Who should we hire

[Cdog923]

What about Dan Mullen do you like?  Is it his 60% winning percentage at Miss. State?  Is it the fact that his recruiting classes typically rank in the top 25, yet his team rarely ever finishes the season ranked in the top 25?  Is it the fact that he made SEC history last year as the first ever SEC coach to win a bowl game yet finish with a losing record?  You are not the first to bring him up, but I fail to see why we need him.  The SEC isn't what it used to be.  Last year in his eighth season, he posted almost his worst record.  Last year, the SEC was not as tough as the B1G or the ACC.  He's only had one year where he's won over 50% of his conference games.  I don't want to hear how he came into Mississippi State after they had a 4-8 year the year before either because we might be lucky to be 4-8 this year.   

If you can't seen the difference in Mississippi St. before Mullen, and right now, I'm not certain any explanation I can offer would help.

Also, his record is better than 7-7 in the American. 

 

[Toe]

 

[junior4949]

If you can't seen the difference in Mississippi St. before Mullen, and right now, I'm not certain any explanation I can offer would help.

Also, his record is better than 7-7 in the American. 

I guess I don't.  He's in year 9.  His recruiting classes consistently end up in the top 25, yet his team rarely does.  He has a losing conference record.  Two years before Mullen, Miss. State was an eight win team with their coach Croom being selected SEC coach of the year.  I'm honestly trying to figure out how hiring Mullen would be any better than when we hired Riley. 

 

[Cdog923]

Look out for Rick Vice as a darkhorse candidate if the coaching job does open up. 

 

[Cdog923]

I guess I don't.  He's in year 9.  His recruiting classes consistently end up in the top 25, yet his team rarely does.  He has a losing conference record.  Two years before Mullen, Miss. State was an eight win team with their coach Croom being selected SEC coach of the year.  I'm honestly trying to figure out how hiring Mullen would be any better than when we hired Riley. 

He has a far better record than Riley in a far, far tougher conference. For a majority of his MSU career, his division has been tougher than the entirety of the Pac 12. 

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/its-time-for-dan-mullen-to-strike-while-the-iron-is-hot-and-plan-his-exit/

 

[Husker from Kansas]

I like the idea of Dan Mullen. He was the QB coach for Urban Meyer. Coached Alex Smith, Tim Tebow, Dak Prescott, some guy at bowling green (can't remember the name) and now Nick Fitzgerald. His teams consistently play hard nosed aggressive football. They run the option. Everything the "old timers" that surround Nebraska football are always clamoring for. He has coached against the best of the best. And he just made an insanely talented LSU team with an absolute stud RB look like punks. Is he the best out there? IDK, but he is definitely someone who should be looked at. BUT whoever we hire (thats if we fire Riley, not sure the new AD will do that in his first couple months) will probably have to be given some time considering his style of play will be totally different than what we have recruited for under Riley

 

[Landlord]

If you can't seen the difference in Mississippi St. before Mullen, and right now, I'm not certain any explanation I can offer would help.

Also, his record is better than 7-7 in the American. 

Kind of like Oregon State with 30 losing seasons in a row before Mike Riley?

Through eight seasons at Oregon State and Mississippi State, respectively,

Coach A was 56-42 with three top 25 seasons, and three 9+ win seasons.

Coach B was 61-42 with two top 25 seasons, and three 9+ win seasons.

Which one is which?

 

[Cdog923]

Kind of like Oregon State with 30 losing seasons in a row before Mike Riley?

Through eight seasons at Oregon State and Mississippi State, respectively,

Coach A was 56-42 with three top 25 seasons

Coach B was 61-42 with two top 25 seasons.

Which one is which?

I guess I didn't realize it was this hard to differentiate between the Pac 12 and the SEC. 

Mind you, a lot of people want a coach with less experience in a weaker conference. 

 

[junior4949]

I'd agree, he's coached himself into a corner.  The article even states he's not necessarily the best or most successful.  If you really look at Dan Mullen, his situation is pretty similar to Mike Riley's situation six or seven years ago.  His best season to date was 14'.  If he stays and continues to put in more clunkers like last year, people will be saying Dan who by 19' or 20'.  It's the entire premise of the article.  Strike now before he does any more damage to himself. 

Thus far, Riley has had above a 50% conference winning percentage.  Even if we throw all those years of him at Oregon State in with it, he still has won over 48% of his conference games.  Mullen has won 46% of his conference games.  I don't think Riley had many/any top 25 recruiting classes at Oregon State while Mullen has had several at Miss. State.  If one looks at Riley's time at Oregon State and compares it to Mullen's time at Miss. State, they look very similar.  Riley was 64-47 his first nine seasons at Oregon State.  Mullen is 64-42.  Riley had three teams finish in the top 25 those first nine seasons.  Mullen thus far has had two. 

 

[junior4949]

I guess I didn't realize it was this hard to differentiate between the Pac 12 and the SEC. 

Mind you, a lot of people want a coach with less experience in a weaker conference. 

Considering USC was winning NCs during that time period, I'd say it was comparable.

 

[junior4949]

Riley's teams beat USC.  How many times has Mullen and the boys beat or even been competitive with Bama'?

 

[Red Five]

Kind of like Oregon State with 30 losing seasons in a row before Mike Riley?

Through eight seasons at Oregon State and Mississippi State, respectively,

Coach A was 56-42 with three top 25 seasons, and three 9+ win seasons.

Coach B was 61-42 with two top 25 seasons, and three 9+ win seasons.

Which one is which?

Numbers are fun:

Riley (age 62) was 29-33 his last 5 seasons at OSU

Mullen (age 45) was 40-25 his last 5 seasons at MSU

 

[Landlord]

I guess I didn't realize it was this hard to differentiate between the Pac 12 and the SEC. 

Mind you, a lot of people want a coach with less experience in a weaker conference. 

The Pac 10 was quite good back then, with a 9 game round robin conference schedule, USC's dynasty and top 15 sort of seasons from the likes of USC/Cal/Oregon/WSU

Through eight seasons at Oregon State and Mississippi State, respectively,

One coach played against 27 ranked teams (per end of season rankings).

One coach played against 31 ranked teams (per end of season rankings).

Which one's which?

 

[Cdog923]

The Pac 10 was quite good back then, with a 9 game round robin conference schedule, USC's dynasty and top 15 sort of seasons from the likes of USC/Cal/Oregon/WSU

And the SEC West has won 5 national championships while Mullen has been at MSU. 

 

[Landlord]

And the SEC West has won 5 national championships while Mullen has been at MSU. 

Yeah dude. I know that.

The whole point of my argument is that Dan Mullen is very similar to where Mike Riley was 8 years into coaching. You can't use the same argument against Mike Riley and in defense of Dan Mullen. It's gotta be one or the other.