Had Cohen simply hired at good to competent coach post Don

[donald igwebuike]

We wouldn't be bickering (as much) about Egg Bowl, Memphis, and a few other games.

2018's better results would have been a spring board for better recruiting.

[Cooterpoot]

It's true. We'd be in year 4 and know exactly what we've got. Leach year 4 would be interesting. But, year 4 for Leach is setting up nicely. The schedule is simple and we'll have more talent than we've had in awhile. The only thing is we wasted a great defense in 18. That haunts us.

[StarkVegasSteve]

It's true. We'd be in year 4 and know exactly what we've got. Leach year 4 would be interesting. But, year 4 for Leach is setting up nicely. The schedule is simple and we'll have more talent than we've had in awhile. The only thing is we wasted a great defense in 18. That haunts us.

That defense of 18 will never be replicated. The sheer amount of talent on that side of the ball was just staggering. Simmons, Sweat, Abram, Gay, and Dantzler are obviously the NFL guys but you had great college players like Braxton Hoyett, Erroll, Gerri Green, Mark McLaurin, and Jamal Peters. Just a stupid amount of talent.

[Really Clark?]

That defense of 18 will never be replicated. The sheer amount of talent on that side of the ball was just staggering. Simmons, Sweat, Abram, Gay, and Dantzler are obviously the NFL guys but you had great college players like Braxton Hoyett, Erroll, Gerri Green, Mark McLaurin, and Jamal Peters. Just a stupid amount of talent.

Gerri Green is still in the NFL

[Leeshouldveflanked]

I was on the Neal Brown bandwagon when Dan left, but he hasn?t done so hot at WV. I think Cohen tried to replicate what the Ninja did hiring Mullen with Morehead, but it didn?t work out.

[MetEdDawg]

Here's the thing. Name the possible hires we could have gotten that are absolutely rocking it out right now making Cohen look stupid for not hiring them.

I don't see it. I see why Moorhead was hired. But a lot of the names at the time that were options aren't exactly lighting it up right now.

[chef dixon]

Been through this discussion many times. Moorhead on paper was a good hire. It didn't work out. Neither did anyone else who got hired that year.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

One consensus Stricklin can suck rotten eggs.

[Todd4State]

Here's the thing. Name the possible hires we could have gotten that are absolutely rocking it out right now making Cohen look stupid for not hiring them.

I don't see it. I see why Moorhead was hired. But a lot of the names at the time that were options aren't exactly lighting it up right now.

Mike Leach

[dawgday166]

Mullen was hired that year by FL. That was a home run hire ****

[DownwardDawg]

Been through this discussion many times. Moorhead on paper was a good hire. It didn't work out. Neither did anyone else who got hired that year.

Agree. JoMo looked like the best hire of the bunch.

[Quaoarsking]

I hate to say this, but the optimal hire for the 2018 season was ... Lane Kiffin.

He would have been coming off an 11-3 season at FAU and surely would have taken the job rather than staying there. He would have taken us to 10-2 or better in the 2018 regular season, and would have left after 1 or 2 years, in which case we can bring in Leach without having such a huge culture problem.

But it's a lot more obvious in hindsight than it was at the time, that's for sure.

[dawgday166]

I hate to say this, but the optimal hire for the 2018 season was ... Lane Kiffin.

He would have been coming off an 11-3 season at FAU and surely would have taken the job rather than staying there. He would have taken us to 10-2 or better in the 2018 regular season, and would have left after 1 or 2 years, in which case we can bring in Leach without having such a huge culture problem.

But it's a lot more obvious in hindsight than it was at the time, that's for sure.

Kiffin probably does better than 10-2 with that team, depending on who the coordinators were. But then he'd be gone at a minimum after this year and probably after the 2018 year or the next.

[PGHBulldogBG]

If Miami opens then I think Kiffin bolts. It doesn?t seem as though a lot of the blue bloods are jumping at him though. I think the hesitation is that he is another Houston Nutt which I agree. He never stays long enough to see what he can do at a program for more than 2 years. ADs probably want to see what he can do with a team longer than a year or two. He is not a great recruiter and I think if he stays at Ole Miss his coaching abilities will show by the end of 2023. I?ll be curious to see how he does with a talent deficit and youth the next 2 years.

[MetEdDawg]

Mike Leach

I know Arkansas and Tennessee kicked the tires on that during that time frame.

My question is, do you really think this fan base could have handled the hiring of Mike Leach directly after Dan Mullen? We've had a whole bunch freak out after the Moorhead disaster. With a defense like we knew we had, I think this fan base would have revolted bringing in a guy like Leach who would have brought the 3-3-5 and his reputation.

[Fader21]

I agree that Cohen made the hottest named hire. Everyone thought Joe Moorhead was the best pick. Hell, he still is an offensive genius. I hate it didn't work out.

[RougeDawg]

In the end I believe it will all work itself out. In life you don?t always get what you want, you get what you need or supposed to have. Some times that means hard times and some suffering. But In the end you come out the other side stronger.

To me that?s what occurred hiring Sloppy Joe and where we are now. It took a little pain and suffering through a wasted 2018 team and our LB knocking our starting QB out during bowl practice to make changes that should be beneficial long term. Time will tell but things usually end up as they were supposed to when you learn from your mistakes and make every attempt to avoid them in the future.

I went into this season with zero expectations except wanting to see a more cohesive offensive unit. If that happened the wins would come. When the offense wasn?t clicking, there would be losses. Wanted to see progress and less confusion. And I think we got that. Keep building and bringing in skill guys and this thing will be hell on wings the next year or two. Have faith.

[Cooterpoot]

I agree that Cohen made the hottest named hire. Everyone thought Joe Moorhead was the best pick. Hell, he still is an offensive genius. I hate it didn't work out.

Uhh, not true at all

[TrapGame]

I agree that Cohen made the hottest named hire. Everyone thought Joe Moorhead was the best pick. Hell, he still is an offensive genius. I hate it didn't work out.

Offensive geniuses do not put that level of steaming excrement on the field for two years. Saquon Barclay made Joe look a lot better than he really is.

[BrunswickDawg]

Let's look at some of the major hires that year:

Scott Frost - 15-29 at Nebraska - BUST
Jimbo Fisher - 34-14 at A&M - good, but not for the $ he's getting
Chip Kelly - 17-25 at UCLA, finally got a winning record in year 4 - 7-4 - never would consider MSU
Mario Cristobal - 34-12 at Oregon - never would consider coming to MSU
Willie Taggert - 9-12 at FSU - disaster hire and fired in 2.
Chad Morris - 4-18 at Arkansas - disaster hire and fired in 2.
Kevin Sumlin - 9-20 at Arizona - disaster hire and fired in 3.
Jeremy Pruitt - 16-19 at Tenn - bad hire and fired in 3 years.
Steve Campbell - 9-26 at South Alabama - fired in 3 years.
Billy Napier - 38-12 at La La - would have been seen as a joke of a hire at the time.
Sonny Dykes - 30-17 at SMU - could make an argument that he would have been a good hire at State - but would have had a big adjustment to his offense just like Leach.
Josh Heupel - went 28-8 at UCF and 6-5 at UT - would he have worked at MSU?

Dykes and Heupel are really the only two who might of considered an MSU offer who turned out as strong hires. Moorhead was seen as an A hire by MSU amongst these moves. Hiring a coach is a crap shoot.