DeShea Townsend...

[CadaverDawg]

I am very interested in seeing what DeShea does with guys like Redmond, Giles, Calhoun, Love, etc over the next few years. With the talent we have for the foreseeable future at D-Line, we could be an absolute force defensively if DeShea can get those young corners up to speed quickly.

If Collins and Townsend are as advertised, watch the **** out next season when you combine that defensive talent with a Dak Prescott spread option offense. We will have a pretty experienced O-Line again next year, great RB depth again (JRob, Griffin, Milton, Shumpert), experienced WR's, experienced TE's, and a QB that has been in the system for 3 years! We will have a ton of D-Line depth, great experienced LB's, and a super talented secondary with a year under DeShea.

I know many think we can be good this year, and I have been a little negative....but I will definitely go on record that next season could be a 9-10 win regular season for us. It will be key to make a bowl game this year though for momentum.

Sorry if I'm getting too far ahead, but I think this year will tell us a lot about if the tandem of Collins, Turner, Townsend, can get us to an elite level in 2014.

[bulldawg28]

Agreed.

[Coach 57]

If Mullen makes a championship run it will be with that team. That's why it is very important for our younger OLmen to get ready as next year will be the year I (or you guys too) will truly judge Mullen by the fruits of his labor.

[CadaverDawg]

If Mullen makes a championship run it will be with that team. That's why it is very important for our younger OLmen to get ready as next year will be the year I (or you guys too) will truly judge Mullen by the fruits of his labor.

Yep. As you know, C57, I have been looking forward to 2014 for 2 years. I see 2014 as the first time in MSU history that we will have great talent at every single position on the field, and experience too. And depending on what our coaches show us this season, we could have great coaching to go with it. The only other ? Will be the schedule and how it sets up for us. Looking at this year's schedule, I can't see next year setting up as bad or worse.

[HancockCountyDog]

Yep. As you know, C57, I have been looking forward to 2014 for 2 years. I see 2014 as the first time in MSU history that we will have great talent at every single position on the field, and experience too. And depending on what our coaches show us this season, we could have great coaching to go with it. The only other ? Will be the schedule and how it sets up for us. Looking at this year's schedule, I can't see next year setting up as bad or worse.

You also will start seeing the fruits of Deshea's recruiting prowess. A coach like Deshea is going to have a huge impact on the recruiting trail. His impact on the recruiting front is obvious.

[CadaverDawg]

You also will start seeing the fruits of Deshea's recruiting prowess. A coach like Deshea is going to have a huge impact on the recruiting trail. His impact on the recruiting front is obvious.

Great point. I am anxious to see what he can do with an entire recruiting season to work with this year.

[Coach34]

The only other ? Will be the schedule and how it sets up for us. Looking at this year's schedule, I can't see next year setting up as bad or worse.

We have to go to T-Town, Baton Rouge, and Oxford in 2014. We wont be winning anything big. Will be another 8 maybe 9 wins

[Irondawg]

The problem as always going to be - can we keep Townsend for 3-4 years?

I think it's going to be tough and just like with some of our other good recruiters, just when they find their stride here, they leave.

[CadaverDawg]

We have to go to T-Town, Baton Rouge, and Oxford in 2014. We wont be winning anything big. Will be another 8 maybe 9 wins

We can win At Ole Miss next year. A&M could lose Manziel. LSU will be breaking in a new QB, as will Bama. Not likely to win at Bama or at LSU, but 9-10 wins wouldn't be impossible.

And hell, I'm one of the few fans I guess that still sees "another 8 maybe 9 wins" as a Damn Special Season for MSU football.

[CadaverDawg]

The problem as always going to be - can we keep Townsend for 3-4 years?

I think it's going to be tough and just like with some of our other good recruiters, just when they find their stride here, they leave.

The key thing is, if we lose him within 3-4 years then it is very likely that our DB's performed excellent, and he recruited some studs for our secondary. If that's the case, we take the position he left us in and build on it with another good coach. Our job is VERY attractive at that position to a young up and comer. Think about our Award Winner in Banks last year, plus Slay, and if DeShea quickly jumps to another big job it will be viewed as a great stepping stone. I would rather have outstanding coaches for 2-4 years than to have mediocre ones for 10 years.

