Penn State Coaching Search: Dan Mullen
by Peter Gray on Nov 28, 2011 1:00 PM EST
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Now that the season is over, it's time to think about the future. First and foremost, that means a new head football coach. Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking a closer look at the likely candidates for the job. Today, we have current Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen.
Head Coaching Record
| Year | Record | In Conference |
| 2009 | 5-7 | 3-5 |
| 2010 | 9-4 | 4-4 |
| 2011 | 6-6 | 2-6 |
| Overall | 20-17 | 9-15 |
Having an above-.500 record while cleaning up the mess that Sylvester Croom left is no small feat, but the sub-.500 conference record raises an eyebrow. Granted, MSU plays in the same division as Alabama and LSU so it's not exactly a red flag, but it's still a point of concern.
Coaching Experience
Mullen's coaching career (post-GA positions) began as Urban Meyer's QB coach at Bowling Green. He followed Meyer to Utah as his QB coach, where he helped develop Alex Smith. From there, Mullen went to Florida and became the offensive coordinator for one of the most prolific offenses in college football history. The offense completely collapsed when Mullen left in 2009 to become the head coach at Mississippi State, but it was also the same year Tim Tebow left. I'm sure the offensive problems were more to do with Tebow's departure than Mullen's, but going from Mullen to Steve Addazio is an undeniably large step down in quality.
Coaching Philosophy
Mullen's offense is a run-heavy spread option attack, designed to spread defenses and make them defend the entire field. The entire thing is predicated on a mobile quarterback that can handle a considerable workload running the ball, primarily out of the shotgun. There usually is only one running back on the field, but a multitude of wide receiver/running back combos. These are the kind of players that can make a good spread option offense into a great one. The prototype for this position is Percy Harvin.
The rankings of Mullen's offenses at Mississippi State are as follows. For an explanation of S&P+, please see here.
| Year | Total Offense (yds/game) | Rank | Scoring Offense (pts/game) | Rank | Offensive S&P+ | Rank |
| 2009 | 357.7 | 69 | 25.6 | 72 | 110.9 | 38 |
| 2010 | 401.3 | 42 | 29.0 | 48 | 99.8 | 68 |
| 2011 | 355.1 | 87 | 25.5 | 72 | 102.4 | 58 |
Fit - Cultural, Personnel, Etc.
Dan Mullen was born in Philadelphia, raised in the northeast, and went to college at Ursinus. Besides either A) Having direct Penn State ties, or B) Direct ties to other major programs in Pennsylvania, that's about as good a personal/cultural fit as we'll find. Mullen hasn't been connected to any major NCAA violations, and the only blemishes on his record as a head coach are in the form of a few secondary violations that seem more like administrative missteps and miscommunications than anything nefarious. Another point to be considered: Mullen is a longtime friend of Urban Meyer. He may relish the opportunity to compete head to head with his mentor every year.
The question is whether he'd leave the SEC to come up north. I think he would. Penn State is a step up from Mississippi State in terms of resources, facilities and support - even in spite of recent events. I think at this point, Mullen has to look at the teams he's competing against in the SEC West in Alabama, LSU, Arkansas and Auburn, and think that he'll never have the same amount of ammunition as them. The ceiling in Starkville is low, and at some point soon he's going to try to move up the ladder. Penn State may very well be that move.
Personnel-wise, the fit is so-so with the current roster. The obvious problem is quarterback, as there isn't anyone on the roster right now that could play it within the structure of the offense. It would seem that Paul Jones would be the best fit, but having never seen him take the field against live competition, coming to a conclusion about him is risky. The problem with the spread option is if you don't have a quarterback that can run it effectively, it gets repetitive and predictable in a hurry. However, once you get past quarterback, the pieces look like they fit. Silas Redd would fill the running back slot (a la current MSU running back Vick Ballard), and Curtis Drake, Bill Belton and Devon Smith can easily transition into WR/RB combos that each get 5-10 carries a game. This system also uses the tight end, which may or may not be an issue. Penn State uses their tight ends so little that I honestly can't tell if they're good or not.
A point of concern I've heard regarding Dan Mullen is that he's strictly an offensive coach, and would need to hire a strong defensive coordinator to be successful. While I think there's some validity to this, Mullen has shown that he can hire good coordinating talent, as his first hire at MSU was Manny Diaz. Diaz's defensive in Starkville was so successful that he got hired away to take over for Will Muschamp at Texas, and he is now widely considered one of the rising stars in the coaching world.
Speaking personally, Mullen has been a coach I've had my eye on for several years now. However, I'm concerned that a switch to the spread right now would be a move that's already behind the times. The spread offense was at its most effective in the mid-2000s, and the trend away from it has already started. Switching to it now would be akin to NFL teams switching to the 3-4 defense next year. Also, it's hard to not think about the difficulties both Meyer and Mullen had once Tim Tebow left Gainesville. MSU's offense is, at best, still a work in progress, and at worst it was predictable and bland. Balanced, pro-style offense may not be the most exciting to watch, but when it's run properly it's effective, no matter the date. We're seeing that at places like Alabama and Stanford right now, and if I had my druthers, that's the kind of offense would run. It may not be as flashy as a well oiled spread machine, but usually the meatgrinder approach wins.
I think when it comes down to it regarding Dan Mullen, my official stance is positive, but approach with caution. So... What do y'all think?
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Comments
Coach, do you call 4 yard outs on 3rd and 8?
“No”
You’re hired
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It was all a dream, I used to read Word-Up magazine.
by Ben Jones on Nov 28, 2011 1:05 PM EST via mobile reply actions 9 recs
IT WORKS ON NCAA12!!!!
Anyway, the flashlights eat our human power grids, our souls if you will. So i destroyed them, and if a few precious panties were burnt or soiled in the reckoning then so be it
Amen.
