Coach Turner reconfirms James has a long way to go.

[Political Hack]

This doesn't look like a guy who doesn't love the game.
https://vine.co/v/M9WnbdEQ5Jv

https://vine.co/v/M9H9eU5aw6E

that's what's killing me. the guy LOVES football. Loves it. Eats drinks and breaths it. If you can't find a way to work with that, it's on you.

[Raytoraid83]

that's what's killing me. the guy LOVES football. Loves it. Eats drinks and breaths it. If you can't find a way to work with that, it's on you.

Hopefully, like people have mentioned, it's just Turner downplaying him. If James can build some confidence against Southern, UAB, and USA to start the season look out...

[DancingRabbit]

Hopefully, like people have mentioned, it's just Turner downplaying him. If James can build some confidence against Southern, UAB, and USA to start the season look out...

Yeah, I'm hoping the same thing.

Didn't Chris Jones say the other day that Nick James was his room-mate? If that's the case I'm feeling a little better about things.

[MSUDawg4Life]

Let's wait a little while longer before we start throwing dirt on Nick. He did make it thru about 6 months with little to none contact with the team. He looked good to me in the spring. And it looks like he is the best shape he has been in since he has been here..

There's nobody on the team I'm rooting for more than Nick James. I think Nick is the difference between us having a very good defense and a great defense. I'd love to see him making millions in the NFL in a couple years. My point is simply that if Nick doesn't reach his potential it won't be Coach Turner's fault.

[smootness]

that's my issue. we damn sure better get at least 1 good year out of him or else the coaches failed in their evaluation, development, and retention of him. I think he's going to surprise people. He's a freak of an athlete at 300+ pounds. If you can't work with that, after recruiting and signing him, it's on the staff.

Quay, it's on him. he was dismissed after too much BS.

This makes no sense.

[mparkerfd20]

Quay is gone and James isn't living up to expectations under Turner. two five stars that OUR COACHES CHOSE to recruit and sign. Period. End of story. Develop them, or your failed.

Agree 100%.

[RichardHarrow]

Saying that it's on the coaches is bull shit. Turner is a D-line coach, not Dr. Phil. He's not a magician, he's a D-line coach. There are limitations on what he can do. If he has to babysit Nick, it isn't fair to the other players that actually have their shit together and are at practice every day busting their ass to get better, not simply going through the motions to keep a scholarship. I want nothing more than for Nick to be the player that he has the potential to be, but to say that if he doesn't reach those expectations that it's on his coach is garbage.

And to say that a player like that should have been screened out during the recruiting process....get outta here. You don't pass on a kid like that.

[dawgoneyall]

Yes and no.

Think Sidney. Nothing or no coach could have changed the situation.

[SDDawg]

I think James is going to shine this year in specific situations, not on every down though. I think Hack has it right- at this point, it's on the coaches. The kid got into shape, has showed up well in the spring and is ready to get out there and do some damage. Manage him, keep his head on football and put him in situations where he can succeed. If that happens, it's a win/win.

[ShotgunDawg]

Dear Nick James,

Please destroy plays all year long, preferably beginning in the first game, so we don't ever have to have this conversation again. For all things holy, please save us from having this discussion.

You fan that is full of hope,

Shotgun

[Leroy Jenkins]

Dear Nick James,

Please destroy plays all year long, preferably beginning in the first game, so we don't ever have to have this conversation again. For all things holy, please save us from having this discussion.

You fan that is full of hope,

Shotgun

Even if your prayer is answered..... we will complain about why he couldn't perform his first few years. MSU fans can find the cloud in the silver lining.

[Political Hack]

Yes and no.

Think Sidney. Nothing or no coach could have changed the situation.

I can agree with that. He was beyond help, but at the same time, they never should've signed him.

[DapperDawg]

When you have a supreme talent with maturity issues, like James or Sidney, you take a chance on him. These are 17 and 18 year old guys, so you take a chance on them maturing and reaching their potentials. It's high risk, high reward. But as others have said, the ultimate responsibility of maturity is up to the player. I don't agree that it's the coaches' fault if the light doesn't turn on for a player, but I agree that it's on them for recruiting the guy. If they weren't implementing some level of risk in the recruiting process by going after some of these guys, we'd complain about who we are recruiting. Basically, take some risks, but don't make it your recruiting strategy, a la Ole Miss.

