This Coaching Staff Has 2 Weeks To Figure It Out

[ShotgunDawg]

It's a new season fellas. We are 2-2 & a missed field goal to USA & 3 points against LSU from being 4-0, but let's be serious: anyone with two eyes can tell that this is team trash.

The Bad

1. The SR leadership is awful. Other than Ross, Jefferson, Calvin, & maybe another, we basically have fringe players occupying the SR leadership positions on this team. For all the 2 & 3 stars that Mullen & Co hit on such as Dak, Preston Smith, Slay, Banks, Ballard, Josh Robinson, Bear, etc..... there is no such thing as a super scout. It wasn't a sustainable business model & it has caught up with us. For all the 2 & 3 stars we hit on, we are now missing on just as many 4 star players that have turned out to be marginal. It evens out overtime.

2. This is the worst defensive secondary I've witnessed in a long while. Yes, this team did lose both it's starting corners, but, how much better do Cleveland & Jiles really make us? Ugh. Extremely under talented. Coman can't cover a toilet seat & Bryant in extremely overrated with very little football instincts. For goodness sakes, it's like non of our DBs played backyard football growing up & have no idea how to just cover a damn guy. The lack basic ball skills are mind boggling.

3. Basic tackling skills & physicality are lacking on the defensive side of the ball. There appears to be way to much space for offensive players to operate. With LSU & Auburn, every pass is contested. When watching us, if the QB gets the pass off, there is a wide open receiver.

4. We have some nice players on offensive, but their skill sets don't complement each other. We are a running team that has a 160 running back & weak OL, but we lack real over the top ability because all our WRs are midgets. We have a West coast offense receiving core with a running QB that lacks touch & feel for the short to middle range passing game. On offense, our problem isn't one single player. It's that the offense we run & the types of players we have don't mesh. Give us a few of Ole Miss' receivers that are long & fast & combine that with a power running back & we'd have a pretty good offense in which the pieces and parts fit the scheme & QB.

5. Our WRs have been pathetic this year. Gabe Myles plays like he didn't get his orange slices before the game, & the rest of them are just inconsistent. This team doesn't come close to having enough talent to drop passes. We have no deep threat here. No guy that can win a jump ball down the field.


The Good

1. We still don't quit. Say what you want, but we generally play hard. Not as hard & physical as Freezus gets Ole Miss to play, but we don't give up.

2. Fitz is coming along. He's got a long way to go, but he made real progress today & led his team. I thought Mullen sticking with Fitz today may have been the single greatest decision he's made this year. He basically told all the Damian Williams Pole Smokers to screw off & play football. It was the right decision & big for Fitz. He may have won the team today.

3. Shumpert is running the best he has in his career, but I feel like it's a big tease & we'll get 15 carries for 20 yards against Auburn. Nonetheless, he does appear better.


What I Want See Done in Next 2 Weeks

1. I want to hear a story about Fitz wearing somebodies ass out for making a mistake. This is his next step. In the same way that Dak won Dallas' locker room by ripping Dez in a scrimmage, Fitz needs to let Ross, Gray, Shump, or somebody else hear it when they screw up. Time to lead.

2. I want our DBs to go play a backyard football game. For goodness sakes, just make it simple & cover somebody.

3. I want to see Malik Dear worked more into the flow of the game & this starts in practice.

4. I want Jiles to come on in the next two weeks & make an impact in the secondary.

5. I want our coaches to focus on simplifying & going with our identity. The 2nd half of this season needs to be about getting our best players the ball.

6. Defensive coaches need to simplify & make sure everyone knows what they are doing. Work on tackling & have physical practices.

The next two weeks of practice are potentially the most important two weeks of practice in the Dan Mullen era. Every win is precious & I'm glad we won today, but the caliber in which this team is currently playing is unacceptable to this fan base & university & must be improved. When Mullen got to MSU, he talked about raising expectations. Well..... good job Dan. You raised my expectations, & they exceed what is currently be done on the field.

TWO WEEKS & WE NEED TO SEE A BETTER, MORE FOCUSED FOOTBALL TEAM THAT KNOWS WHAT IT'S DOING.

PS to Bo Bounds: We know this team is trash. Let's talk about realistic solutions this week, not about how bad we are.

[WSOPdawg]

Nice write-up, shotgun!!! Well said.

[Todd4State]

Outstanding post!

We have WAY too many slot receivers and the shocking thing about that is it's like the coaches didn't figure that out until spring practice. For Dan's offense to work we need a 215-230 pound running back that can pound on people.

[Apoplectic]

Dear game 4 and first catch of the year. WTH?

[Bothrops]

There are many teams out there with less star talent than us, that are way better.

[ShotgunDawg]

There are many teams out there with less star talent than us, that are way better.

Yes there are. It's interesting to look at. We are in an odd cycle right now. We missed on a bunch of players back in a few years ago that is holding us back right now. You could also look at it this way, the fact that some of those team below us in the recruiting rankings are really good, could offer hope that perhaps things can change back for the good quickly.

One thing about next year is the amount of JUCO players we are bringing in & we don't know what they'll give us. We are losing some nice players, but, if a few of those JUCO guys come in and are impact, perhaps we become a better team.