Buckeye born, Nittany Lion by choice.
by nittanylines on Nov 28, 2011 1:36 PM EST up reply actions
Meh
I am unconvinced that his success at OC of Florida wasn’t a perfect storm of working under Meyer, having the athletes that Florida had, and a linebacker at the QB position. Having a big mobile QB makes a lot of OC inequities disappear, as we’ve seen in VT this year, Auburn last year, and our own successes in ’05 and ’08. IF we’re going to clean house, it can’t be for somebody without a steady history of success.
Hey, maybe Pete Carroll will want to get back into the college game? /trolling softly
Luring recruits with my new "Posting HD" scheme since '08.
Keep in mind that Tebow was a bit piece in UF's 1st national championship.
Chris Leak, a relatively stationary dropback passer, was the signal caller in Mullen’s 2006 offense.
@JPosnanski - I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Nov 28, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions
+1, This.
This annoys me to no end. Tim Tebow technically did win two titles while at UF, but in reality, was only vital to one of them. He did not single-handily win two titles like ZOMG! ESPN, ZOMG! SEC! and ZOMG MSM would have you believe.
Run.
by Bob Sacamano on Nov 28, 2011 2:08 PM EST up reply actions
Yes, exactly.
And I like Tim Tebow a lot.
I think Mullen is more diverse than he’s given credit for. The offense Leak ran was quite different than the one run primarily by Tebow. I also think a significant portion of Mullen’s mindset came from the idea that it’s easier to win at places like Utah and MSU with a spread.
Any offensive coach is going to run plays from under center at Penn State. It’s MUCH easier to recruit here than at either of those places. Tebow’s skill set called for the type of offense Florida ran.
Bottom line, we have kids that can run Mullen’s system just fine, and I would expect him to be smart enough to adjust.
@JPosnanski - I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Nov 28, 2011 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
He played a rather large roll on that..
Florida team. He was their short yardage and goal line guy. He wasn’t the primary guy on the 06 team, but I don’t think they play for the MNC without him.
11/9/11 - the day the music died.
The bitter with the better.
by Esteban d' Amur on Nov 29, 2011 8:45 AM EST up reply actions
I'd rather have a defensive specialist.
Overall, I think having a defensive minded coach brings more defensive swagger to the team. And when it comes down to it, I’d rather have a great defense and a mediocre offense then the other way around. Look at teams like Oklahoma State, who had a crazy good offense this year. Funny thing though, without a half decent defense backing them up, one slightly mediocre performance on offense and you lose. Plus, in a spread offense, your offense needs the perfect quarterback and that quarterback needs to stay healthy from the beating he will surely take.
Hire a defensive coach and bring in offensive assistants who actually qualify for the position.
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I'm with you here
I want solid defense year in and year out. So give me a defensive guy who is able to hire a smart/capable Offensive coordinator.
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
There’s always the chance that a new outside hire like a Mullen would want to retain Vandy or LJ. Or both. They’re both qualified, and both (LJ in particular) can recruit.
Agree!
I am leaning this way as well. Bradley probably wont stick around if he is not the HC. But i think if they promote LJ Sr. to D.C. and keep Vandy there to help out.. The team should be fine. Even if the defense slips a little to a top 20-25 squad in stead of top 10. Get a good offense in there that avgs. 30-35 pts/game and it wont matter if the defense is a small notch off.
I just wonder about the QB situation
You mentioned it in the post…who does PSU have who could run his offense? I don’t want this to be the first year that RR was at Michigan where he had Steven Threat trying to run his spread…. Is Kevin Newsome just a junior this year? If Mullen is hired, can we get all the active members of BSD to write and contact Newsome to see if he would come back for his senior season?
That's a serious issue
Paul Jones would seem to be the best fit of anyone currently on the roster, but he needs to stay eligible and actually earn the job.
I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
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I just fear that it could turn into a Michigan scenario
It would take him 2 or 3 years to get a QB into the program to fit his style, meanwhile, the system is being run with great predictability and little success. (although wonder if the coaching change would affect Devin Fuller’s choice?)
And I know I’m not the 1st person to write this and wont’ be the last, but does the pure spread offense work in the Big10? I just am concerned that our system/success would be so reliant with having 1 specific type of player in order to have success.
The "pure spread"
Yes, it will work in the Big 10. Rich Rodriguez didn’t lose his job because his offense wasn’t equipped for the Big 10.
I don’t mean to be snide, but I find lots of arguments on “systems” to be immaterial. What matters, in any system, is execution.
Concerns about a spread matching with current personnel are valid, though. I’ve seen nothing to suggest that any of the quarterbacks on the roster could run it effectively — as the article says, we might assume that about Jones, but it’s still an assumption. Regardless, that may well be only a concern for a solitary year.
Say what you will about RR, but his mistake wasn’t bringing the spread to the Big 10. His mistake was bringing Greg Robinson to the Big 10.
by tuscaloosalion on Nov 28, 2011 3:37 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Yep.
I shouldn’t limit the discussion of RR’s mistakes to a “pick one” scenario. There are plenty to choose from.
by tuscaloosalion on Nov 28, 2011 3:38 PM EST up reply actions
Devin Fuller, a kid from NJ, is high on Nebraska and Rutgers with PSU a distant 3 (and maybe further after the scandal).
He could run it, but he’d just be a freshman, and would require some serious work to get a commitment.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 1:22 PM EST up reply actions
From a recruiting POV...
His classes have been 27 (‘09), 26 (’10), 22 (‘11), and 21 (’12 so far). That’s 96 over four years. It’s certainly not 120 (or whatever Alabama and/or LSU are doing), but it’s something to keep an eye on. Also, in simply counting those commits, it appeared that alot of them were specialty players, a recruiting strategy that doomed RichRod in the B1G.
He seems to have all of the off-the-field qualities we’re looking for (PA kid, PSU ties, etc.), but I don’t know if I’ve seen enough success out of him that could be solely attributed to him, and not, as stated above, a perfect storm of awesome at Florida.
