Pretty encouraging piece by Joel Coleman...

[Cooterpoot]

People act like good teams/coaches don't screw up or run into down times. Look at Michigan State. They've been in the top 5-10 the last few years and they're right there with us. The great and powerful top 5 job that's FL has struggled for years now. College football isn't what it was in the 80's. There's going to be more ups and downs with he combining of conferences and more power teams playing each other each week. We've never been at the top of the heap (outside of a couple weeks). So it's much easier and more common to have down periods of a year or two.
We're in the middle of it now.
Now, if Mullen doesn't want to make some changes, then I'm all for giving him some grief down the road. But right now, I'm just letting everything play out and the dust settle before I get down on Mullen too much. And if you talk to the players, you know the man cares. That's not even in question. Just because some people got their vag hurt like a scorned teenage girl over him looking at bigger jobs, they want to say he doesn't care.

[smootness]

Thinking mullen quit caring is crazy. Thinking he cares a little less is not. A minuscule portion of the population would be able to avoid caring less. He's been under a grind for 8 years (after doing the assistant coach grind). He has kids. He has millions of dollars. There's just not much margin for error and I don't think Dan is as driven as he was. Doesn't mean he can't figure out a way to be successful. But I do think it has contributed to the drop off.

If Mullen is entirely program-focused, he cares greatly about the success of Mississippi State football.
If Mullen is entirely self-focused....he cares greatly about the success of Mississippi State football.

The idea that because we discovered Mullen is at least somewhat self-focused, with the Miami interview, we now know he isn't as bought into our program is illogical. In fact, if he did interview with Miami and did want that job, and they didn't hire him, then they told him he's not as good a candidate as Richt. If that's the case, there's only one response, assuming he wants to get out of Mississippi State, and that is to care even more about having success at Mississippi State. That is the logical progression, not that he suddenly doesn't care as much. That would lead to apathy, which would lead to fewer wins, which would lead to him never getting a better job.

Now, caring and putting effort into winning is not the same as having success. If he doesn't get us back to a successful place, he should obviously be gone. But the idea that he doesn't care as much as he did, at least partially due to the fact that he wants a 'better' job? That is illogical. I don't know why anyone would believe that.

[maroonmania]

Dan deserves another season to correct things and will likely get one. That being said, developing a QB, which is most of what he talked about is NOT going to fix our worst problems. Recruiting OL and getting a different coach in to coach them would (but Dan won't do that). Finding WRs that don't constantly drop the ball would help. Keeping a DC for more than one year would help the defensive players understand their assignments without confusion or having to think about it (that probably won't happen either because no DC wants to work for Dan apparently after experiencing it). Having a more disciplined team that doesn't get stupid PF penalties would help. As stated, its great that Mullen is working QB development but that is a minor part of our problem at the moment. So much of our offense boils down to horrendous OL play. You can't get "explosive" plays in the running game when your OL rarely opens up a hole. You can't get "explosive" plays in the passing game when your QB doesn't have enough time to throw downfield without worrying about being hit and the other team scoring a TD on a scoop and score. EVERYTHING on offense starts with the OL and that is continually the weakest unit on the team. So Dan will likely get his year next year to fix things unless he voluntarily leaves but his marriage to John Hevesy and his inability to keep any continuity with the defensive staff won't allow things to get much better than a 6-7 win type program unless we find another Dak under a rock somewhere. Therefore, I will always support the Bulldogs but right now I have sort of emotionally divested myself of this team because its not worth the anguish.

[Liverpooldawg]

Bright people can have 180 degree differences in opinion, Smoot. I tend to mostly like your posts...but you are way off on this one.

No he isn't. I've never even seen a bad coach who didn't care about winning.

[Liverpooldawg]

Or they're liberals. Like smoot. They ask for differing opinions then are shocked and offended to fdiscover someone actually has a different opinion.

Kind of like you then?

[Jarius]

If Mullen is entirely program-focused, he cares greatly about the success of Mississippi State football.
If Mullen is entirely self-focused....he cares greatly about the success of Mississippi State football.

The idea that because we discovered Mullen is at least somewhat self-focused, with the Miami interview, we now know he isn't as bought into our program is illogical. In fact, if he did interview with Miami and did want that job, and they didn't hire him, then they told him he's not as good a candidate as Richt. If that's the case, there's only one response, assuming he wants to get out of Mississippi State, and that is to care even more about having success at Mississippi State. That is the logical progression, not that he suddenly doesn't care as much. That would lead to apathy, which would lead to fewer wins, which would lead to him never getting a better job.

Now, caring and putting effort into winning is not the same as having success. If he doesn't get us back to a successful place, he should obviously be gone. But the idea that he doesn't care as much as he did, at least partially due to the fact that he wants a 'better' job? That is illogical. I don't know why anyone would believe that.

I don't think he "doesn't care" as much as he was depressed and deflated that he didn't get out this year and is burnt out where he is. He has coached hard on the sideline twice this year (USC game and BYU). That's what I can't put my finger on. Why is he coaching like a madman in certain games and looking like a totally different coach in other games? Our effort is obviously much higher in the games that he coaches like a maniac. I would like to see him coach that way for the remainder of his career at MSU, however long that is.

