crowds will the opinion matter then?

[R2Dawg]

I love John Cohen; he is a BullDawg without compromise. But I do believe it?s time for a professional AD. And I don?t mean that John is not professional; he has represented the athletic department and the university well. But he is a baseball player and coach who assumed an AD position. We need someone with a broader AD experience.

Yep time for a professional. The true maroon has run out, hey he can always say he was AD when we won a NC, although the followup is so bad we don't get to enjoy it even a year.

[CadaverDawg]

Hope the whole athletic department doesn?t feel this way. When thousands of fans have that opinion and every sporting event looks like one of our basketball game crowds will the opinion matter then?

Exactly. BiscuitEater is an idiot, and the worst kind of fan. He's the type that would have us on year 16 of Croom if he were in charge. Notice how everyone just blew right past his ridiculous response....it's like when a kid comes in and sits down at the grown up table