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The BIG has alot of rules about recruiting
So there is no possibilty of oversigning in this conference, unlike the SEC. So those issues woudl disappear immediately since he has to follow those rules already in place for awhile.
The B1G allows oversigning.
Just in limited fashion and with stricter regulation. I’m not saying he’ll come in here and Houston Nutt the place up; but 96 over four years, including the ’09 class which had 21 NON-linemen out of 27 is slightly concerning.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 1:34 PM EST up reply actions
The '10 class was 16 non-linemen out of 26.
I don’t know what the perfect combination is in each class, but that’s 37 specialty players out of 53 in two years. And a Favre. That has to count against him.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 1:36 PM EST up reply actions
Favre
look i dont agree with anything related to FAVRE. But DAMN, that kid must have been a beast in highschool, look at those stats!! If Mullen gets hired maybe he will transfer to State College. I mean he has to be better than what we have right?RIGHT???
Great point about the specialty players
I think you run a fine line when you recruit a lot of those kids. I know PSU’s offense isnt’ anything to brag about, but it’s a system where a guy like Matt McGloin or Daryl Clark could be successful. Same goes for Derek Moye, Devon Smith, or Brett Brackett. It would seem with Mullen’s offense, the majority of the guys I listed above wouldn’t have a chance to be successful in his system.
I'm worried about a RichRod-Michigan situation too
but to be fair, Michigan’s offense wasn’t the problem during RichRod’s tenure, the defense was. With a better defense Michigan could have done much better. Given that we are likely to clean house, the coordinators and assistants the next HC brings in are probably just as important as the HC himself.
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
For the record
DO NOT WANT!
Has anybody watched his offense at MSU? People would be begging for the high octane offense Galen/Jay ran. I’m serious.
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
Haha touche
I’ve seen a couple of their games, Thursday night football I think, and you want to talk about caveman football to the extreme.
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
He’ll have better personnel recruiting in the Northeast, as opposed to fighting it out in the south with Saban and Miles and the like.
The argument can be made, though...
That we should be in the south recruiting. Maybe not all the way into Florida or the bayou on a regular basis, but we likely will have to expand our coverage. Not sure who his top recruiters are, but it would be nice if they could bring already-established ties to Penn State.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 1:54 PM EST up reply actions
I said as much on twitter...
Mullen has coached in Ohio, Florida, Utah and Miss. He’s going to have some connections.
by Artiefufkin10 on Nov 28, 2011 1:55 PM EST up reply actions
Agreeed
We used to have a footprint as far south as South Carolina. Ray Roundtree, Courtney Brown, etc.
We're going to have a tough time doing better than Mullen, I'm afraid.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 1:53 PM EST up reply actions
Bradley with an upgraded offensive staff.
But apparently we can’t have that.
(I know you’re reasoning, I just think that Penn State’s mindset is making this harder along with lack of homerun candidates).
by Artiefufkin10 on Nov 28, 2011 1:55 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
re: lack of homerun candidates
That IS troubling. Even if you assume PSU will adopt the “clean house” model, and thinking only tenuously realisitically, who is even available? It’s a tough market, so we’re going to have to make the perfect hire.
Then again, everyone in the state of Michigan had never heard of Brady Hoke a year ago, so anything is possible. Get the right guy, and it could pay immediate dividends.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 1:58 PM EST up reply actions
Well, none of us know PSU's mindset.
Maybe Bradley will be strongly considered. Nobody of authority has said otherwise.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 1:59 PM EST up reply actions
Nobody of authority has really said anything..
except that the job is open to all who wish to apply.
by Artiefufkin10 on Nov 28, 2011 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
Note to self:
1. Update resume
2. Apply for head coaching position, Pennsylvania State University
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
Hold your horses
I said I was applying. Didn’t say you should do the same, hoss.
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 2:50 PM EST up reply actions
Now we're talking
You’re in charge of calling the cops on anyone who does anything ever, regardless of whether it’s our problem or not.
Need this program to be on the up and up. Some McCarthyism can go a long way….
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 2:52 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Jones, what are you still doing here...
you can call the cops from the golf course. Zoom, whoosh.
He completed 17 of individuals 26 passes for 192 lanscaping your yard and two touchdowns - Chan Luu
Shouldn't we just deputize the next head coach?
And I mean provide him with firearm privileges and full power to make arrests.
"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world" -- Ludwig Wittgenstein
by SubLime on Nov 28, 2011 7:29 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I call offensive coordinator
First female coach (Hell to the yes.)
Publicity is like poison; it doesn't hurt unless you swallow it.
Joe Paterno
I already sent mine in
its scented with a touch of lavender to give it that extra edge. It subconsiously makes them feel more relaxed and at ease with me heading into the interview.
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the insides of my head
After the friendly hellos and handshakes, BOOM! I go on the aggressive. Shock and awe. I come out with a long term deal and all kinds of bonuses. Works every time.
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I'll be your receivers coach
You need someone to yell at on the sidelines
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 2:55 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
You know, we haven't fired Bradley yet.
"Woop woop." - Waylon Jennings
by ReadingRambler on Nov 28, 2011 4:28 PM EST up reply actions
Yet being the operative word.
There are confirmed reports that he’ll be on the road this weekend recruiting, but that could also be him telling the recruits how great it’s been at PSU, as there are unconfirmed reports of the coaches being told of the inevitable.
Wait til it’s official and all that, but…yet.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 5:12 PM EST up reply actions
The only MSU game on Thursday was vs. LSU.
And you saw how well we did vs. Bama.
Buckeye born, Nittany Lion by choice.
by nittanylines on Nov 28, 2011 2:35 PM EST up reply actions
I watched them last year also
When MSU was in the process of upsetting a few teams. I know they played LSU this year on Thursday but I’ve seen at least 4 of their games.