[Schultzy]

When you have a supreme talent with maturity issues, like James or Sidney, you take a chance on him. These are 17 and 18 year old guys, so you take a chance on them maturing and reaching their potentials. It's high risk, high reward. But as others have said, the ultimate responsibility of maturity is up to the player. I don't agree that it's the coaches' fault if the light doesn't turn on for a player, but I agree that it's on them for recruiting the guy. If they weren't implementing some level of risk in the recruiting process by going after some of these guys, we'd complain about who we are recruiting. Basically, take some risks, but don't make it your recruiting strategy, a la Ole Miss.

Well put.

[BeastMan]

Damn, we just had this fight a day or two ago. Turner is the ultimate coach speak coach on staff. Hell, just last fall camp he said CJ was just ok and had a long way to go. All CJ did was become our best DT and make a name for himself as one of the rising stars in the SEC. NJ will be just fine. If he wasn't doing what the coaches asked of him, he'd be gone. Ask Quay Evans.

This is a good point.

[WinningIsRelentless]

Sometimes you have to put kids in the game on a regular basis even if they still aren't mature to try and mature them that way. The last thing nick wants is to look like a idiot in the field and if he isn't mature it will happen sooner rather than later and probably wake him up.

[Political Hack]

Sometimes you have to put kids in the game on a regular basis even if they still aren't mature to try and mature them that way. The last thing nick wants is to look like a idiot in the field and if he isn't mature it will happen sooner rather than later and probably wake him up.

some kids are gamers but have a "block" during practice or in meetings. I know kids that will go through a whole bucket of balls without getting a hit at the batting cage... and seen that same kid go an entire baseball season with only striking out 2-3 times. It makes no sense to me, but it is what it is. They're not batting 9th just because they don't get it in the cage. James is never going to be the head of the meeting room during film sessions. Just not going to happen, but if he wreaks havoc during a game that's a crappy excuse for them not playing him as many snaps as he can handle it.

in fact, I'd play him 90% of snaps during garbage time and more than 50% before them during the first 3 games just to get him in shape for the sec schedule. If they don't play him a ton early, the writing is on the wall that they don't intend on using he 330 pound wreaking ball we have sitting on the bench.

[Churchill]

We`ve always had a ton of people who refuse to hold coaches accountable. I have no idea if we have more or less than other schools but it seems we have more than our share. Every successful coach at the D1 level has played psychiatrist, psychologist and fill-in parent at some point in their career. The good coaches always take the most pride in the players they had to develop mentally as much or more than physically. I don`t claim to know what`s going on on a daily basis with NJ but I think Hack is dead on with this one. I think James can be "developed" with the right handling.

[smootness]

We`ve always had a ton of people who refuse to hold coaches accountable. I have no idea if we have more or less than other schools but it seems we have more than our share. Every successful coach at the D1 level has played psychiatrist, psychologist and fill-in parent at some point in their career. The good coaches always take the most pride in the players they had to develop mentally as much or more than physically. I don`t claim to know what`s going on on a daily basis with NJ but I think Hack is dead on with this one. I think James can be "developed" with the right handling.

No one's saying the coaches are above reproach. But ours have proven they can develop talent and develop leaders. Suggesting that if one guy doesn't have the light come on while a ton more do, then it's 'on the coaches' is absurd.

Do you think all of our players show up with their heads on straight? I guarantee you that some of our best guys and best leaders have had to have some adjusting along the way. But we do generally look for character and leadership ability in our recruits. When you do that, it allows you to take a couple of chances on guys knowing that even in a worst-case scenario, they won't ruin the locker room. But that doesn't mean a good coach can take anybody and turn them around.

Every program and coach in the country has had guys that never got it, regardless of talent level. We have had extremely few. So I'm not going to jump on our coaches if we have one or two.

[CadaverDawg]

I'm really torn on the whole Nick James debate.

On one hand, you want to shake the shit out of Nick and tell him to wake up before he wastes his talent. He could be a millionaire playing football.

On the other hand, you want to see Turner and Mullen try a different type of motivation...put the son of a gun on the field and let him get a taste of the spotlight. It has been so long since James has played a real, meaningful, snap, that you're right....he has probably forgotten how much he really loves football. I think Hack is right in a lot of ways, because Nick is obviously not the same type of player, maturity wise, as a Chris Jones. So try something different. If you put James in there early this season and he starts to see how he can blow up opponents and be a major factor for a SEC defense, that might be all the motivation he needs to turn in to the animal we think he is.

But then again, I don't want us to throw James out there and him blow an assignment and cost us a game either. So I can see it both ways.

So ultimately, I do not think it's a "failure" by Turner if James doesn't pan out.....but I do think he can be handled a little differently. Ultimately it is James' decision to do the necessary things to get on the field....but the coaches have to give him a reason and opportunity to make the right one. If he thinks regardless of what he does at this point, Turner won't give him playing time, why go out there anymore?