Why do people think we are going to suck this year?

[Pollodawg]

This is how I felt going into the NorthWestern game last year. I'm not saying I agree with it, but I can understand why other people can see 5-6 wins being our ceiling. The press always under estimates us and when they do it drastically is usually when we step up and punch people in the mouth. If we open 3-0, we'll set the world on fire. If we open 1-2, we're screwed and I'll be placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of the grasshopper.

The underlying politics to all of this is enough to make someone sick. There's still some people with heavy sway that don't want a Yankee running the show and Strick has been made well aware of that. He pissed a lot of people off with the basketball moves and knows he's going to have to do something to keep the $ happy now. In my opinion CDM is being set up for failure so we can go hire the golden child... who I love to death... but there's no excuse for sending this staff on mission impossible. Basically Dan is being told "be the best" because we can go hire a Mississippi guy who can win at least 6-7 games a year. Some people may think that's ok. However, I think we've been a coaching graveyard for decades and move like this would only reconstitute that legacy.

If this is true--which I don't think it is--we deserve every shit kicking we get.

[Pollodawg]

I think we will be a lot better this year personally. Why should State be afraid of a team whose pass d ranked in the triple digits last season and who has a brand new O line, won't name a starting QB, and won't name a starting TB? Have they "outrecruited" us, a purely subjective notion anyway? No. Shouldn't they be just as afraid of us? Do you see their fans quaking in their boots? No. Why in blue hell are ours? Get that slit between the thighs fixed and let's do this. I hope the team has more cajones than most of our fans......

[Political Hack]

don't take it as a legitimate attempt to set him up for failure so much as a "chit or get off the pot" approach.

Either way, it's true. It's just a matter of how influential some of those folks can/will be.

[Pollodawg]

don't take it as a legitimate attempt to set him up for failure so much as a "chit or get off the pot" approach.

Either way, it's true. It's just a matter of how influential some of those folks can/will be.

I am sure you know more about than I do. No sarcasm intended. I am sure that you do. lol But I think Mullen has already shat. All he has done is win here.

[ShotgunDawg]

I am sure you know more about than I do. No sarcasm intended. I am sure that you do. lol But I think Mullen has already shat. All he has done is win here.

I agree with this, the only people the could possibly be upset with what Mullen has done are people that don't know anything about building a winning football program in this conference. Without cheating, we are going to have to win 6-8 games a year for about 8-10 years in order to build a solid enough foundation of recruiting areas, facilities, perception, and confidence in order to take the next step.

If influential people aren't Ok with that, then I would just rather them take their money somewhere else. Firing Mullen or giving up on this regime, would have to one of the dumbest moves in our university's history and one that would set us back much further than we are now.

Who would want this job if we fired a guy that had taken us to more bowl, games in a short amount of time, than any coach we've ever had?

Now, if Mullen goes 4-8 or 3-9 this year, then I have the right to change my tune, however, with this roster, he would have to do a pretty shitty coaching job to accomplish that.

[Political Hack]

Shotgun, I don't think 6-6 would put anyone on the hot seat, but the chatter will start if we end up with a losing record. People will direct it at CDM, but IMO, it's not his fault. He's building this team for success and I agree that it's going to take years to build a legitimate contender for a west title. If it's a bad season this year, it's on Strick for finalizing our OOC schedule before he knew what our SEC East schedule was.

[HancockCountyDog]

Shotgun, I don't think 6-6 would put anyone on the hot seat, but the chatter will start if we end up with a losing record. People will direct it at CDM, but IMO, it's not his fault. He's building this team for success and I agree that it's going to take years to build a legitimate contender for a west title. If it's a bad season this year, it's on Strick for finalizing our OOC schedule before he knew what our SEC East schedule was.

This pisses me off more than anything else that has been done, swapping South Alabama and UT at home for Oklahoma State (neutral site) and @SC is putting a ton of pressure on our team.

Luckily I think we come through against OSU and we get a pay day and a W. Am I the only one that can't wait to see what Dak's role in our offense will be? I still think it will be a lot more than the coaches are letting on.

[32 Dive]

OSU game = high risk, moderate reward.

Equivalent to a longshot bet on a crap table. You may get lucky and hit a couple. But in the long run, you'll lose your arse.

[blacklistedbully]

2.2 million dollar payday
National TV exposure in the 2:30 time slot
Playing a team we have matched or even bettered in the recruiting rankings the last 4 years

What are you going to say when we win?
Wonder if Arizona thought it was bad idea to play them last year when they drubbed them 59-38 last year?

And here I thought I was the only one who thinks we'll beat OSU. This is the B12 we're talking about, where they don't play defense. Frankly, I think part of the problem last year was Wilson bringing B12 defense to our team. Hell, I relish the thought of playing against a B12 defense. And with Collins calling the shots, I think OSU is in for a big surprise and a bitter disappointment.

[Political Hack]

I hope y'all are right. If so, it's all water under the bridge and it's going to be a fun, fun season. Thump Okie State and I fully expect 8-4 at the worst... maybe 9-3.

[MSUDawg4Life]

And here I thought I was the only one who thinks we'll beat OSU. This is the B12 we're talking about, where they don't play defense. Frankly, I think part of the problem last year was Wilson bringing B12 defense to our team. Hell, I relish the thought of playing against a B12 defense. And with Collins calling the shots, I think OSU is in for a big surprise and a bitter disappointment.