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
That's perfectly appropriate, and I agree.
I think it’s possible to separate your feelings about The Scandal, Joe (and the rest of the staff by extension), and the coaching search.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 1:59 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
Curley proved that he could make solid hires, so I was cautiously optimistic that he would hire a great coach after JoePa.
Now, PSU has completely botched this entire thing that I don’t trust anybody. The fact that a distinct possibility is the hire is 100% strictly PR related scares the hell out of me.
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
by jman07 on Nov 28, 2011 2:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
That's overstating things quite a bit.
PR is a piece of the puzzle, but the whole Athletic Department flops if the football team flops.
I’m wondering how this all affects STEP and any other big projects up at University Park. I can’t imagine that season ticket sales are going to be brisk for 2012, no matter who is hired.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 2:07 PM EST up reply actions
It might be overstating
but my basic point is that if most of the consideration is “what is the best PR friendly hire” that the hire will be a disaster. I agree with all those concerns. As long as they take a calm, even keeled aproach to this, I’ll be satisfied but the beginning of this mess has been nothing but seat of your pants flying.
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
by jman07 on Nov 28, 2011 2:09 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah
I had planned on subletting an apartment (its certainly cheaper than hotels for every game) for next fall and buying season tickets. Now, I’m definitely in a wait and see mode. If the hire seems to be PR driven, I’m not buying ticekts. Thats not to say I won’t support anyone outside getting a shot at the job, but if some clearly underqualified guy is brought in over Bradley then my decision will have been made for me
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 2:23 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
There will be unhappy people, no matter what.
I’d be wildly interested in a detailed breakdown of demographics and rationale regarding season ticket renewals and non-renewals. Kind of impossible, but it would be fascinating.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 2:25 PM EST up reply actions
I'd be interested as well
I’m a fairly young guy, but I can’t imagine that everyone in my age group feels the same way as me. Actually, I’d imagine that the younger crowd would be a bit more optimistic with change and have slightly less emotionally invested in the PSU way under JoePa.
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
My data points:
Likely holding steady with same contribution (a kajillion dollars) and ticket purchase (10 seats) for 2012.
If they hire someone beore the bowl game with the proper street cred, then I’ll keep it as is. For now. If they don’t hire before the bowl game, my donation will stay the same (need it in before 2012 to count on my 2011 taxes), but I may only get 6 or 8 tickets.
If they hire someone based on PR and not coaching ability, or if they demand that no current staff is retained (or something similarly PR driven), or if they continue to do asinine things to irritate me, then all bets are off for 2013 and beyond.
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 2:48 PM EST up reply actions
Besides, how can you tell if a hire is PR driven?
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
I think it will be fairly obvious
Say, some guy nobody has ever heard of (Div 1AA) or Div II or something like that gets the job over Bradley or LJ or anybody with PSU ties. I think that would be fairly telling. At least the assumption you could make would then be that it was PR driven.
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
Yeah
Thats exactly what I was trying to say in my original post. Tom Bradley is a strong candidate. I don’t think anyone will argue against that. So if a very weak candidate is hired, I won’t purchase tickets. If that candidate does a good job and remains true to the PSU values that draw me to the program, I’ll reevaluate my decision to buy season tickets.
If he fails miserably I will donate directly to my college and/or major.
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Though to be fair
There is a certain amount of assumption that I will have to make. And I could certainly be wrong. At which point I’ll gladly admit that I was incorrect and continue enjoying PSU football
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
My two cents:
Would we consider the guy as a viable candidate pre-scandal (Golden, Fitz, Meyer, Patterson, etc.)? Or is he only being considered now that we need someone with “proper moral fiber”?
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 2:49 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
So is current Harvard Coach
Tim Murphy PR-driven? More info…
I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.
I think Tony Dungy would be a PR driven hire.
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100% yes
Man hasn’t coached in years, not sure he’s ever coached in college.
If it wasn’t for his position as ‘moral compass of the NFL’, he wouldn’t get much support as a candidate.
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 3:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
He was a very good pro coach
Helped Tampa turn an impossible corner and an excellent defensive coordinator before that. Can’t really judge him on Indy since he had Manning.
by kijana's acl on Nov 29, 2011 8:51 AM EST up reply actions
I'd say so.
Let’s say the scandal doesn’t happen, and Joe rides off into the sunset with reputation and legacy intact.
We, the fans, start immediately tracking flights and creating all sorts of coaching wish lists.
Is Tim Murphy in the top 10 on any of those wish lists? Top 25? Not on mine, and I can’t imagine most people wouldn’t explode watching OSU hire Meyer while we pulled in some dude from Haaaahvahd.
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 3:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
yeah, i agree
Can’t imagine that this guy would have been considered pre-scandal. But…so what as long as he can coach, right?
I don’t like Dungy one bit, and there’s good reason to say he’s a PR hire as well, but I wouldn’t be very surprised if the Tony Dungy-led Penn State team won the B1G and the national championship….
I don’t go to more than two games a year and don’t donate enough money to matter, but I think it’s very hard to evaluate the success of these guys before they’ve coached one game…
I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.
Is Tim Murphy a better hire than Bradley?
Probably not, no.
I would be willing to give him a chance though. The last time we brought a coach out of the Ivy League it turned out alright.
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 3:07 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
To that end
has anyone heard anything about using a search firm? Or is this being done completely in house, so to speak?
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 2:08 PM EST up reply actions
I think the only safe bet is to ask ESPN which candidate would inspire them to write a positive story about us
Sadly, if such information was actually available, the BOT would consider it HEAVILY
I agree with this as well.
It requires a separation of emotion, but I think most PSU fans were ready for a change in football leadership anyway. I just haven’t heard a name yet that I’m excited about. Anything can happen if you make the right hire (as someone else mentioned), but who is really out there?
