Quote Originally Posted by Coach007 View Post
I question it. There was a ton of talent on that team. A LOT of NFL players.

I said the Offense, as in system. It's the last sentence.

This offense, as in system, is light years ahead of Mullen's- And within a year Moorhead was able to get 2 QBs in that can complete passes. That's one more than the former guy. At that rate we will have 18 in the same amount of years. IT will attract more WRs that can catch too. And all of it makes for a better run game. It's a deeper dimension than anything the former HC dreamed of.
10 future NFL players contributed on Defense in '09 and 4 on offense - including our all-time leading rusher. But, we had a QB who regressed under a new system and wasn't a fit for what the coach wanted to do on offense and that cost us a couple of games that were winnable (LSU, Houston). That offense was also sloppy and were #11 in the SEC in fumbles and INTs, and sputtered at times in games you thought we should have blown people out (MTSU, Vandy). Then, in 2010, we have a lot of those guys back, got a QB who fit the system, and after a slow start (1-2) rattled off a pretty good season.

A couple of points I'm trying to make - there are many similarities between the Croom/Mullen transition and the Mullen/Moorhead transition then I think many people should look at. A lot of that involves learning your team and talents, figuring out the league, and understanding your own strengths and weaknesses as a coach and staff. It can cost teams winnable games as they work their way thru it. Also - as time moves on we tend to remember a lot more of the "good" then the "bad" - and some of that comes out when people talk about '09. People remember us "competing" in games that we hadn't before, but forget other things. A case in point is Tyson Lee. While Lee was by no means an SEC QB - he was a 1st team JUCO All-American QB, who had been a relatively effective game manager in '08. In fact he had arguably been the most productive QB in the Croom Error (I know that doesn't say much), throwing for the most yards in a single season, had the second most TD passes, and the highest QB rating. Most people viewed him as one of the few bright spots of '08, a team leader, and someone who should adjust to the new offense. He then went from 7 TD/5 INT in '08 to 4 TD/14INT in '09. His yards and comp% were about the same, but obviously he was out of his element on offense and he suffered in making the throws needed. Not to mention the beating he took at 5'9" trying to run read-option plays and make the correct read and pitches.

I'm not saying that Dan inherited a better situation, or a better team or talent, just that transitions take time and aren't as cut and dry as people want to believe sometimes. People aren't certain Joe will work out, but at the same point in 2010 when we were 1-2 people weren't sure Dan was going to make it either.