Ok- So the pulse of the Board is that we will finish

[lamont]

8-4 or better this year. 90 % of the Predictions go that route.

After Mullen shopping hard at the end of last season- would a 7-5 or 6-6 season ending in a last place finish cause you to be extremely concerned about the program? Or would you still be 100% Dan is the Man?

[Todd4State]

Totally depends on who we beat. 8-4 with losses to Ole Miss, Bama, LSU, and A&M would not be as good as 6-6 with wins over Bama and Ole Miss. I know that means we probably would have lost to BYU and South Carolina. But my point is the body of work is what counts as much as the actual record.

[JoseBrown]

Not necessarily. I would definitely be concerned, but with wholesale changes on the defensive coaching staff, new positions created and filled on staff, and starting off without Dak. Although I think Fitz will be fine. With all that said I could see it taking a little time, but they've been together all off-season. I haven't made my predictions yet, but I'm sure it will fall somewhere between yours and the board average. No bowl game though, yes I'm pretty worried...

[ShotgunDawg]

8-4 or better this year. 90 % of the Predictions go that route.

After Mullen shopping hard at the end of last season- would a 7-5 or 6-6 season ending in a last place finish cause you to be extremely concerned about the program? Or would you still be 100% Dan is the Man?

Just depends on how we play & how we are playing at the end of the year.

If we start out slow, due to QB play, but catch fire late, then I'll feel better.

[Beaver]

If we start out slow, due to QB play, but catch fire late, then I'll feel better.

Me too. However, I think we all want to see an improvement in the running game as well. However, I'll be concerned if the defense struggles and Sirmon left for a bigger program after the season is over.

[AlSwearengen]

Without looking at the schedule and analyzing other teams (i'm too lazy and don't care enough right now), I don't see us winning 8 games. We will lose to lsu, bama, and olemiss for sure (olemiss might be winnable).

In my mind, we lost too much. If we had a better than average Oline, that would help matters, but I will believe it when I see us have a decent line again. I'll be happy with seven wins.

[Beaver]

Without looking at the schedule and analyzing other teams (i'm too lazy and don't care enough right now), I don't see us winning 8 games. We will lose to lsu, bama, and olemiss for sure (olemiss might be winnable).

In my mind, we lost too much. If we had a better than average Oline, that would help matters, but I will believe it when I see us have a decent line again. I'll be happy with seven wins.

I think if we beat BYU we'll get to 8 wins. Auburn, SC, A&M, and Arky all at home. Plus Kentucky on the road. 5 very winnable games. Just have to go 4-1 there and win the 4 OOC games.

[JoseBrown]

I think if we beat BYU we'll get to 8 wins. Auburn, SC, A&M, and Arky all at home. Plus Kentucky on the road. 5 very winnable games. Just have to go 4-1 there and win the 4 OOC games.

I think this is where I am. If we beat BYU or A&M we can get to 8 wins, if we lose both I don't think so, but I haven't done game by game yet.

[Liverpooldawg]

If we are 6-6 or better this year I'll be happy. I won't jump off a cliff if we only win 5. This IS a rebuilding year. This program ain't to the reloading stage yet, but it's closer than it has ever been in my lifetime. That's how I judge Mullen.

[Reason2succeed]

Either we will find a running game and do well or we will struggle to run the game and suck. I don't see any grey area.

I'm not worried about the defense at all. The only weak part of our defense is corners and we're not playing an elite quarterback until the last game of the year.

[starkvegasdawg]

As usual, our schedule is extremely backloaded. I could see us get off to a fast start and then seemingly falter at the end of the season. I would hate to put a pass/fail on the season based on just the record, but I would be disappointed in 6-6 and not complain with 7-5. This is all assuming no major injuries and no major off field incident that can derail a season. I would like to see us competitive in all of our games including bama and LSU. I want to see some tangible evidence we are at least trying to close the gap with the elites of the conference. I think we have shown that against LSU, but I can't remember the last time we walked on the field with bama and I expected to come away with a win.

So, if we take care of business against out OOC opponents, win the easier SEC schedule (UK and USCe), win some of our toss up SEC games and competitive in any we lose, and at least look like we have a pulse against the SEC elite, I will be ok with this season.

What will piss me off is if Mullen starts getting connected to multiple openings and doesn't address it in some form or fashion and just leaves the team and recruits swinging in the breeze.

[DancingRabbit]

It's always hard to accurately predict how a season will turn out, but this year is more difficult than usual.

So many changes and question marks. Completely new defensive coaching staff. New base defense. New QB. New LT. New X receiver. Maybe new RB. New team leadership.

We have a LOT of talent on campus. Who all will take it to another level? I say 7 to 9 reg season wins.

[PassInterference]

7-5

Losses to LSU, Auburn, (BYU or A&M...we'll screw one of them up), Alabama, Ole Miss

[MSUDawg99]

8-4 or better this year. 90 % of the Predictions go that route.

After Mullen shopping hard at the end of last season- would a 7-5 or 6-6 season ending in a last place finish cause you to be extremely concerned about the program? Or would you still be 100% Dan is the Man?

Are you Ole Rebel Jacob?

[HoopsDawg]

If we are 6-6 or better this year I'll be happy. I won't jump off a cliff if we only win 5. This IS a rebuilding year. This program ain't to the reloading stage yet, but it's closer than it has ever been in my lifetime. That's how I judge Mullen.

6-6 would be pretty poor. I'll take 7-5 or better.

I want to have some stability right now with Ole Miss's looming sanctions.

[TrapGame]

I just don't see us losing 6 games. We are more talented than that. 4 games? Sure, but not 6.

[RiverCityDawg]

8-4 with losses to Ole Miss, Bama, LSU, and A&M would not be as good as 6-6 with wins over Bama and Ole Miss.

Are you being serious or exaggerating for effect? I would much rather go 8-4 and lose close games to LSU, TA&M, Alabama and ole miss (teams with more talent) than lose to LSU, Auburn, BYU, UK, TA&M and Ark. Obviously I want to win them all, but losing 6 games including 4 we shouldn't would make me much less satisfied than losing only 4 to teams better than us.

Now HOW we lose matters to me. I don't want to get blown out in 4 games. But beating the teams we should and competing well in the others with the occasional upset is much more preferable than being inconsistent and dropping 4 games we should win, but winning a couple upsets.

[Gutter Cobreh]

I said it in my predictions and I will reiterate here. I think we're going to be better than we were last year. I'm not in the weeds of the program or as astute as some of you are here on the board, nor am I an eternal optimist.

I don't think we'll see much regression from the QB spot. As good as Dak was, he missed a hell of a lot of short to intermediate open throws that could have been completed.

The running game has no where to go but up.

The defense will be better than last year, due to a new scheme and better overall athletes. If we shore up the secondary and not allow them to give up large chunks of yardage and get some serviceable depth on the line - it can improve over last year.

I don't see any team within the SEC that comes into the year 100% booked at every position. Each team has holes or question marks, so it will be up to how they adjust and improve as the year goes along.

While I said in another post that us losing at the end of the last two seasons has hurt the perception, I do think a back loaded scheduled will work in our favor this year as we get the new pieces to gel while we play a relatively soft schedule.

[Beaver]

I don't think we'll see much regression from the QB spot. As good as Dak was, he missed a hell of a lot of short to intermediate open throws that could have been completed.

Yeah, but Dak could also throw the ball down the field -- often times while running for his life. Will we have a QB that can do that without throwing multiple picks a game?

[HoopsDawg]

I don't think we'll see much regression from the QB spot. As good as Dak was, he missed a hell of a lot of short to intermediate open throws that could have been completed.

Now that's a bold prediction