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What does everyone think about petrino? I like the hogs style last two seasons. But the way he left the falcons still kind of sours on me.
by Jog73 on Nov 28, 2011 2:06 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
I'll be just as forceful.
God no.
@JPosnanski - I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Nov 28, 2011 2:08 PM EST up reply actions
I see your beard of Zeus
And raise you a “Great Odin’s raven!”
Also, a big, fat NO to Petrino.
Run.
by Bob Sacamano on Nov 28, 2011 2:13 PM EST up reply actions
Man
I would punch so many throats if that ever happened.
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That guy's a punk.
And I don’t think his model of winning would work outside of the SEC.
by Artiefufkin10 on Nov 28, 2011 2:13 PM EST up reply actions
The chain of events runs like this:
Penn State fires Joe Paterno
Penn State hires Bobby Petrino
Satan crowned Emperor of Heaven
"Woop woop." - Waylon Jennings
by ReadingRambler on Nov 28, 2011 4:29 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
His buyout is north of $17 million
Ain’t happening.
I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
Black Shoe Diaries
@runthedive
by Peter Gray on Nov 28, 2011 4:35 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
I'm less concerned by his use of the spread, then the presumption
that he must use the spread. The best coaches react/respond/plan according to the ability of their players….
Thanks for the insight, though, as I’d not done any real homework on Mullen so far. At first glance, I’m going to keep looking. Tim Murphy is more interesting to me than him.
I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.
I'm interested as to why.
Admittedly, I know nothing of Murphy or Harvard football.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
He's gone undefeated twice at Harvard
and seems to have made the Ivy League Harvard’s bitch for most of his tenure. He came to Harvard about ten years ago from Cincy, where he very successfully dealt with an NCAA violation situation and gave the program its best season in some time. (i.e. he has demonstrate excellence in crisis management.)
He seems like a pretty good football coach, given his record at Harvard, assuming that the Ivy League is a roughly flat playing field (though it probably isn’t in football). So I think he “meets expectations” for that part of the job, but for the part of the job about restoring the program’s image and credibility and reputation, I think he’d be hard to beat. No one could really question the school’s commitment to academics, etc by hiring someone like him. It would put the empahsis back on PSU football being different “in a good way.”
If he doesn’t win, he’s a great transition guy to get us to the big hire in 5 years. If he does win, gravy.
I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.
Sounds like a good guy.
I suppose the downside is the quality of opponent. Also, I’d always question his connectivity to recruits.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 3:17 PM EST up reply actions
It's hard to tell to what degree success in the Ivy League
would translate to success in the B1G. Hoops is different than football, but the long-time coach at Priceton basketball, Pete Carril, would almost definitely have been a great coach wherever he went (and had a lot of post-Princeton sucess as a NBA-assistant).
For recruiting, given his playing years at Maine and his experience at Harvard, I’d like to think he could hold down the northeast. Regarding his connectivity, I’m not sure I follow. He doesn’t appear to be a “Harvard man,” (e.g. he played at the University of Maine), just the Harvard coach. He was able to connect with players at Cincy well enough…
I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.
I mean can he go into a kid's house and really sell the program.
Some coaches are great on-field but can’t sell a glass of water in a desert. Some are terrible coaches on the field but could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves. We need someone good at both.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 3:29 PM EST up reply actions
FTFY
Some coaches are great on-field but can’t sell a glass of water in a desert. Some areterrible coaches on the field but could sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white glovesRon Zook.
The depth of both my sadness and anger is unfathomable.
We (Still) Are...
by PSU_Buch on Nov 28, 2011 3:44 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
Good point . . .
Mike Tomlin was thought of as a cover 2 guy when the Steelers hired him. I haven’t yet seen any cover 2 by the home team in Pittsburgh.
"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world" -- Ludwig Wittgenstein
Hire LeBeau
He’s younger than the former coach.
"We gon' get down. We gon' do the do. I'm going to hit these mother****ers" - Dock Ellis, May 1, 1974.
Mullen is not a splashy hire
but then again, he wil not cost $40 mil over seven years.
Hiring a coach is like recruting in a way a crapshoot.
Even though Urban Meyer has proven himself a winner, you still have to wonder.
Didn’t Dennis Erickson win a MNC at Miami, Didn’t Larry Coker?
The only coach I know of who has been a consistant winner at more than one stint is Nick Saban. But is he even worth that kind of money?
My first choice would be Tom Bradley, but if you must go outside, the route to take is with a proven winner with inferior on field talent at a stepping stone program, some place like Boise, or TCU or maybe Houston, something like that even if it’s an FCS coach like sweatervest once was..
You cannot go with the flavor of the month. Remember when the coach at App State was the hot commodity? Schiano also had his moment in the limelight. Proven and consistant and overachieving is what I’d look for. I know that narrows the list, but you gotta start somewhere.
by TonyLion on Nov 28, 2011 2:29 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I would love to land Chris Peterson or Gary Paterson
but both have turned down offers from other schools in the past, though my impression is none of those were even close to the caliber of PSU (don’t remember every offer, though). Maybe now that Boise has been relegated to the smoldering ashes of the Big East, Peterson will be in the mood to move on. I have a hard time seeing G-Pat leave TCU just when they get into the Big 12.
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 2:48 PM EST up reply actions
It's been said before...
but Petersen has a daughter with medical concerns, and I’ve heard he is very happy with life (and medical facilities) in Boise.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 3:05 PM EST up reply actions
I do keep forgetting this
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 3:11 PM EST up reply actions
It'd still be a nice hire though.
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
by Assorted Fruit on Nov 28, 2011 3:24 PM EST up reply actions
I've been very high on Boise for a while
I would define a great coaching staff as one that maximizes the talent available to it so that it can put its players in a position to win consistently. By that metric, and given the limitations they operate under and their success over the years, Boise’s coaching staff might just be the best in the country, IMO.