[Jarius]

Dan deserves another season to correct things and will likely get one. That being said, developing a QB, which is most of what he talked about is NOT going to fix our worst problems. Recruiting OL and getting a different coach in to coach them would (but Dan won't do that). Finding WRs that don't constantly drop the ball would help. Keeping a DC for more than one year would help the defensive players understand their assignments without confusion or having to think about it (that probably won't happen either because no DC wants to work for Dan apparently after experiencing it). Having a more disciplined team that doesn't get stupid PF penalties would help. As stated, its great that Mullen is working QB development but that is a minor part of our problem at the moment. So much of our offense boils down to horrendous OL play. You can't get "explosive" plays in the running game when your OL rarely opens up a hole. You can't get "explosive" plays in the passing game when your QB doesn't have enough time to throw downfield without worrying about being hit and the other team scoring a TD on a scoop and score. EVERYTHING on offense starts with the OL and that is continually the weakest unit on the team. So Dan will likely get his year next year to fix things unless he voluntarily leaves but his marriage to John Hevesy and his inability to keep any continuity with the defensive staff won't allow things to get much better than a 6-7 win type program unless we find another Dak under a rock somewhere. Therefore, I will always support the Bulldogs but right now I have sort of emotionally divested myself of this team because its not worth the anguish.

Why do people keep saying Mullen "deserves" another year? If we keep him it should be because we feel like that's what is best for MSU, not because we feel like he "deserves" anything. He got paid a whole bunch of money for the things he has done and will get paid a whole bunch of money if he is told to leave. If you think him staying is what is best for our program, that is fine. He doesn't deserve anything based on past accomplishments though.

[I seen it dawg]

He's going to have to win me back. He's effed up everything since we were ranked #1. You're not worth $4mm if you can't manage a coaching staff, if you dont have the balls to play the best players because you've failed to coach them, if you don't put in relentless effort in recruiting, if you can't handle the strain of tough personnel decisions, and you act like an ass everytime there's a camera in ur face.

Now that is how you summarize it. Strong work.

[I seen it dawg]

Why do people keep saying Mullen "deserves" another year? If we keep him it should be because we feel like that's what is best for MSU, not because we feel like he "deserves" anything. He got paid a whole bunch of money for the things he has done and will get paid a whole bunch of money if he is told to leave. If you think him staying is what is best for our program, that is fine. He doesn't deserve anything based on past accomplishments though.

Another winner.

[smootness]

Why do people keep saying Mullen "deserves" another year? If we keep him it should be because we feel like that's what is best for MSU, not because we feel like he "deserves" anything. He got paid a whole bunch of money for the things he has done and will get paid a whole bunch of money if he is told to leave. If you think him staying is what is best for our program, that is fine. He doesn't deserve anything based on past accomplishments though.

I think what people who say that mean is, he has proven enough to make it in our best interest to give him at least another year to correct things. Bringing in another coach would mean starting over in a lot of ways. We need to allow Mullen a reasonable (however you define that) amount of time to correct things before hitting the 'abort' switch and starting over.

[Jarius]

I think what people who say that mean is, he has proven enough to make it in our best interest to give him at least another year to correct things. Bringing in another coach would mean starting over in a lot of ways. We need to allow Mullen a reasonable (however you define that) amount of time to correct things before hitting the 'abort' switch and starting over.

I'm ok with that thought process. At the end of the year I many disagree, but I can at least see that point of view.

[blacklistedbully]

No he isn't. I've never even seen a bad coach who didn't care about winning.

Seeing your post makes me feel even better about my position. Any opinion 180 degrees from yours is usually correct.

Of course the really stupid thing you said this time is the part about, "not caring about winning". I don't think anybody has said that. What some have said is that he doesn't appear to care enough about MSU to do all it takes to maximize his success here. What some have said is that he'd mentally checked out of Starkville, at least in part.

One can still "care about winning", yet not do all the things...make all the sacrifices necessary to be a consistent winner.

[maroonmania]

Why do people keep saying Mullen "deserves" another year? If we keep him it should be because we feel like that's what is best for MSU, not because we feel like he "deserves" anything. He got paid a whole bunch of money for the things he has done and will get paid a whole bunch of money if he is told to leave. If you think him staying is what is best for our program, that is fine. He doesn't deserve anything based on past accomplishments though.

I only say it because ON THE SURFACE, a guy that has led us to 6 straight bowl seasons should probably be allowed one truly down year. Now, that said, if there are underlying issues going on (many that have been rumored and discussed on this board) that show he is not the guy to get things turned around then no, he shouldn't be retained just for the sake of public perception. However, the only person that can really make a call like that is Dr. Keenum and other folks within the administration that deal with Mullen routinely. Difficult for us as average joe blow fans to definitely say what the best decision is on whether to keep Mullen around or not. But, in the end, it won't be joe blow fans like us making the decision anyway. The only real decision I can make is whether to keep buying my season tickets if Mullen is still around and I don't think he is going to do the things necessary to get us back on the winning track.