Saw a post from David Murray about Juco's...

[HoopsDawg]

the gist of it said that Jucos in MS are no where near as strong as they were in the Jackie Sherrill days b/c MS high schools, their counselors and college coaches are much better about making sure the most talented players get qualified. This logic makes sense to me. So that leaves you with overlooked guys and guys with rough pasts or transfers playing Juco.

With that in mind, it seems like a big gamble at best, or desperation at worst to go after as many jucos as we are this year. Does anyone know how many committable offers we have out there? I count 10.

[gtowndawg]

Last Chance U really opened my eyes. I'm not comfortable loading up on jucos. We've had some great ones no doubt, but we have others that simply never pan out or don't help until their senior year (so one year of good production for a scholarship player). I just don't see how it can be a consistent strategy but time will tell.

[HancockCountyDog]

Im not sure we have a choice.

Three starters on the OL, plus a backup senior. We need Jucos so we can have some sort of depth otherwise we will have true freshman on the two deep by my count.

Defensively, AJ, Nelson, James, Dale, Calvin, and Coleman are all in the two deep. We need bodies that can play, and it's not like we are competing for five star HS DL, so the Juco route is the only option.

By my count we've got Thomas and Simmons that will have played extensively. That's not enough on the DL next year. We need bodies.

Even if Kobe and Fletcher are ready to contribute, you need at least 6-7 guys that can play on the DL, and I don't see those guys on the roster yet.

We could also use another corner, but it's not as pressing as the DL/OL.

[Big4Dawg]

Our commits:
Pope - grades
Autry - grades
Champion - grades
Pierce - grades
Philips - looked over
Sweat - kicked off Michigan State

[dawgday166]

Im not sure we have a choice.

Three starters on the OL, plus a backup senior. We need Jucos so we can have some sort of depth otherwise we will have true freshman on the two deep by my count.

Defensively, AJ, Nelson, James, Dale, Calvin, and Coleman are all in the two deep. We need bodies that can play, and it's not like we are competing for five star HS DL, so the Juco route is the only option.

By my count we've got Thomas and Simmons that will have played extensively. That's not enough on the DL next year. We need bodies.

Even if Kobe and Fletcher are ready to contribute, you need at least 6-7 guys that can play on the DL, and I don't see those guys on the roster yet.

We could also use another corner, but it's not as pressing as the DL/OL.

This is why I haven't bought into "we'll compete next year for SEC". Not even sure we'll compete much at all as thin as we are on OL & DL. I sorta thought we might compete well within SECW some this year with the seniority on our lines. Maybe can compete in 18 tho. That's if all the OL & DL develop well. Actually, that's if everyone develops well. And we don't lose any coaches to speak of (unless it's OL coach ... that might could help us *****)

[msstate7]

If you were gonna make an all Mullen team, slay, Ballard, Chris white, and McPhee would be on it. There's still some talent in juco

[HoopsDawg]

Our commits:
Pope - grades
Autry - grades
Champion - grades
Pierce - grades
Philips - looked over
Sweat - kicked off Michigan State

That's true, I think the point is, if you can't make the grades to get into D1 these days, then it's a pretty big problem.

[HoopsDawg]

Im not sure we have a choice.

Three starters on the OL, plus a backup senior. We need Jucos so we can have some sort of depth otherwise we will have true freshman on the two deep by my count.

Defensively, AJ, Nelson, James, Dale, Calvin, and Coleman are all in the two deep. We need bodies that can play, and it's not like we are competing for five star HS DL, so the Juco route is the only option.

By my count we've got Thomas and Simmons that will have played extensively. That's not enough on the DL next year. We need bodies.

Even if Kobe and Fletcher are ready to contribute, you need at least 6-7 guys that can play on the DL, and I don't see those guys on the roster yet.

We could also use another corner, but it's not as pressing as the DL/OL.

I agree with everything in the post, but you could also sum up that post by saying we are in big trouble next year. If I had to wager on it, I would say 5-7 this year, and no better than 6-6 next year so I'm not sure if Mullen can survive.