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 3:35 PM EST up reply actions
Quite possibly true
People knock them because their conference stinks out loud, but every chance they have to play against the big boys, they take advantage of. Not much more you can ask for.
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 3:41 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly, and...
I’m really talking more about coaching staff than players right now. If Boise played with its current players in a BCS conference, would they have as much success? Maybe not. But if that coaching staff had access to better recruits and facilities, could they dominate a BCS conference? I think so, and would love to find out by bringing them to PSU.
But as Jeff said, probably not going to happen. A man can dream, though…
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 3:48 PM EST up reply actions
Does Chris Peterson play defense?
And by that, I mean, does he know how to coach up a defense?
by Artiefufkin10 on Nov 28, 2011 2:51 PM EST up reply actions
Boise State's scoring defense rankings
2011: 15
2010: 2
2009: 13
2008: 4
2007: 29
2006: 23
…via teamrankings.com
That is only one measure of defensive play, but I don’t think that is terrible by any stretch of the imagination.
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 3:11 PM EST up reply actions
And to use a more sophisticated statistic
Football Outsiders rankings for S&P+ for Boise’s defense:
2011: 4
2010: 1
2009: 10
2008: 5
2007: 56
2006: 18
Average: 15.7
Penn State’s rankings over the same span:
2011: 3
2010: 38
2009: 11
2008: 15
2007: 19
2006: 6
15.3
I was surprised to see Boise’s stats were that good. If Peterson won’t leave Boise, maybe we should bring Penn State to him. Who’s up for a road trip?
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 8:37 PM EST up reply actions
Do those take into consideration strenght of schedule?
I can’t imagine it’s that difficult to have a great defense when you’re head and shoulders the best team in a pretty weak conference.
My understand is that S&P+ DOES take strength of schedule into account
The full rankings and explanation are here
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 10:06 PM EST up reply actions
dont want dungy
Not that he would be bad, but i dont think winning football games would be his number one priority. He would be to concerned about restoring the university’s image. If were going the retired nfl route i want bill cowher.
by Jog73 on Nov 28, 2011 2:38 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions 1 recs
The question is:
for the next four or five years, is that necessarily a bad thing?
"Every time you go to that cook-off you get drunk as a poet on payday!"
Probably not
I still don’t like the idea of Dungy though. He feels more like a punishment than anything.
Formerly known as kmart93
Black Shoe Diaries
Dave Wannstedt with the cloak of a moral compass.
Okay, not quite that bad, but still. Pass.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 3:45 PM EST up reply actions
I don't know.
He’s got a national media presence (helps with recruiting) and is widely considered a good football mind. He’s also one of the few people I could see convincing LJ to stay on (no facts to support this, just a hunch). We could do a lot worse.
The sad fact is, there’s not a slam-drunk candidate out there (anymore). Maybe a steward to hold the fort for a little while until the next slam-dunk appears is the way to do it.
"Every time you go to that cook-off you get drunk as a poet on payday!"
He’s also one of the few people I could see convincing LJ to stay on (no facts to support this, just a hunch).
cough cough
"Woop woop." - Waylon Jennings
by ReadingRambler on Nov 29, 2011 10:28 AM EST up reply actions
Is it the religion about Dungy that bothers you?
Or is it just his personality? His coaching style? Just wondering. I’ve seen a lot of strong opinions against him (Chris as well) and didn’t know what it was about him that drew that kind of ire. (I don’t think he would be a good hire, by the way….but just was wondering).
Does he still have eligibility?
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#OccupyESPN
Follow @134Lounge
He's a tough, hard working, character guy
And he did a heck of a job turning around UB when he was with them.
by bbpennstate10 on Nov 28, 2011 3:06 PM EST up reply actions
Agreed
I was impressed when he brought UB into State College; thought he did a nice job in resurrecting a program.
But, man, he was a disaster at Kansas. And that’s a place with pretty low expectations to begin with, the Mangino years aside.
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 3:07 PM EST up reply actions
Gill
Is from Texas and played at Nebraska and can invade those areas for recruits.
by bbpennstate10 on Nov 28, 2011 3:13 PM EST up reply actions
The only thing he invaded
for his recruits were dumpsters. As TS said, he was an unmitigated disaster at Kansas.
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
For reference, I watched that team play live this year.
Texas isn’t even good and they won something like 45-0. They barely had to field a defense, Kansas shot themselves in the foot so much.
@JPosnanski - I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Nov 28, 2011 3:42 PM EST up reply actions
But how much of this can be attributed to coaching at Kansas?
I can see Kansas having a larger handicap vs. the rest of the Big 12 than Buffalo vs. the rest of the MAC. I don’t follow Kansas anything, but I was surprised to hear he was fired after just 2 years, given how high everyone was on him when he was hired. Was it really that big of a disaster given Kansas’s historical level of achievement?
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 3:53 PM EST up reply actions
I can remember back in late 2007 someone in the crowd at a College Gameday taping held up a sign that read:
“Kansas Football: A Tradition Since September”
I’ve always gotten a little laugh out of that.
Run.
by Bob Sacamano on Nov 28, 2011 3:56 PM EST up reply actions
Kansas, like Missouri,
had entered that “more good than not” range in their conference, capped off with a BCS invite in 2007 to the Orange Bowl (where they beat an elite #5 VT squad).
For them to go from BCS in 07 and another bowl win in 08 to worst team in D1 is a quick fall.
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
I totally forgot about that Orange Bowl season
I guess that answers the ancient question, “If Kansas wins a bowl game, does anybody care?”
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 4:00 PM EST up reply actions
As someone connected with UB
I’ll always love him, but the past two years at Kansas have been something worse than a calamity.
I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
Black Shoe Diaries
@runthedive
It would get
him off the air.
