Couple of good things about the football program.....

[Taog Redloh]

- Winning record in bowls
- Big 6 bowl appearance
- 7 year win streak vs. Kentucky
- Overall winning record vs. Kentucky (22-20), moving us a little bit further off the bottom
- 4 game win streak over Arkansas, after a decade of futility in that series
- 2 game win streak over Auburn
- Got Ws over Georgia and Tennessee, neither of which are normal for MSU
- Beat Florida at the Swamp
- Winning record in Egg Bowl, after weathering their greatest peak ever
- Near perfect record in games where we are favored

There are some things that need work, for sure. I do not count the bowl streak in my assessments, because to me, in an 11-game season, we'd have been 5-6 in 2011 and 2013 (all the 12 game season added was an FCS patsy). We obviously need to beat Alabama, but Alabama is also 84-10 since Mullen has been at State, with 3 national titles and 3 SEC titles. Only a peaking South Carolina/Ole Miss/Texas A&M, LSU, Auburn, Oklahoma and Ohio State have defeated them in that time frame.

Average Mullen FBS record in this time-span: 6.3-4.7 (for reference, King Jackie was 5.7-5.0-0.3)

What this tells me, is that while we have not been elite, we've been better than we've ever been. I personally like the slow, gradual trend rather than the extreme highs/lows like Ole Miss has employed (and King Jackie too), ESPECIALLY when we accomplish more and have higher win totals.

Guy gets 2 more years regardless, as long as we don't totally collapse next year. He's earned the right to build the program his way, OL coach and all.

[ShotgunDawg]

[CadaverDawg]

- Winning record in bowls
- Big 6 bowl appearance
- 7 year win streak vs. Kentucky
- Overall winning record vs. Kentucky (22-20), moving us a little bit further off the bottom
- 4 game win streak over Arkansas, after a decade of futility in that series
- 2 game win streak over Auburn
- Got Ws over Georgia and Tennessee, neither of which are normal for MSU
- Beat Florida at the Swamp
- Winning record in Egg Bowl, after weathering their greatest peak ever
- Near perfect record in games where we are favored

There are some things that need work, for sure. I do not count the bowl streak in my assessments, because to me, in an 11-game season, we'd have been 5-6 in 2011 and 2013 (all the 12 game season added was an FCS patsy). We obviously need to beat Alabama, but Alabama is also 84-10 since Mullen has been at State, with 3 national titles and 3 SEC titles. Only a peaking South Carolina/Ole Miss/Texas A&M, LSU, Auburn, Oklahoma and Ohio State have defeated them in that time frame.

Average Mullen FBS record in this time-span: 6.3-4.7 (for reference, King Jackie was 5.7-5.0-0.3)

What this tells me, is that while we have not been elite, we've been better than we've ever been. I personally like the slow, gradual trend rather than the extreme highs/lows like Ole Miss has employed (and King Jackie too), ESPECIALLY when we accomplish more and have higher win totals.

Guy gets 2 more years regardless, as long as we don't totally collapse next year. He's earned the right to build the program his way, OL coach and all.

I agree with Goat. And thanks for a positive thread...the board needed it

[ShotgunDawg]

I agree with Goat. And thanks for a positive thread...the board needed it

Agree. It just reminded me of Stuart Smalley staring into the mirror.

Our program is on solid ground with a good foundation. We need to clean up the green on this recruiting class, tighten down our OL recruiting, & keep moving in the right direction. I actually view Nalls' decommitment last night as a move in the right direction. It means are coaches aren't just settling

I think MSU is taking a conservative, measured, consistent approach on building a program & that will pay major dividends down the road if we continue build. However, I think much of the frustration comes from the Ole Miss not taking the same approach as us & somehow doing what they are doing in such a short time.

Conversely, A coach like Sumlin has almost gotten a pass at A&M because his in-state rival sucks. If Charlie Strong were winning at Texas, I'm curious if Sumlin would have been fired this year. It's amazing how much of your perspective on your team is dictated by what your rival is doing.

[Really Clark?]

Alabama, LSU, Georigia, Texas A & M, and Mississippi State are the only SEC schools that have been bowling all 6 years this decade. We really need to embrace this consistency for a continuation of building our foundation to get to the next level. Which was going to take a decade of some ups and downs and is the hardest to overcome and maintain. To be a 9+ win team every year we had to build up our floor against a very poor history. We have places that need to improve on but improvement has happened as during the past 7 years.

