Hating on the $EC - Mostly Alabama (and a little Georgia too)

[FanFromCali]

Rough game for Georgia. Poor play calling and a bad showing on defense. That said, Auburn is for real. When that team is "on" they look like the best team in college football. The Iron Bowl is going to be very interesting.

In any case, the path to the playoffs for Georgia is now clear: they absolutely have to win out.

All that said, it still feels weird talking about the playoffs. This season is definitely beyond my expectations. All I wanted/expected was maybe a trip to the SEC Championship and believed the team was at least year a way from competing for the playoffs. However, with this coaching staff and the recruiting classes they are bringing in competing for the playoffs (and a championship) might be the new normal for Georgia. It feels good.

[whodean]

Dan Mullen should be at the top of every coaching wish list. Not sure he wants to leave Starkville though.

[AlabamAlum]

Yeah, he was Urban's OC and he has done a commendable job at MissState. I hope some non-SEC team hires him because he would be dangerous at Tennessee or Florida.

[CGVT]

After yesterday's results, it appears that Georgia may have been over rated...


Georgia's only good win was an early season win over Notre Damn. Other than that, they played a cupcake SEC East schedule and then they were dismantled by Auburn while Notre Dame was being bitch-slapped by Miami yesterday.

[AlabamAlum]

I don't think they were the number one team, but I don't think Georgia is as bad as they played yesterday vs Auburn.

Just as I don't think how Ohio State played vs Iowa, or Michigan played against Penn State, or Notre Dame played vs Miami is indicative of their true strength.

Auburn, right now, is playing the best ball in the SEC. It's gonna be a gut punch if/when they beat Bama and take our lunch money and go to Atlanta in our place. Just a huge Iron Bowl.

[AlabamAlum]

With yesterday's win, Bama now has 10 double-digit win seasons in a row under Saban. It is crazy hard to have that kind of consistency. Saban is indeed worth every cent.

[Da Geezer]

Dan Mullen should be at the top of every coaching wish list. Not sure he wants to leave Starkville though.

I beg to differ. Everyone wants to leave Starkville.

[AlabamAlum]

Butch officially out at Tennessee. Hoke to be interim. Heh.

https://sports.yahoo.com/reports-tennessee-fires-butch-jones-171158084.html

[whodean]

I beg to differ. Everyone wants to leave Starkville.

Every successful head coach says he's happy where he is, of course, but with Mullen there is actually truth to it.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2017/10/29/dan-mullen-florida-why-he-may-stay-mississippi-state/811855001/

That partially explains why Mullen is now in his ninth year in Starkville. He has turned the MSU head coach position into a good job, and the natural career path is to keep climbing higher, but where can he go without openings at the premiere spots? Alabama, Ohio State and other top-10 coaching destinations haven't been in the market for a new face of the program lately.

But there are other reasons why he wouldn?t leave Mississippi State even if he was offered a comparable position or one slightly better than his current one.

"I'm in a great position here," Mullen said on Monday. "I have had my hand in how the facility has been built. We've been able to recruit the kind of players we want to recruit for our system."

Mullen enjoys his life in Starkville and he is not eyeing other opportunities, sources close to the MSU program said. That doesn't mean he wouldn't listen to a new offer from elsewhere, though.

Mullen said he was "really happy here" and "hadn't really thought much about" the Florida job. He added that the rumors aren't as much of a distraction this time around as they were in the past.

"I don't like to speculate on that stuff," Mullen said. I've been here long enough, everybody knows that as the year goes on it gets into that silly season of who's going where and what's going to happen. Our focus is completely on UMass, which has to be because it's an excellent football team. And I'm very happy with what we're building here. We're building a great future at Mississippi State."

Really, what?s there not to like if you?re Mullen?

Mullen is the 14th-highest paid coach in the country at $4.5 million this year, according to USA TODAY?s database, published last week. Mullen, a big believer in quality of life for coaches and student-athletes, isn?t dealing with the same expectations as many of his counterparts are on that level, either. For example, Mullen inked a four-year contract extension in the spring after finishing 6-7 the previous season (McElwain, the guy who was just canned, went 9-4 last season, won back-to-back SEC East titles and was right behind Mullen on this year's salary list).

The reasons continue, though. Mullen has good relationships with MSU?s administration, including president Mark Keenum and athletic director John Cohen. Mullen said he has"unbelievable" support from Cohen, the school's former baseball coach. One of Cohen's first decisions was to extend Mullen.

Those around MSU also say Mullen is very high on the possibilities for next year?s team at MSU ? which makes sense, considering this year?s team looks destined for a 9-3 finish and won?t graduate many starters ? and his current recruiting class.

More: The Mississippi State Exit Survey: Bulldogs beat Texas A&M, and here comes the Bama hype

And while Mullen downplays personal accolades, the idea of surpassing Jackie Sherrill as the all-time winningest MSU head football coach holds some weight to him. Mullen, who is 67-44, needs nine more wins to claim the top spot.

All of that is nice. MSU is a good job and Mullen has made his name synonymous with the program. But can Mullen win a national championship with the Bulldogs?

That said, if Florida backs up a Brinks truck he'll probably listen.

[whodean]

Butch officially out at Tennessee. Hoke to be interim. Heh.

https://sports.yahoo.com/reports-ten...171158084.html

With the Missouri defeat, Tennessee?s most recent games against all 13 other SEC teams is a loss.

Amazing feat.

[AlabamAlum]

I think he's gone, I just hope it's outta the SEC. MissState is a have-not school. Easily the poorest in the SEC and the toughest to recruit to. What he has done is impressive.

[AlabamAlum]

[ame]https://youtu.be/_VofvET27ZY[/ame]

[Hannibal]

Eh -- we'll see about Mullen. He is supposedly happy where he is, but I don't remember hearing about many teams making a serious run at him.

[froot loops]

Always remember in these cases that coaching success transferring to another program is a risky proposition.

[Cody_Russell]

Chip Kelly to Florida is the wish for fans there and is a trendy pick. Kelly must go somewhere because ESPN analysts like him don’t last over a year.

Apparently, Tennessee people really are into the Gruden idea... as in it would ever happen.

Tennessee Vols Football - Official Jon Gruden Thread 33

http://www.volnation.com/forum/tennessee-vols-football/283330-official-jon-gruden-thread-33-a.html#post14538821