This Coaching Staff Has 2 Weeks To Figure It Out
It's a new season fellas. We are 2-2 & a missed field goal to USA & 3 points against LSU from being 4-0, but let's be serious: anyone with two eyes can tell that this is team trash.
The Bad
1. The SR leadership is awful. Other than Ross, Jefferson, Calvin, & maybe another, we basically have fringe players occupying the SR leadership positions on this team. For all the 2 & 3 stars that Mullen & Co hit on such as Dak, Preston Smith, Slay, Banks, Ballard, Josh Robinson, Bear, etc..... there is no such thing as a super scout. It wasn't a sustainable business model & it has caught up with us. For all the 2 & 3 stars we hit on, we are now missing on just as many 4 star players that have turned out to be marginal. It evens out overtime.
2. This is the worst defensive secondary I've witnessed in a long while. Yes, this team did lose both it's starting corners, but, how much better do Cleveland & Jiles really make us? Ugh. Extremely under talented. Coman can't cover a toilet seat & Bryant in extremely overrated with very little football instincts. For goodness sakes, it's like non of our DBs played backyard football growing up & have no idea how to just cover a damn guy. The lack basic ball skills are mind boggling.
3. Basic tackling skills & physicality are lacking on the defensive side of the ball. There appears to be way to much space for offensive players to operate. With LSU & Auburn, every pass is contested. When watching us, if the QB gets the pass off, there is a wide open receiver.
4. We have some nice players on offensive, but their skill sets don't complement each other. We are a running team that has a 160 running back & weak OL, but we lack real over the top ability because all our WRs are midgets. We have a West coast offense receiving core with a running QB that lacks touch & feel for the short to middle range passing game. On offense, our problem isn't one single player. It's that the offense we run & the types of players we have don't mesh. Give us a few of Ole Miss' receivers that are long & fast & combine that with a power running back & we'd have a pretty good offense in which the pieces and parts fit the scheme & QB.
5. Our WRs have been pathetic this year. Gabe Myles plays like he didn't get his orange slices before the game, & the rest of them are just inconsistent. This team doesn't come close to having enough talent to drop passes. We have no deep threat here. No guy that can win a jump ball down the field.
The Good
1. We still don't quit. Say what you want, but we generally play hard. Not as hard & physical as Freezus gets Ole Miss to play, but we don't give up.
2. Fitz is coming along. He's got a long way to go, but he made real progress today & led his team. I thought Mullen sticking with Fitz today may have been the single greatest decision he's made this year. He basically told all the Damian Williams Pole Smokers to screw off & play football. It was the right decision & big for Fitz. He may have won the team today.
3. Shumpert is running the best he has in his career, but I feel like it's a big tease & we'll get 15 carries for 20 yards against Auburn. Nonetheless, he does appear better.
What I Want See Done in Next 2 Weeks
1. I want to hear a story about Fitz wearing somebodies ass out for making a mistake. This is his next step. In the same way that Dak won Dallas' locker room by ripping Dez in a scrimmage, Fitz needs to let Ross, Gray, Shump, or somebody else hear it when they screw up. Time to lead.
2. I want our DBs to go play a backyard football game. For goodness sakes, just make it simple & cover somebody.
3. I want to see Malik Dear worked more into the flow of the game & this starts in practice.
4. I want Jiles to come on in the next two weeks & make an impact in the secondary.
5. I want our coaches to focus on simplifying & going with our identity. The 2nd half of this season needs to be about getting our best players the ball.
6. Defensive coaches need to simplify & make sure everyone knows what they are doing. Work on tackling & have physical practices.
The next two weeks of practice are potentially the most important two weeks of practice in the Dan Mullen era. Every win is precious & I'm glad we won today, but the caliber in which this team is currently playing is unacceptable to this fan base & university & must be improved. When Mullen got to MSU, he talked about raising expectations. Well..... good job Dan. You raised my expectations, & they exceed what is currently be done on the field.
TWO WEEKS & WE NEED TO SEE A BETTER, MORE FOCUSED FOOTBALL TEAM THAT KNOWS WHAT IT'S DOING.
PS to Bo Bounds: We know this team is trash. Let's talk about realistic solutions this week, not about how bad we are.
