How Mullen changed MSU football

[TN G8tr]

Great article and I ready to see what He can do. Shyt just got real for those players.

 

[lagator]

Mullen really changed the mindset in Starkville. Mississippi State might not have had a great SEC record during the Mullen era but you have to understand that they went into every game with the thought they could win. There was more excitement on campus and in Davis Wade Stadium on game days than at any time in the modern era of Mississippi State football.

In my opinion after the pieces of the coaching carousel started falling into place we couldn't have made a better pick. Here was a guy, Mullen, who had some Florida ties, had been a part of a national championship team, who had head coaching experience, and who had nine, NINE, years of head coaching experience in the SEC. Though Mullen had developed some strong ties to Mississippi State really wanted to be at the University of Florida, a place where he could win championships. Plus, he has worked with his athletic director, Scott Stricklin, before. So unlike Foley and McElwain who weren't on the same page, the new coach and AD will be

.

I hope you're right. That means we'll be playing for the NC in a 2-3 years. History shows when you are a program with resources, and make the perfect hire, NC's follow quickly.

Urban won NC in his second year
Stoops won NC second year
Dumbo won NC in his 4th year
Nick Saban won NC in his 4th year at LSU, 3rd year at Bama.

We'll know pretty quickly if we really couldn't have made a better hire.

 

[Okeechobee Joe]

I hope you're right. That means we'll be playing for the NC in a 2-3 years. History shows when you are a program with resources, and make the perfect hire, NC's follow quickly.

Urban won NC in his second year
Stoops won NC second year
Dumbo won NC in his 4th year
Nick Saban won NC in his 4th year at LSU, 3rd year at Bama.

We'll know pretty quickly if we really couldn't have made a better hire.

We will be better than we have been, but I am not saying that Mullen is going to win a national championship. That's something where a lot of pieces have to fall into place.

 

[lagator]

We will be better than we have been, but I am not saying that Mullen is going to win a national championship. That's something where a lot of pieces have to fall into place.

He better have us playing for one or GTFO. I can't believe how many folks say "Mullen was a great hire, he may not compete for championships but....". BFS, we are still the University of Florida despite being beaten down. We are paying big money for a bigtime coach for one purpose, to compete for championships.

He'll get his chance but if he doesn't position us to make a run at the playoff then that's failure. He'll get a fair chance, but the rest is up to him.

 

[T REX]

He better have us playing for one or GTFO. I can't believe how many folks say "Mullen was a great hire, he may not compete for championships but....". BFS, we are still the University of Florida despite being beaten down. We are paying big money for a bigtime coach for one purpose, to compete for championships.

He'll get his chance but if he doesn't position us to make a run at the playoff then that's failure. He'll get a fair chance, but the rest is up to him.

We have battered fan syndrome. It's weird. I can't explain it.

 

[Durfish]

This article makes me very happy.

 

[Since65]

We are paying big money for a bigtime coach for one purpose, to compete for championships.

I believe Mullen would agree with you 100%. I haven't seen or heard anything from him to this point that leads me to believe he will be content to "just compete" for championships. He seems to be just as driven and motivated as any of the other elite coaches. The question to be answered is whether his other skills (game planning, play calling, recruiting) are at an elite level.

 

[T REX]

He seems to be just as driven and motivated as any of the other elite coaches.

The only reason I even slightly question this is the length of time spent at MSU. Elite coaches YEARN for more. What elite coach is content staying in Starkville not competing for titles? You don't wait nine years or possibly never on your dream job in Starkville. Something there doesn't jive.

 

[TLB]

The only reason I even slightly question this is the length of time spent at MSU. Elite coaches YEARN for more. What elite coach is content staying in Starkville not competing for titles? You don't wait nine years or possibly never on your dream job in Starkville. Something there doesn't jive.

Nobody is going to change your opinion on this, you have made that abundantly clear.

For the rest of us, we're not seeing an issue, and a lot of us can see reasons why he stayed there nine years. We're OK with it. Sorry you can't be.

 

[T REX]

Nobody is going to change your opinion on this, you have made that abundantly clear.

For the rest of us, we're not seeing an issue, and a lot of us can see reasons why he stayed there nine years. We're OK with it. Sorry you can't be.

I hope I'm the only one that's sorry.

 

[Jack o' Diamonds]

The only reason I even slightly question this is the length of time spent at MSU. Elite coaches YEARN for more. What elite coach is content staying in Starkville not competing for titles? You don't wait nine years or possibly never on your dream job in Starkville. Something there doesn't jive.

He was Just waiting for Fooley to be gone....

 

[CGgater]

I’m not ready to go full pumper mode, but reading that article gives me more optimism than I had when the hire was first announced. I know there are a lot of doubts out there, but give DM a chance to prove what he can do.