[archdog]

Worst movie ever made. Hands down.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

They made a movie about this?

[Taog Redloh]

I think MSU is taking a conservative, measured, consistent approach on building a program & that will pay major dividends down the road if we continue build.

Only thing that presents a problem is the notion that Mullen wants out of Starkville. That does not jive with the long-term building approach. Guess we will never truly know what's up with that, likely in the middle.

However, I think much of the frustration comes from the Ole Miss not taking the same approach as us & somehow doing what they are doing in such a short time.

I predict, one year from now, after we've beaten Ole Miss in Oxford, our fans will be thankful that we did not take their approach. They are about to find out how the other half lives with their boom/bust method. They better hope Kelly comes back next year, but I honestly don't see why he would. FSU, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, LSU and Texas A&M are all probable losses for them. Their losses are substantial - 19 seniors (the rest of that good 2011 class), plus the 4 juniors gone. Ingram and Stringfellow might go pro too. Add Kelly and those are crippling losses.

[maroonmania]

Agree. It just reminded me of Stuart Smalley staring into the mirror.

Our program is on solid ground with a good foundation. We need to clean up the green on this recruiting class, tighten down our OL recruiting, & keep moving in the right direction. I actually view Nalls' decommitment last night as a move in the right direction. It means are coaches aren't just settling

I think MSU is taking a conservative, measured, consistent approach on building a program & that will pay major dividends down the road if we continue build. However, I think much of the frustration comes from the Ole Miss not taking the same approach as us & somehow doing what they are doing in such a short time.

Conversely, A coach like Sumlin has almost gotten a pass at A&M because his in-state rival sucks. If Charlie Strong were winning at Texas, I'm curious if Sumlin would have been fired this year. It's amazing how much of your perspective on your team is dictated by what your rival is doing.

No doubt there are a lot of things we have done well under Mullen. I think a lot of the frustration in the recruiting area is that we just seem to have one arm tied behind our back there competing with much of the rest of the SEC. A number of reasons with that. We aren't really branching out in the area that we recruit, plus we seem to have the double whammy that Mullen and staff aren't great natural recruiters (I don't even think Mullen likes it that much) as opposed to Freeze and staff while at the same time we don't play the "incentives" game anywhere near the level of what OM and a lot of the rest of the SEC do. Definitely makes for an uphill battle to get anywhere beyond the 7-8 win plateau. We did it last year but it requires a number of other SEC West programs to have off years while we are having a peak year to pull it off.

[Taog Redloh]

No doubt there are a lot of things we have done well under Mullen. I think a lot of the frustration in the recruiting area is that we just seem to have one arm tied behind our back there competing with much of the rest of the SEC. A number of reasons with that. We aren't really branching out in the area that we recruit, plus we seem to have the double whammy that Mullen and staff aren't great natural recruiters (I don't even think Mullen likes it that much) as opposed to Freeze and staff while at the same time we don't play the "incentives" game anywhere near the level of what OM and a lot of the rest of the SEC do. Definitely makes for an uphill battle to get anywhere beyond the 7-8 win plateau. We did it last year but it requires a number of other SEC West programs to have off years while we are having a peak year to pull it off.

We need to sit down and acknowledge reality when it comes to recruiting.

We DO NOT have the program resources/history necessary to win all the recrootin hype battles. That may change one day, but it AIN'T HAPPENING in 2016. We can win SOME, like we have been, but we aren't going to be the recruiting champions at this point in time. Forget the paying stuff, we all do that to some degree or another, so who cares. All that really does is put you on a level playing field anyways, it doesn't close the deal. Ultimately the kids go where they want. Acknowledge and move on.

The biggest thing I see that we are not doing is 1 - not bringing in ENOUGH OL every year (I'd like to see 4 or 5), and 2 - not using the MS JUCO system more.

[ShotgunDawg]

No doubt there are a lot of things we have done well under Mullen. I think a lot of the frustration in the recruiting area is that we just seem to have one arm tied behind our back there competing with much of the rest of the SEC. A number of reasons with that. We aren't really branching out in the area that we recruit, plus we seem to have the double whammy that Mullen and staff aren't great natural recruiters (I don't even think Mullen likes it that much) as opposed to Freeze and staff while at the same time we don't play the "incentives" game anywhere near the level of what OM and a lot of the rest of the SEC do. Definitely makes for an uphill battle to get anywhere beyond the 7-8 win plateau. We did it last year but it requires a number of other SEC West programs to have off years while we are having a peak year to pull it off.

