Florida Offensive Coordinator Dan Mullen has accepted the head coaching position at (Image: MSU vs. UGA 2006 by Hipple)
Realistically, MSU never had a shot at a "big name" proven head coach due their facilities and overall position in the football universe. So, they went out and found one of the most proven coordinators in the country.
The MSU search was quick and professional. Basically, it was handled in the opposite fashion of the Auburn search. Given the current trajectory of the Auburn search, it's entirely possible that MSU will end up with a better coach than the Tigers.
Now, if Florida's Charlie Strong (Defensive Coordinator / LB Coach) and Dan McCarney (DL Coach) would just find work elsewhere, I'd be even happier.
See Also:
- -- Mullen to Mississippi State - Tallahassee Democrat
-- Should Mullen coach the Title Game? - Palm Beach Post
-- Mullen's Recruiting Challenges at MSU - ESPN
-- AU REVOIR, DAN - EDSBS
-- A Look at Dan Mullen - MS State Sports Blog
-- MSU's Man - Fanhouse
-- MSU to hire Dan Mullen - Commercial Appeal
PWD
27 comments:
I don't think this really hurts Florida too much unfortunately. I've always heard about Urban Meyer's Spread Offense, not Dan Mullen's Spread Offense. Hopefully his time as QB coach in Utah and work with Alex Smith and Tim Tebow will bring some type of 2-3 Star QB to Starkville and allow them to compete in the west... then again maybe not.
Anon 7:49, I disagree a little. This could hurt the Gators with the intricacies of the offense. Mullen was QB coach for Meyer at both BG and Utah before coming with him to Florida. Meyer has never run his show without this guy. Like Paul said, if Strong goes somewhere (which I doubt) and McCarney leaves too, UF could find itself scrambling for coaches, trying to convince recruits they will be the same, and basically undergoing some major reworking all over the place.
Sly Croom for UGA Defensive Coordinator!
Miss. State does have the biggest and nicest scoreboard in the SEC, they have that going for them.
Why doesn't anyone give Charlie Strong a chance to be head coach?
Losing your OC prior to a major bowl game could hurt too.
Mark Richt stayed at FSU for the BCS game against OU and FSU scored a whopping 0 pts on offense.
Has anyone seen the turf in Starkville? Gorgeous!
It may not be a major blow to the Gators, but it certainly doesn't help them.
I thought Arkansas's behemoth scoreboard was bigger.
Also, again....even though he still might be better than Willie, Sly has always been an offensive line coach.
As for Charlie....there is still one taboo with the hiring of a black coach, and Charlie has it.
taboo?
Not sure why everyone keeps calling for Sly to be the UGA DC. He's always been on the O side. Not that it ever showed at MSU...but just sayin'
I'm assuming Strong's taboo is his bad attitude, although that isn't race related. Urban and Stoops are white and they're both colossal a-holes.
I think Mullen is going to be a spectacular failure at MSU. That gimmick based offense doesn't work when you have inferior or even comparable talent. It only works when you have players special enough to turn one blown assignment into a huge gain. Color me skeptical, but I don't think MSU has many of those.
This is the newest picture i could find of mississippi state's new HD scoreboard. Its huge...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rogersmith/2992924933/
I think Mullen will do fine at Miss State, that is to say I don't think that 3 years from now people will say you got Mullened.
There is no doubt losing Mullen will be a down turn for Florida it's simply a matter of it being a hickup or a pothole.
3-4 years from now I think Florida is fine. Next year and/or the Year after I see some difficulties in some transitional difficulties.
Off topic, but I'm heading over shortly to hang with Mark Richt and Mark Dantonio when they sign the contract for the Capital One Bowl here in Orlando. (Who knows if either will actually show).
I'll make sure I pass on the fans' comments regarding how to coach the team. You know how much he loves the ridiculously rabid UGA fanbase...
Has anyone else been hearing the Charlie Strong to UCF rumors I am hearing?
JT- you beat me to it. I went over there for our game in '96 when Donnan was in his first season, and through my Bourbon-induced haze I kept looking at the field going, "damn, that's the most beautiful grass I've ever seen."
That said, I think Mullen will definitely be an improvement for MSU, but how much his departure hurts UF remains to be seen. Meyer's last OC isn't doing so hot as a HC out in Nevada.
Actually the offense is really good out in Nevada, defense sucks though.
What can you do?
What you can do is actually play real football and have a defense that doesn't just occupy time for the offense to get back on the field. More and more teams are moving in this direction to the notion that a great offense is the defense. I.e Texas Tech, Missouri, Nevada, BYU. This is an atrocity. I hope georgia fans share the same sentiment as me and would rather watch a defensive showdown (LSU at Auburn 2006) than an offensive shootout.
Scott,
I have been hearing those rumors lately. UCF wants to get rid of O'Leary, and a lot of rumors say they've already locked in Strong. While I don't believe that, I think they'll go after him real hard when they do get around to firing O'Leary.
I have been hearing that they will announce Strong as the new HC as soon as they fire O'Leary.
Mullen is Tebow's QB coach and the two are very close. This might help push Tebow closer to leaving for the NFL.
Mullen calls all their plays. It will most definitely hurt them.
Just got back from contract signing. Richt was asked what surprised him most this season. He first said he nothing surprises him, but then admitted that the 18 season-ending injuries surprised him.
The audience (about 40 of us) just gasped. It's a ridiculous number, especially compared to the ONE we had in 2007 (per Richt).
Javon Ringer came -- very likeable kid.
What you can do is actually play real football and have a defense that doesn't just occupy time for the offense to get back on the field. More and more teams are moving in this direction to the notion that a great offense is the defense. I.e Texas Tech, Missouri, Nevada, BYU. This is an atrocity. I hope georgia fans share the same sentiment as me and would rather watch a defensive showdown (LSU at Auburn 2006) than an offensive shootout. END QUOTE
I guess you liked that 3-2 game!
QUOTE
Mullen is Tebow's QB coach and the two are very close. This might help push Tebow closer to leaving for the NFL. END QUOTE
Tebow is not going to the NFL. I have heard several so called draft experts who think he is a mid round pick. Now I think NFL teams are too hung up on numbers and miss a kid who is a winner. Tebow is the kind of player any coach or team in the country would want.
anti big 12,
i couldn't agree more.
but with the offense we have, it would be best just to beat those teams 50-2 instead of 3-2 lol
i just hope we get somebody OTHER THAN martinez. hes a joke
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