Nah, you're not the only one.

I think how our defense and WRs play will be the keys to the game. We can definitely beat them though.

[blacklistedbully]

I agree- there is no doubt we will be better football team- we just have a tougher schedule. We're better than Auburn or UPig- we have to handle business on the road....we'll be about the same with Mississippi- we have to hold serve at home.

That's why we play the games

Better than Auburn & UPig, I still think we're better than Ole Miss (they come back down to earth this year). We've come damn close against LSU in years they were loaded, and even last year's loss wasn't as bad as the final score indicated. Hell, we should or could have beaten LSU a couple of times out of the past 5 despite a plethora of injuries to starters. This year LSU doesn't look to be as strong as they have in the recent past, so why consider this a loss?

TAMU was damn good last year, with a domiant O-line and a QB playing out of his mind. They lose some of that line, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Johnny Football take a step back this year. Yes, we played like absolute garbage in several games last year, but I do think Wilson was a big problem for us. I also think Mullen will have the staff get more creative on offense this year.

SCar is supposed to be a Top 10 team, but the last time we played a SCAr team that finished Top 10, we narrowly lost a game we should have won. Spurrier has struggled against us lately, especially against a Mullen coached MSU. It'll be an upset if we win, but I'm sure as hell not "writing that one off", as some of our fans are.

I think we'll be a lot better than the "experts" think, and will surprise this year. The only game that I look at with little hope is Bama. They are just that damn good and have the best coaching in football.

[Political Hack]

This guy still there?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wkezITd1u8


He's good, but it's mostly fundamental hat on hat blocking why they run the ball so well. He carries the ball loose. If someone can pop it out early from the backside it'll get in his head early. I hope they tell our defense to punch the ball loose when coming from behind him.

[HancockCountyDog]

Better than Auburn & UPig, I still think we're better than Ole Miss (they come back down to earth this year). We've come damn close against LSU in years they were loaded, and even last year's loss wasn't as bad as the final score indicated. Hell, we should or could have beaten LSU a couple of times out of the past 5 despite a plethora of injuries to starters. This year LSU doesn't look to be as strong as they have in the recent past, so why consider this a loss?

TAMU was damn good last year, with a domiant O-line and a QB playing out of his mind. They lose some of that line, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Johnny Football take a step back this year. Yes, we played like absolute garbage in several games last year, but I do think Wilson was a big problem for us. I also think Mullen will have the staff get more creative on offense this year.

SCar is supposed to be a Top 10 team, but the last time we played a SCAr team that finished Top 10, we narrowly lost a game we should have won. Spurrier has struggled against us lately, especially against a Mullen coached MSU. It'll be an upset if we win, but I'm sure as hell not "writing that one off", as some of our fans are.

I think we'll be a lot better than the "experts" think, and will surprise this year. The only game that I look at with little hope is Bama. They are just that damn good and have the best coaching in football.

Im just glad that Im not alone. I think the SC game is less likely than the A&M game, but I don't think its like the Bama game.

I truly believe that this is our year against LSU. I have to put up with a bunch of LSU bullshit here on the coast, so I can't tell you how much that one would mean to me.

[HancockCountyDog]

This guy still there?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wkezITd1u8


He's good, but it's mostly fundamental hat on hat blocking why they run the ball so well. He carries the ball loose. If someone can pop it out early from the backside it'll get in his head early. I hope they tell our defense to punch the ball loose when coming from behind him.

He was drafted by Dallas, he won't be there. Just another big hit for OSU that the experts are missing.

[Political Hack]

He's solid for sure. I think they lose a few OL too. They're loaded at QB and WR, but they always are.

[32 Dive]

I don't necessarily think we will get drummed. I just think, from a program building perspective, we aren't quite ready for taking OOC scheduling risks.

[missouridawg]

I think we will be a lot better this year personally. Why should State be afraid of a team whose pass d ranked in the triple digits last season and who has a brand new O line, won't name a starting QB, and won't name a starting TB? Have they "outrecruited" us, a purely subjective notion anyway? No. Shouldn't they be just as afraid of us? Do you see their fans quaking in their boots? No. Why in blue hell are ours? Get that slit between the thighs fixed and let's do this. I hope the team has more cajones than most of our fans......

Because our pass O was pretty average and our spread D was well below par. If we played OK-State in a bowl game last year, they would've beat us worse than aTm did. We might beat them, but if we played them 10 times, they'd win 8 or 9 of those games.

[Coach34]

Because our pass O was pretty average and our spread D was well below par. If we played OK-State in a bowl game last year, they would've beat us worse than aTm did. We might beat them, but if we played them 10 times, they'd win 8 or 9 of those games.

Did Bracky self-impose another penalty that we have to play them with last year's team and coaches?

I think this year's team would beat OK State 6 out of 10 with an overtime loss in Game 8

[MSUDawg4Life]

Because our pass O was pretty average and our spread D was well below par. If we played OK-State in a bowl game last year, they would've beat us worse than aTm did. We might beat them, but if we played them 10 times, they'd win 8 or 9 of those games.

That would have been true last year.

How do we match up with them this year?