 

[Since65]

The only reason I even slightly question this is the length of time spent at MSU. Elite coaches YEARN for more. What elite coach is content staying in Starkville not competing for titles? You don't wait nine years or possibly never on your dream job in Starkville. Something there doesn't jive.

I think there are valid reasons to stay at MSU for as long as he did. What would constitute a better job (that came open) that's better than coaching in the best division in the best conference in the country? Would Wake Forest be a "better" job or Minnesota or Arizona State? Was there a dream job that came open during his time there that would be universally viewed as a step up in the profession?

As previously mentioned I am open to debate about his "elite" status in many areas but I don't have any concerns about his drive or motivation to be the best.

 

[gatormandan]

You didnt know that if you stay at a job for years its because you suck? Come on. Everyone knows this.

 

[Chomper]

Although I was not pleased when Mullen was announced (and I posted so on GC), I am warming it to it more each day. I am starting to believe that Dan is the Man. As with most Gators, I am focused on the remaining staff hires and early signing day. At this time, I am "all in" as they say and just hope fellow Gator fans understand that Coach Mullin was left with an awful, unprecedented mess to clean up and a degree of patience will be required. There is no turning back, only full speed ahead. Go Gators!

 

[lagator]

Although I was not pleased when Mullen was announced (and I posted so on GC), I am warming it to it more each day. I am starting to believe that Dan is the Man. As with most Gators, I am focused on the remaining staff hires and early signing day. At this time, I am "all in" as they say and just hope fellow Gator fans understand that Coach Mullins was left with an awful, unprecedented mess to clean up and a degree of patience will be required. There is no turning back, only full speed ahead. Go Gators!

People said the same thing when Urban had his breakdown and Chump was hired, then they said the same thing when Chump got fired and we hired Butters, and now same people making same excuses when Mullen is hired. It's loser speak.

There is no unprecedented mess. We are having very little attrition to graduation and the NFL, have a solid core at almost every position. Our biggest loses are kickers and we just got a verbal from the second best place kicker in the country.

PSU, Ole Miss, those were/are unprecedented messes. This should be a smooth rebuild with a couple good recruiting classes, getting a QB that fits and installing a functional offense.

 

[T REX]

People said the same thing when Urban had his breakdown and Chump was hired, then they said the same thing when Chump got fired and we hired Butters, and now same people making same excuses when Mullen is hired. It's loser speak.

It's the Twilight Zone.

 

[oxrageous]

People said the same thing when Urban had his breakdown and Chump was hired, then they said the same thing when Chump got fired and we hired Butters, and now same people making same excuses when Mullen is hired. It's loser speak.

There is no unprecedented mess. We are having very little attrition to graduation and the NFL, have a solid core at almost every position. Our biggest loses are kickers and we just got a verbal from the second best place kicker in the country.

In my opinion, this is a worse situation than either the Chimp or Butters inherited.

 

[-THE DUDE-]

People said the same thing when Urban had his breakdown and Chump was hired, then they said the same thing when Chump got fired and we hired Butters, and now same people making same excuses when Mullen is hired. It's loser speak.

Yeah there is a reason people keep saying it...it's true. They Meyer departure was not good for the program but a good hire could have saved it...we made a bad hire and it got worse but a good hire could save it...we made an even worse hire who was worse in recruiting than the previous bad coach and now we are in a real bind. It may not be an unprecedented mess but it's an unprecedented mess for UF since 89. Zook was a bad coach but it was salvaged...now with 2 awful hires it's not just the roster but the brand of UF football has been damaged.

 

[lagator]

In my opinion, this is a worse situation than either the Chimp or Butters inherited.

Maybe, but it's hard to judge because the coaching has been so inept. Butters definitely inherited more defensive talent.

History shows Great coaches turn things around quickly. OK 1998 went 5-6 and scored 16.7 ppg and had the 101st ranked offense (sound familiar?) so they fired their coach and hired Bob Stoops. Stoops first year after one recruiting class had them 7-5 which is obviously not a great record, but they more than doubled the scoring output to 35.8 ppg and were the 6th ranked offense. The winning culture that he had brought was obvious. The next year they won the NC.

If Mullen is going to get it done it's not going to take 4-6 years. We'll have a very good idea by 2019 if this was the right move. Not saying we should be in the Playoffs in 2019, although it can be done. But just like with Stoops, if Mullen is going to get the job done we should see massive improvement in the offense next year more than the win-loss record, maybe not Stoops 101st to 6th, but also not 101st to 70th. That's not improvement. The difference should be obvious and there is no reason to not be a top 20 offense if Mullen is really the Offensive genius he is portrayed as.