[Johnson85]

If you were gonna make an all Mullen team, slay, Ballard, Chris white, and McPhee would be on it. There's still some talent in juco

There's definitely still talent and as many players as we redshirt, we can take strategic risks on JUCO players without it causing a numbers problem. But it's definitely concerning the number of JUCOs we need this year, although on the flipside it seems like they are pretty desirable JUCOs, with at least Champion, Pierce being people we wanted out of high school. I assume some others were too?

[Johnson85]

I agree with everything in the post, but you could also sum up that post by saying we are in big trouble next year. If I had to wager on it, I would say 5-7 this year, and no better than 6-6 next year so I'm not sure if Mullen can survive.

If Mullen gets to 5-7 and 6-6, and it looks like he has fixed his recruiting problems, I think he will be safe. People might as well accept that he has dug himself a multiyear hole to climb out of. If he's not going to be fired this year (and he's not), it's not going to make sense to fire him next year if it looks like he has addressed recruiting.

[HancockCountyDog]

I agree with everything in the post, but you could also sum up that post by saying we are in big trouble next year. If I had to wager on it, I would say 5-7 this year, and no better than 6-6 next year so I'm not sure if Mullen can survive.

If he is 6-6 with a win over the bears, he will be fine.

I fully believe that his fate is decided on Thanksgiving in 2017, unless we rally.

[NCDawg]

If he is 6-6 with a win over the bears, he will be fine.

I fully believe that his fate is decided on Thanksgiving in 2017, unless we rally.

If we go 4-8 and get clobbered by Ole Miss this year, his fate could be decided this year. Letting Ole Miss beat us 3 straight years is not conducive to staying on as coach.

[RocketDawg]

If we go 4-8 and get clobbered by Ole Miss this year, his fate could be decided this year. Letting Ole Miss beat us 3 straight years is not conducive to staying on as coach.

I guess I don't understand the ultimate importance of beating the Bears. Of course, we want to win it, but why should that be the one make or break game? Granted, is 5-7 with an OM win that much better than 4-8 with an OM loss? Honestly, I think there are some who would have wanted him fired when he lost the first game to them 2 years ago, regardless of other accomplishments.

[Todd4State]

We have never had a coach lose three in a row to Ole Miss and keep their job going back to the 50's.

[msstate7]

I guess I don't understand the ultimate importance of beating the Bears. Of course, we want to win it, but why should that be the one make or break game? Granted, is 5-7 with an OM win that much better than 4-8 with an OM loss? Honestly, I think there are some who would have wanted him fired when he lost the first game to them 2 years ago, regardless of other accomplishments.

Unfortunately, it's pretty much everything... if we were 10-3 if '14 and 9-4 last year, but we beat om this board wouldn't be near as upset with Dan

[Todd4State]

I guess I don't understand the ultimate importance of beating the Bears. Of course, we want to win it, but why should that be the one make or break game? Granted, is 5-7 with an OM win that much better than 4-8 with an OM loss? Honestly, I think there are some who would have wanted him fired when he lost the first game to them 2 years ago, regardless of other accomplishments.

We have to win the Egg Bowl to establish in state dominance. If we proclaim that this is Our State but lose the Egg Bowl every year that is very hollow. The fact that they have to cheat excessively is in our favor long term.

[msstate7]

We have to win the Egg Bowl to establish in state dominance. If we proclaim that this is Our State but lose the Egg Bowl every year that is very hollow. The fact that they have to cheat excessively is in our favor long term.

You admit om has cheated excessively to gain the upper hand on us, but hold Mullen accountable for not beating them too. That kinda seems contridictory

[dawgday166]

To add something: Losing to OM isn't as bad as laying down to OM, which is what happened the last 2 years and in 2012. With our best team under Mullen (and better than OM) and probably our 3rd best team under Mullen (in Starkville). Losing in Starkville is bad, that's very bad.

That kinda stuff happened under Croom plus to Croom the #1 rivalry wasn't OM but Bama.

[Jack Lambert]

It has to do with the 10 point grading scale. Hell in the 90's a 69 was an F. Today 59 is a F and 60 is a D. 90 was a B and now it's an A.

[NCDawg]

We're somewhat lucky we haven't lost to Ole Miss 4 straight years. We won in OT in 2013 by the hair of our chinny chin. We were blown out 3 of the last 4 years.