[Raytoraid83]

We can win At Ole Miss next year. A&M could lose Manziel. LSU will be breaking in a new QB, as will Bama. Not likely to win at Bama or at LSU, but 9-10 wins wouldn't be impossible.

And hell, I'm one of the few fans I guess that still sees "another 8 maybe 9 wins" as a Damn Special Season for MSU football.

If you're a mississippi state fan complaining about 9 win seasons, you need to find a new hobby.

[bocfarm]

If you're a mississippi state fan complaining about 9 win seasons, you need to find a new hobby.

I'd take that next yr and every yr all day long.

We'll win all of our OOC games (USM, UAB, S.Bama, UT Martin)...outside of that there's no guaranteed wins IMO...maybe KY and that's on the road. I'd take 8 all day long.

Aub at home
A&M at home
Ark at home
Sec east at home SC?

LSU away (loss)
Bama away (loss)
OM away (most likely a loss)

[maroonmania]

We have to go to T-Town, Baton Rouge, and Oxford in 2014. We wont be winning anything big. Will be another 8 maybe 9 wins

Our best years are almost ALWAYS when we play AL and LSU away. Just like the 8-4 season last year and the 8-4 season in 2010. When we waste home games on LSU and Bama we end up like 2009 (5-7) or 2011 (6-6). Now IF we are good enough next year we can certainly beat OM in Oxford and possibly even pull out a W in Baton Rouge but we aren't beating AL any place we play them until Saban leaves.

[CadaverDawg]

I'd take that next yr and every yr all day long.

We'll win all of our OOC games (USM, UAB, S.Bama, UT Martin)...outside of that there's no guaranteed wins IMO...maybe KY and that's on the road. I'd take 8 all day long.

Aub at home
A&M at home
Ark at home
Sec east at home SC?

LSU away (loss)
Bama away (loss)
OM away (most likely a loss)

I disagree in putting down LSU and Ole Miss as losses next year. If you are looking at our returning talent and that we will be back to the style of offense we SHOULD be in....there's only one guaranteed loss on next year's schedule and that's Bama.

[bocfarm]

I disagree in putting down LSU and Ole Miss as losses next year. If you are looking at our returning talent and that we will be back to the style of offense we SHOULD be in....there's only one guaranteed loss on next year's schedule and that's Bama.

You also have to take in consideration those teams returning talent and where the game is being played...those two may not be guaranteed losses but they are long shot wins imo. OM has a chance to be very good in 2014 and beating LSU in BR....well..

[Goat Holder]

Actually, our schedule is more set up to make a championship run THIS year. All the hard games at home, easy on the road (obviously hard and easy are black and white, so don't nitpick that).

But I do agree that we could very good again next year. All the losses can be absorbed by what we have coming back.

[FISHDAWG]

I disagree in putting down LSU and Ole Miss as losses next year. If you are looking at our returning talent and that we will be back to the style of offense we SHOULD be in....there's only one guaranteed loss on next year's schedule and that's Bama.

FISHDAWG likes this post ... we played LSU pretty good there last year ... a few mistakes and missing our # 1 RB didn't help but we were in that game

[missouridawg]

2014 is the year in which I will ultimately judge Mullen.

I'm not happy with what I'm expecting this year and if he proves me wrong, then so be it. I see a 6-6 season if a lot of things go our way. I really, really hope I'm wrong.

2014, on the other hand, is the year that I think we can get to 10 wins. We'll have 4 winnable OOC games. We get Auburn, Arkansas, aTm, and our rotating East opponent at home. We can beat UK and OM on the road. We'll get beat by Bama on the road and we''ll have a shot to win in Baton Rouge as they appear to be on a little downturn. 2014 is the big year.

[FlabLoser]

At this pace of recruiting, OM could be really good in 2014. And the home team almost always wins the Egg Bowl.

EDIT - I take that back about recruiting. Freezus had one class with big time headliners. Best case for him, he repeats that. Two years of top-heavy recruiting isn't going to build a strong team. But the home field is still a big damn deal in the Egg Bowl.

[FlabLoser]

The problem as always going to be - can we keep Townsend for 3-4 years?

I think it's going to be tough and just like with some of our other good recruiters, just when they find their stride here, they leave.

Moving Bracky Brett and paying our assistants are two things we need to get done.