He completed 17 of individuals 26 passes for 192 lanscaping your yard and two touchdowns - Chan Luu
I am still having a hard time dealing with this hole "coaching search" thing.
I am generally positive about things in general, but anytime a possible coach is mentioned all I can think of is why they wouldn’t be good.
Can Joe reapply for the job next year?
by bbpennstate10 on Nov 28, 2011 3:52 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
They did say any and all applicants can apply
Which would be hysterical if he did.
by AriesGD on Nov 28, 2011 3:54 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Perhaps instead of what candidates we want,
it would be more fun to list the ones we DO NOT WANT. Saw a few mentioned here, so allow me to start:
Dave Wannstedt
Mark May
Rich Kotite
Rich Rodriguez
Isiah Thomas (sure it’s basketball, but whatevs)
Any coaches named Bowden who aren’t Bobby
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 3:55 PM EST reply actions
Chris Grovich.
HATERZ GONNA HATE!
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 3:56 PM EST up reply actions
Oh, fine, no A-11 offense for you ingrates.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 4:15 PM EST up reply actions
It's like the wild Lion
But with 11 punters on the field at once.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 5:13 PM EST up reply actions
So you're saying you would take Bobby?
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 3:57 PM EST up reply actions
No
but at least he’s a coaching icon, unlike, you know, his offspring.
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 28, 2011 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
Jay Paterno
Although, I would LOVE for one of you guys to do a post presenting Jay as a viable candidate on here. Satire at its highest level.
I wouldn't trust old rooster me neither.
His last name is Paterno
so that’s good for 200 wins or so
Formerly known as kmart93
Black Shoe Diaries
Lane Kiffin
Pete Carroll
Anybody with the last name Ryan
Leach
Schiano
GERG
Let's go State
Beat Wisconsin!
Detroit hated him, but until this year, they haven't been close to as good as the Fontes' teams since
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, until PSU sees them in basketball and wrestling
Beat Wisconsin
I actually always kind of liked those Fontes era Lions teams.
I think that mostly had to do with Barry Sanders, though.
Ew, she's presenting like a mandrill!
Jimmy Johnson
Barry Switzer
Gary Moeller
Ron Meyer
Jackie Sherrill
Mike Archer
John Jenkins
Gerry Faust
Ted Tollner
Paul Hackett
Mike Gottfried
Ew, she's presenting like a mandrill!
You think Dave Bliss would want to coach some football?
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 5:09 PM EST up reply actions
I was just trying to come up with as many
bad and/or dirty/douchebag coaches from the 80’s as I could from the top of my head.
Ew, she's presenting like a mandrill!
I think I'm still in denial.
Like Joe is just on vacation or something.
That said, I don’t trust Joyner and the BOT not to focus more on the PR aspect than the football aspect. If they can get someone who fulfills both, I’ll be ecstatic. But I’m not really that optimistic.
by michellemtsu on Nov 28, 2011 3:55 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
I heard Anthony Morrelli is getting some coaching experience at his old high school
He could be a leading candidate next year as well!
If that's the case, it looks like we'll be going deep all day everyday.
Run.
by Bob Sacamano on Nov 28, 2011 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
Morrelli telling McGloin to go "derp" every play!
by bbpennstate10 on Nov 28, 2011 3:59 PM EST up reply actions
Jeff George stopped
by to say Whaddup!
He completed 17 of individuals 26 passes for 192 lanscaping your yard and two touchdowns - Chan Luu
Anybody down for some Marty ball next year?
I know the dude is old but he reminds me of Joe in a lot of ways.
This has the ancillary benefit of guaranteeing positive coverage from E$PN
and giving me a chance to use “ancillary”
That which we are, WE ARE...PENN STATE.
Forever.
by Nittany_Ryan on Nov 28, 2011 4:05 PM EST up reply actions
You severely overestimate my abilities.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 4:29 PM EST up reply actions
Here's the first part of the trip, FYI.
Aircraft Cessna Citation Excel (twin-jet)
Origin Cent II Rgnl Arpt (KBMI – track or info)
Destination University Park (KUNV – track or info)
Date Monday, November 28 2011
Duration 1 hour 20 minutes
Status Landed over 7 hours ago
Departure 06:30AM CST 07:05AM CST
Arrival 08:50AM EST 09:25AM EST
Could be a million things, obviously. Or Illinois could want to get back into the Larry Johnson business. Or Bradley. Or nothing.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 4:34 PM EST up reply actions
Could be Fitzgerald, no?
@JPosnanski - I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Nov 28, 2011 4:51 PM EST up reply actions
Wouldn't he be flying out of Chicago?
"Every time you go to that cook-off you get drunk as a poet on payday!"
Not if they're trying to keep things under wraps.
@JPosnanski - I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Nov 28, 2011 5:41 PM EST up reply actions
Oh. Oh.
Urban Meyer drove from Columbus to Illinois to get on the Cessna and interview at Penn State.
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 5:50 PM EST up reply actions
YES!
@JPosnanski - I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Nov 28, 2011 9:04 PM EST up reply actions
Actually, there is a better way to keep any flight under wraps.
The callsign is DCM, or Dotcom, and it is based in Hamden, CT. They file flight plans with the FAA and as an ancillary service, you can use their callsign. So, for example, if you were the owner of that N592CF and you didn’t want anyone to be able to track your tail number, you file with Dotcom and they will assign you a number for the flight like DCM101.
I’ve seen a DCM call sign on private aircraft from King Airs to G5s and everything in between. It is a genius business model and one I wish I had thought of. It could all be done out of your home using a single PC.
Of course, this wouldn’t preclude a search like Chris did here on Flight Aware, which was probably city to city, but if the result had been DCM245 instead of N592CF, it might not have even piqued your interest. It’s a great service for guys who don’t want the first wife to know they are meeting the future trophy wife in Vegas.