I hear you, but, honestly, I just don't know enough facts about what's going on in recruiting to make definitive statements about what the problem is.

Perhaps there really isn't a problem. I mean, I think Mullen & staff are beginning to settle into being a top 18-22 recruiter & considering our local population, brand awareness & historical success on the field, 18-22 sounds about right & where we should be.

However, I think much of the perception of our recruiting issues comes from comparing our situation to Ole Miss. Ole Miss is out kicking their coverage right now in recruiting & have created a perception that we are failing, even though we are recruiting at about the level we should be.

Ole Miss is the fat, ugly frat boy that walks through the Grove with an extremely hot blonde with him & everyone stares with amazement at how the fat, frat guy landed her (I know everyone has done this at tailgate). It's unexplainable, and makes every other fat frat guy think he should be landing that hot blonde as well, when the reality is something different.

[MetEdDawg]

Alabama, LSU, Georigia, Texas A & M, and Mississippi State are the only SEC schools that have been bowling all 6 years this decade. We really need to embrace this consistency for a continuation of building our foundation to get to the next level. Which was going to take a decade of some ups and downs and is the hardest to overcome and maintain. To be a 9+ win team every year we had to build up our floor against a very poor history. We have places that need to improve on but improvement has happened as during the past 7 years.

This is so important. While we haven't reached the peak success of an Alabama, LSU, UGA, even Auburn and their national title, we've proven that while other middle tier programs can have massive swings and multiple down years, we don't necessarily have those. I mean Auburn had a damn 3 win year and got 6 this year. Do we expect that to ever happen under Mullen? Even next year I think we get more than 6. We've built consistency and what that does is keep us relevant in off years. We don't get the peak press as often, but we always are in the conversation.

[Liverpooldawg]

Our program is in the best shape it's ever been except for possibly in the middle of the Allyn McKeen era. That was during WWII. It's time for everyone to recognize that FACT. All this whining is just insane.

[maroonmania]

I hear you, but, honestly, I just don't know enough facts about what's going on in recruiting to make definitive statements about what the problem is.

Perhaps there really isn't a problem. I mean, I think Mullen & staff are beginning to settle into being a top 18-22 recruiter & considering our local population, brand awareness & historical success on the field, 18-22 sounds about right & where we should be.

However, I think much of the perception of our recruiting issues comes from comparing our situation to Ole Miss. Ole Miss is out kicking their coverage right now in recruiting & have created a perception that we are failing, even though we are recruiting at about the level we should be.

Ole Miss is the fat, ugly frat boy that walks through the Grove with an extremely hot blonde with him & everyone stares with amazement at how the fat, frat guy landed her (I know everyone has done this at tailgate). It's unexplainable, and makes every other fat frat guy think he should be landing that hot blonde as well, when the reality is something different.

Well, we are really not even on the radar of national recruits outside the state of MS the way things are currently (even AFTER the #1 ranking) whereas OM absolutely is along with a lot of other SEC programs. Whatever the reasons, this is current reality. Now, the only way to counteract this is we have to do a dang good job in identifying more under the radar recruits that can be impact players in the SEC and develop better than most other SEC programs which is a challenging task as other SEC programs have excellent coaches as well. Its like a racing game where the competition gets a 2 to 3 second head start on you. Yes, you can potentially catch up with the correct strategy but you are at a disctinct disadvantage. One thing that is in our favor is that a lot of the hidden places in MS have recruits that are very underrated but need a LOT of polishing.

[QuadrupleOption]

I have nothing to add except +1 for all this.

[Coach34]

We need to sit down and acknowledge reality when it comes to recruiting.

We DO NOT have the program resources/history necessary to win all the recrootin hype battles. That may change one day, but it AIN'T HAPPENING in 2016.

The biggest thing I see that we are not doing is 1 - not bringing in ENOUGH OL every year (I'd like to see 4 or 5), and 2 - not using the MS JUCO system more.

