You can't just selectively play the what if game to turn the close losses to wins. Sure we had bad luck in those games. But we had some damn good luck in some of the others (especially the LA Tech game). Over the course of the season, the luck pretty much evened out, as it usually does and will going forward.
Thunder & Lightning: Did Mississippi State Make the Right Move in Extending Mike
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It's not remotely about turning close losses to wins. It's about judging a coach on results that go deeper than just a superficial look at W/L record.
HOld up. Who gives a **** what his winning percentage is, at any stop, other than MSU? That is right, no one. If Nick Saban himself came to coach MSU, and went 5-7 I would be pissed.
Every season is sink or swim. Coaches do not get really any grace period anymore. We are an SEC team. Time to start recruiting like one and winning more than 3 SEC games a year.
So you want us to do something that we've never really done? Especially at the beginning of a new era that makes it even less likely that we do so? Pretty high expectations.
However, that said, I do think there is a way to add this 'SEC talent' to our roster. It's quite simple - do what Leach is already doing, adding 2-3 players each year that are 4-star talents, and stuck on Alabama/Georgia/LSU/Texas A&M/etc's bench, out of the transfer portal. It's not a strategy that anyone recommends, that's why it's perfect for MSU. We have to go after the areas where no one else is looking.
1) MS and surrounding areas overlooked players;
2) MS JUCOs:
3) 4 star portal players as I mentioned above.
All of those things with a niche offense, and playing solid defense. That's our strategy in football. Cohen knows it.
In basketball we can go after slightly better prospects and compete, probably add in those transfers from the G5 that don't work (i.e. get your *** kicked) in football.
In baseball we can compete with the best, outside of those high-NIL level transfers.
Leach is going to be what he’s always been…..
Chaotic, both in good and bad ways. He’s generally a high floor, low ceiling coach. You probably aren’t ever winning the West with this guy but he’s going to be competitive against 99% of the league and slay a blue blood or two every year (he also is good for a WTF loss most years). Expect consistent bowl teams and then out of nowhere he’ll pop a 10 or 11 win season like he did in ‘08 and ‘18.
Winning an Egg Bowl or two would shut up a lot of the grumbling within our fanbase, but if that’s the only game you’re using to evaluate him then in my opinion you’re not using the right metrics.
Chaotic, both in good and bad ways. He’s generally a high floor, low ceiling coach. You probably aren’t ever winning the West with this guy but he’s going to be competitive against 99% of the league and slay a blue blood or two every year (he also is good for a WTF loss most years). Expect consistent bowl teams and then out of nowhere he’ll pop a 10 or 11 win season like he did in ‘08 and ‘18.
Winning an Egg Bowl or two would shut up a lot of the grumbling within our fanbase, but if that’s the only game you’re using to evaluate him then in my opinion you’re not using the right metrics.
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1st game of season. We started strong with a 14-point lead, then stumbled through the middle, only to finish strong. Overcame a 20-point deficit in the 4th Q. Also, 4 turnovers didn't help. Keep in mind, this was just year 2 in Leach's system. Let's not forget Covid-related issues.
No doubt, we did not look good that day, but I do think it is important to note it was the first game and guys were still learning the system. Besides, again, I choose to judge him overall with regard to how he positioned us to either win or lose close games we should have won. I do this because I think the close losses will be fewer & farther between as our guys get more reps in the system.
And again, with the NIL BS and the loosened transfer rules I think we are going to be very glad we have a coach who has proven again & again that he can do more with less.
He might have been a better AD than head coach and I don't know if he should have been let go as AD in '66 but he made a nice recovery being Oklahoma's AD from 1971 to 1985.
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