We are the 25th best recruiter in the country over the past 5 years. Here are the 15 teams after us:

1. Stanford - Smart dudes & discipline. Understandable why they are better. However, if they were in the SEC, I think they'd be Arkansas
2. Nebraska - We've been better than these guys for about 5 years
3. Washington - We've been better for a while
4. Arkansas - We've beaten them 3 or 4 straight times
5. North Carolina - We've been better
6. Pittsburgh - We've been better
7. Duke - Nice team, but we've been better
8. South Carolina - Have been better for about 3 years. There recruiting has been falling.
9. Wisconsin - Wisconsin is solid. Different schedules, but they've been more consistent. Similar to Stanford & play to their strengths.
10. Kentucky - When is the last time they beat us?
11. Virginia Tech - We are currently a better program
12. California - We are currently a better program
13. Oklahoma State - Similar success to us, & they beat us. Gundy is outstanding.
14. Houston - Currently better than us, & have a stud coach. Schedules are different.
15. Mizzou - We are better.
18. Louisville - Elite coach & current QB. They are better

I bolded teams that are clearly better programs than us right now, & all of them have elite head coaches, systems, stability, & focus their recruiting on a sub-group that their natural recruiting base produces.

[Coursesuper]

If it's not fixed by now after all of camp and 4 games, just what makes you think it's going to get fixed in a by week and game week. Baring injury do you really think many changes will be made?

[shoeless joe]

Nothing will change

[ShotgunDawg]

If it's not fixed by now after all of camp and 4 games, just what makes you think it's going to get fixed in a by week and game week. Baring injury do you really think many changes will be made?

Nothing really makes me think it will, but you'd have to think the coaches have a better feel at this point as to what our strengths & weaknesses are, & who can play & who can't. At very least, perhaps they can better streamline what we are trying & asking our players to do

[ScoobaDawg]

If it's not fixed by now after all of camp and 4 games, just what makes you think it's going to get fixed in a by week and game week. Baring injury do you really think many changes will be made?

Exactly. Mullen is stubborn and never has been quick to make changes. We will know when he walks out of the tunnel at home in 2 weeks. Will the intense bastard be in full effect? It's all on him and how he handles his staff and team.

[Drugdog]

Nothing will change

He gets it.

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Good write up Shotgun, but I think you were way to easy on the performance of the OL in the 1st half.. The lack of effort, the poor technique and total absence of 2nd level blocking was totally unacceptable for a SEC offensive line. Their play improved in the 2nd half but was still sub-par. Look at Arkansas's OL for how the positions should be played. Our offense only outscored UMASS by 7 pts. Let that sink in.

[Treemydawg]

Nothing really makes me think it will, but you'd have to think the coaches have a better feel at this point as to what our strengths & weaknesses are, & who can play & who can't. At very least, perhaps they can better streamline what we are trying & asking our players to do

Holloway up the gut says hello.

[TrapGame]

Nothing will change

This^^^^

[ShotgunDawg]

Nothing will change

Then Dan can take the Les Miles route & slowly die a painful death.

The difference between good coaches & great coaches is the ability to adapt over time. Nick Saban & Belichik adapt all the time & put their best players in positions to be successful. If you can't do that, then you have some good years & eventually expire.

Great coaches adapt

[HSVDawg]

Dear game 4 and first catch of the year. WTH?

No WTH from me. I'd rather him have zero catches and 60 carries by now.

[ShotgunDawg]

No WTH from me. I'd rather him have zero catches and 60 carries by now.

He'd be such a good RB. It's hard to imagine someone making a logical decision to potentially throw away an NFL career due to this

[Sacrifice]

Good write up Shotgun, but I think you were way to easy on the performance of the OL in the 1st half.. The lack of effort, the poor technique and total absence of 2nd level blocking was totally unacceptable for a SEC offensive line. Their play improved in the 2nd half but was still sub-par. Look at Arkansas's OL for how the positions should be played. Our offense only outscored UMASS by 7 pts. Let that sink in.

The OL has been absolutely horrible in the first half of games. How in the hell Desper keeps his job is beyond me. I see him missing blocks consistently. He can't be grading out very well.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

We're 3 years away from being back to where we were, but that's counting on the juco's panning out.

[GreenheadDawg]

Yes there are. It's interesting to look at. We are in an odd cycle right now. We missed on a bunch of players back in a few years ago that is holding us back right now. You could also look at it this way, the fact that some of those team below us in the recruiting rankings are really good, could offer hope that perhaps things can change back for the good quickly.

One thing about next year is the amount of JUCO players we are bringing in & we don't know what they'll give us. We are losing some nice players, but, if a few of those JUCO guys come in and are impact, perhaps we become a better team.

We are the 25th best recruiter in the country over the past 5 years. Here are the 15 teams after us:

1. Stanford - Smart dudes & discipline. Understandable why they are better. However, if they were in the SEC, I think they'd be Arkansas
2. Nebraska - We've been better than these guys for about 5 years
3. Washington - We've been better for a while
4. Arkansas - We've beaten them 3 or 4 straight times
5. North Carolina - We've been better
6. Pittsburgh - We've been better
7. Duke - Nice team, but we've been better
8. South Carolina - Have been better for about 3 years. There recruiting has been falling.
9. Wisconsin - Wisconsin is solid. Different schedules, but they've been more consistent. Similar to Stanford & play to their strengths.
10. Kentucky - When is the last time they beat us?
11. Virginia Tech - We are currently a better program
12. California - We are currently a better program
13. Oklahoma State - Similar success to us, & they beat us. Gundy is outstanding.
14. Houston - Currently better than us, & have a stud coach. Schedules are different.
15. Mizzou - We are better.
18. Louisville - Elite coach & current QB. They are better

I bolded teams that are clearly better programs than us right now, & all of them have elite head coaches, systems, stability, & focus their recruiting on a sub-group that their natural recruiting base produces.

13 of those teams you just listed would absolutely kick our ass. I've watched a lot of college football these first couple of weeks and it is amazing how much worse we look than the majority of the teams I've seen. We look so unprepared and look as if we didn't watch a single second of game film.