LB, I agree there were issues with the roster, but to say he inherited a catastrophic schyttfest is way underselling the talent that was on the roster as well. Most of those players were not longer removed from being able to make the SEC Championship game the season prior. I agree, that the 2017 team lacked talent and S&C, but to say that we were less talented than the majority of our schedule in 2018 that just goes against the facts. With the talent on the roster in 2018, the already established coaching in Mullen, and the schedule we had in 2018, 10 wins should have been expected (that is before we lost a game to weather).
Northern Co (cancelled)
Charleston Southern
Kentucky
Colorado State
At Tennessee (dumpster fire new head coach)
At Mississippi State (new head coach different system)
LSU
At Vandy
UGA
Missouri
South Crackers
Idaho
At FSU (new coach)
If in the preseason you didn't see 10 wins out of this schedule which was an easier schedule (similar to this season's schedule) with UK, LSU, Miss, and USCe at home. That is why I continue to say, how important the schedule in '18 was to the turnaround. Winning 11 games in '19 where our cancelled game was switched with Miami is more impressive (outside of being completely outcoached/classed by Kirby).