Originally Posted by
justwin
80% of it is you have to have a star QB that constantly moves the ball forward. And you have to have that every year and that's why Kiffen was so successful is every year he made sure he had above avg qb play. We have that again in Kamario. Leach could sign them but refused to play them early enough in spot time. Sawyer and parson shouldve gotten much more PT in the 2H of those games we were up. You just can't have an avg guy at qb and you have to commit to playing the best QB early and build the offense around their strengths early.
next, you have to have a great offensive scheme and after seeing the lebby offense in person a few times last few years, it is still the best offense we've ever had here to get to the next level. Mullen's offense was good and safe and removed the catastrophic plays, but definitely had a ceiling and certainly raised the floor. Leach's was a gimmick, player specific and took too many seasons to procure. With Lebby's O, you can win immediately if you have a true playmaker at QB. had we started Kamario game 1 vs USM, we're likely 4-0 headed into Tennessee game and we likely win 4 of our last 8 after he had the reps.
Then, you have to have a physical D and basically stop the run. Arnett's D does stop the run. Arnett's intensity is intentional. Some guys just yell like hutzler.
Then, of course, you have to be smart with your money and fill in the roster with avg to above avg players playing the rest of the reps. everyone is throwing money at the problem. just have to be smart & prudent and that still works.
What Mullen taught MSU is that a roster full of Mississippi kids is still the best path and you have to play the true freshman enough early so they're ready to really contribute the last half of the season. Sure, you have to get most of the top MS kids, but filling in the rest with mostly MS kids who develop is still crucial. that RB from Mizzou would've been on Mullen's roster. that left tackle for Miami would've been on Mullen's roster, etc. the DT echoles would've been on Mullen's roster. that kind of thing. Example, from this recent HS signee class, you have to play Cotton, Crittendon, Addison, Nickerson the first four games enough vs ULM, Minnesota, South Caro, Mizzou, so by the time you get to the last six games, they are basically in the rotation. Our coaches will always wait unil the last four games until they really commit to putting them on the field.
we have plenty of money. just have to be smart with it. our biggest issue in 2025 was not playing Kamario enough early and of course, the defense philosophy of 3 down lineman which will never work at MSU. Looking at 2026, we have the best schedule we've had in a decade so I like seeing all of the defense arnett is bringing in. on 2026 schedule, South Caro has Sellers back and Texas has Arch back. The rest of the teams will all have new QBs, mostly unproven and you can count that most of them will struggle in 2026. So, if Arnett can put the game on those fresh QBs to win and then we counter with Kamario, much better chance to win.
anyway, that's what I've determined after 20+ years of watching SEC / MSU football. preseason predictions are mostly wrong.