Kentucky has outrecruited us in 2014 and so far in 2016....Kentucky

[MetEdDawg]

Well, we are really not even on the radar of national recruits outside the state of MS the way things are currently (even AFTER the #1 ranking) whereas OM absolutely is along with a lot of other SEC programs. Whatever the reasons, this is current reality. Now, the only way to counteract this is we have to do a dang good job in identifying more under the radar recruits that can be impact players in the SEC and develop better than most other SEC programs which is a challenging task as other SEC programs have excellent coaches as well. Its like a racing game where the competition gets a 2 to 3 second head start on you. Yes, you can potentially catch up with the correct strategy but you are at a disctinct disadvantage. One thing that is in our favor is that a lot of the hidden places in MS have recruits that are very underrated but need a LOT of polishing.

Here's where I disagree some. Yes I agree we need to find those kinds of guys, but I think it's clear by the types of games we lose that unless we start hitting recruiting hot beds for big time talent, we can't compete with upper echelon of the SEC consistently. We may snatch a win every so often, but if we want to compete consistently (which we are capable of doing), we have to start going outside of this 4 hour radius.

Let's be honest. The top talent in AL is going to Auburn or Alabama. That's a given. The top talent in LA is going to LSU. The top talent in MS is either split by MSU and OM or ends up at Alabama. We've raided Georgia a few times for some solid guys, but their top guys go to UGA, FL, or Auburn typically. There isn't enough blue chip talent to stay within 4 hours and compete consistently because it all gets shared between the schools we are competing with. So while I'm fine with getting a couple of project guys from in state, I think the reality is that we need to get out of the state of MS for more kids than we currently do, especially for OL.

We've had a lot of success at taking out of state guys and turning them into studs. Most recent examples of Bear, Benny, Day, Fred Ross, Preston Smith, Will Redmond, Dak, Robinson. I mean our who's who of the last 3 years is made up of a lot of guys that didn't come from the state of MS. Now there's a good number that have come from MS, but just look at the types of guys we get from out of state.

[maroonmania]

We need to sit down and acknowledge reality when it comes to recruiting.

We DO NOT have the program resources/history necessary to win all the recrootin hype battles. That may change one day, but it AIN'T HAPPENING in 2016. We can win SOME, like we have been, but we aren't going to be the recruiting champions at this point in time. Forget the paying stuff, we all do that to some degree or another, so who cares. All that really does is put you on a level playing field anyways, it doesn't close the deal. Ultimately the kids go where they want. Acknowledge and move on.

The biggest thing I see that we are not doing is 1 - not bringing in ENOUGH OL every year (I'd like to see 4 or 5), and 2 - not using the MS JUCO system more.

Why go so far in the other direction to make your point. Who is asking us to win all the recruiting hype battles or win a recruiting championship? We do need to consistently have Top 25 classes though to compete in this league and keep the number of projects we take on to a minimum. Granted, AL and OM were probably the 2 best SEC teams this year but we simply didn't have enough talent on the field to compete with those 2 teams this year, and that's even with having an advantage at the QB position.

[Coach34]

Whats concerning to me:

The top rated player in Miss the last 2 years has been offensive linemen- and we got neither. This year- Simmons is the top guy as a DL player- and OM is now ALL IN on him. We lose this battle in our backyard and we now have a trend developing

[maroonmania]

Here's where I disagree some. Yes I agree we need to find those kinds of guys, but I think it's clear by the types of games we lose that unless we start hitting recruiting hot beds for big time talent, we can't compete with upper echelon of the SEC consistently. We may snatch a win every so often, but if we want to compete consistently (which we are capable of doing), we have to start going outside of this 4 hour radius.

Let's be honest. The top talent in AL is going to Auburn or Alabama. That's a given. The top talent in LA is going to LSU. The top talent in MS is either split by MSU and OM or ends up at Alabama. We've raided Georgia a few times for some solid guys, but their top guys go to UGA, FL, or Auburn typically. There isn't enough blue chip talent to stay within 4 hours and compete consistently because it all gets shared between the schools we are competing with. So while I'm fine with getting a couple of project guys from in state, I think the reality is that we need to get out of the state of MS for more kids than we currently do, especially for OL.

We've had a lot of success at taking out of state guys and turning them into studs. Most recent examples of Bear, Benny, Day, Fred Ross, Preston Smith, Will Redmond, Dak, Robinson. I mean our who's who of the last 3 years is made up of a lot of guys that didn't come from the state of MS. Now there's a good number that have come from MS, but just look at the types of guys we get from out of state.

I have no real disagreement with what you are saying. To win at the highest levels trying to find guys that have been passed over by most other SEC schools that you can develop within a 4 hour radius is a tough chore.