By the way, N592CF was built in 2001. Here is the ownership info:
Name CC SERVICES INC
Street 1701 TOWANDA AVE
City BLOOMINGTON State ILLINOIS
County MCLEAN Zip Code 61701-2057
Country UNITED STATES
CC Services Company Description
CC Services is out to secure its clients against life’s little mishaps. Also known as COUNTRY Financial, and operating through its COUNTRY Life and COUNTRY Mutual Insurance businesses, the company provides insurance services, including life, property/casualty, farm and ranch, disability and other traditional insurance products. Its COUNTRY Trust Bank and COUNTRY Capital Management units offer retirement planning, investment advice, asset management, and mutual funds. True to its agricultural roots, it still offers such farm-related products as crop insurance. CC Services traces its roots back to 1925, when a group of agricultural workers created a fire and lightning insurance company.
CEO John Blackburn
Blackburn earned a bachelor’s degree in English and physical education from Western Illinois University in Macomb and a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield. He also furthered his education and received the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) insurance designation.
With a Dotcom callsign, I would have found none of this..
Or a recruiting visit to Tommy Schutt.
Who plays in Illinois.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 5:14 PM EST up reply actions
DON"T SPOIL OUR FUN
Zook for Jay. Straight up.
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 5:21 PM EST up reply actions
I'm not usually one to discourage this sort of thing
But I’m not ready to be checking flightaware yet. Gimme 45 minutes.
I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
Black Shoe Diaries
@runthedive
EMBRACE THE CHAOS.
Flight’s in the air! I wish Jay Paterno the very best in coaching the Illini next year!
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 5:01 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe it's a swap!
Plane came down with the Zooker this morning. He spent half the day interviewing, the other half water skiiing at Stone Valley. On the way back they took Bradley and Johnson. Zook had to drive home.
Jay was on the plane that went from KUNV to Akron this morning. McQueary was on the one to FLL — drowning his sorrows on Miami Beach.
And I heard Zook said
if Penn State builds one of those teacup rides in the Lasch building, he’s in!
"God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy"
If we go the coordinator route
and it isn’t TB, then Bud Foster has turned out some damn fine defenses at VaTech.
{Insert absurd 40 times here}
Why not Jim Tressel?
At the risk of getting utterly flamed, why not? The guy was incredibly successful at tOSU, evidently recruited well, brought in great assistants, etc. OK, there’s the Tattoogate thing, but a lot of people seemed to think he took one for Ohio State, argument could be made he’s learned his lesson. OK, he’s almost 60, but if we’re seriously considering Tony Dungy, he’s not much younger. Tressel’s “Tresselball” style fits PSU, lotta defense and just enough offense.
I’d be happy with Tressel, especially if he’d groom an assistant over the next 5 years or so that could take over when he retires for good.
by 84lion on Nov 28, 2011 4:31 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I'm gonna go kill myself now.
"Woop woop." - Waylon Jennings
by ReadingRambler on Nov 28, 2011 4:33 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
Because there's an extremely high probability he'll be hit with a show cause penalty by the NCAA
I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
Black Shoe Diaries
@runthedive
Well yeah
I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
Black Shoe Diaries
@runthedive
Why not just burn Beaver Stadium down
and pee in the ashes?
'Why would she have you meet her in a bar at ten in the morning?'
'I just figured she was a raging alcoholic'
by psuphysicist on Nov 28, 2011 5:03 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Heh.
I would enjoy this, actually.
Be the change you wish to see in the world.
Follow @semicorrect
I recall John Nichols being a good man.
by Chris Grovich on Nov 28, 2011 6:27 PM EST up reply actions
Russ Rose is the man
He is a tough guy, knows what he wants and goes after it full force. I feel that him being on the comittee is a great thing for PSU, he has been here for over 30 years himself. And if anyone can look at someone and assess talent and ability, it certainly is big Russ.
Dude won back to back to back to back
national championships, and brings in the top recruiting class every year. Plus, he’s funny as hell with a very dry sense of humor.
it’s become clear to me:
RUSS ROSE FOR NEW FOOTBALL HEAD COACH!
by Tailgate Shogun on Nov 29, 2011 7:39 AM EST up reply actions
Tip drills just got a whole lot more intense
I'm on the Internet cause I'm an Internet thug.
#OccupyESPN
Follow @134Lounge
What about Vic Koenning?
If not head coach, do you think we could get him as a DC(assuming new head coach doesn’t have somebody else in mind)? He’s done a decent job at Illinois, and I wouldn’t blame this year’s collapse on him as much as the offense and Zook.
By the way, nice evaluation Chris
I found your article to be exactly what I was hoping to learn about potential hires.
That was Peter.
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by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 28, 2011 7:41 PM EST up reply actions
---
I saw a girl crying tonight. When I asked why she said: "Because everybody lost."
Black Shoe Diaries
@runthedive
by Peter Gray on Nov 28, 2011 7:44 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
Why didn't Florida hire him?
Seems like a jerk to me watching the ‘Dan Mullen Show’ on Sports South.
Mullen is an excellent coach.
Would be an excellent hire.
I think - Throw caution to the wind.
My ideal scenario would be the announcement that Mullen has accepted the head coach position. Then, he would announce that Tom Bradley and his defensive coordinators have agreed to stay with the program. After meeting with the team, he would then say that he was flying out to Chicago to join Tom on the recruiting circuit. That would get me truly excited.
There just cannot be many better choices than Dan Mullen. He’s been the offensive coordinator on undefeated and national championship teams and can develop quarterbacks (which is exactly what we need). He has that high-octane personality that his players like and recruits respond to.
Five of the six Mississippi State losses this year were to top 15 teams. Those include: #1 LSU, #2 Alabama, #8 Arkansas, #12 South Carolina, #14 Georgia. They also had an early loss at Auburn in an exciting, close seesaw game. How much better would we have done, even though we have much better players, against that schedule?
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