Where it went wrong

[MaroonSadness99]

I tried to put some thoughts together about what’s wrong with this football team. Some of these things were known before the season and we as fans and local media overlooked them for some reason.

MISSISSIPPI STATE FOOTBALL 2023

• Rogers-> square peg round hole

Wright not used properly

• No Dillion Johnson

Woody can’t handle the full workload

• TE position

Goede stinks, Spivey inelligible, Ellis is not a TE

• OL was unable to transition schemes

Why 2 OL coaches?

• WRs have not been put in position to make plays

Talent is there, but not being utilized

• No pass rush

Why did we not get a pass rusher in the portal?

• LBs-> slow

talent not quite where it needs to be

• Secondary -> absolutely putrid

What happened to Decam?

Not able to replace last years departures

• Barbay

whiffed on this hire.

Why did we make a complete 180 on philosophy?

I thought we were going to run our offense to our personnel’s strengths

• Brock-> how is he this bad?

Arnett should be calling defense

• Arnett-> what happened?

obviously wasn’t ready

Why doesn’t he take back over on defense?

He has no fire about him. Not the same guy that was DC.

 

[Ibdancin]

So may I summarize? They got to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[civildawg88]

I honestly don't understand why Arnett hasn't fired Brock and taken over the defense. At least try to save your job

 

[Shmuley]

How to make a bad hire and then make it worse:

1. Let emotions take control of the process;
2. Let the tyranny of the urgent have its head ("save the recruiting class!111!!!111");
3. Project leadership qualities onto the inexperienced and see in them characteristics that are not there.
4. Compound the error by refusing to acknowledge that the hire was really bad.
5. Extra credit for putting a green horn AD in place and expecting decisiveness. Watch two programs suffer.

 

[Mjoelner]

How to make a bad hire and then make it worse:

1. Let emotions take control of the process;
2. Let the tyranny of the urgent have its head ("save the recruiting class!111!!!111");
3. Project leadership qualities onto the inexperienced and see in them characteristics that are not there.
4. Compound the error by refusing to acknowledge that the hire was really bad.
5. Extra credit for putting a green horn AD in place and expecting decisiveness. Watch two programs suffer.

 

[patdog]

How to make a bad hire and then make it worse:

1. Let emotions take control of the process;
2. Let the tyranny of the urgent have its head ("save the recruiting class!111!!!111");
3. Project leadership qualities onto the inexperienced and see in them characteristics that are not there.
4. Compound the error by refusing to acknowledge that the hire was really bad.
5. Extra credit for putting a green horn AD in place and expecting decisiveness. Watch two programs suffer.

It all comes down to lazy leadership at the top. And remember, the same person who blocked the Moorhead firing until after the bowl fiasco, is the same person who made two very mediocre at best hires (I'm being kind), and is calling all the shots today.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

If saving a recruiting class in the age of the portal was any sort of priority, we were doomed by these asshats from the outset.

 

[civildawg88]

Sounds like we need to start a forward bulldogs campaign

 

[KentuckyDawg13]

"Arnett should be calling defense".
Yes.

 

[ckDOG]

Keenum slow played Cohen's replacement.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

It all comes down to lazy leadership at the top. And remember, the same person who blocked the Moorhead firing until after the bowl fiasco, is the same person who made two very mediocre at best hires (I'm being kind), and is calling all the shots today.

I never did agree with you about him until lately.

The right AD candidate was sitting there, easy to see. And we didn't do it. We needed somebody tough in that seat.

 

[Choctaw Dawg]

The most damning stat of all is that we are averaging less points a game in SEC games this year than the Moorhead teams finished the year with.

 

[BoDawg.sixpack]

The most damning stat of all is that we are averaging less points a game in SEC games this year than the Moorhead teams finished the year with.

That's an undeniably disturbing reality.

 

[kired]

• Barbay

whiffed on this hire.

Why did we make a complete 180 on philosophy?

I thought we were going to run our offense to our personnel’s strengths

I'm now thinking we had problems hiring an OC because nobody wanted to work for Arnett. Our earlier targets probably could see the writing on the wall and didn't want to be associated with him. A season like this could really set your career back for an up & coming OC.

 

[ETK99]

I'm now thinking we had problems hiring an OC because nobody wanted to work for Arnett. Our earlier targets probably could see the writing on the wall and didn't want to be associated with him. A season like this could really set your career back for an up & coming OC.

Arnett had no connections and people didn't know him. He was never going to be able to hire a good OC.
But this all started with John Cohen turning his back on all things not baseball, including NIL.

 

[curseddawgs]

I never did agree with you about him until lately.

The right AD candidate was sitting there, easy to see. And we didn't do it. We needed somebody tough in that seat.

Who did you want instead of Selmon?

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

If saving a recruiting class in the age of the portal was any sort of priority, we were doomed by these asshats from the outset.

I think part of the panic hire was caused by other coaches calling our current players and trying to poach them. If you will recall the reverend freeze literally called some our players before Leaches memorial service. I think our people kind of freaked out and panicked.

 

[thatsbaseball]

It all comes down to lazy leadership at the top. And remember, the same person who blocked the Moorhead firing until after the bowl fiasco, is the same person who made two very mediocre at best hires (I'm being kind), and is calling all the shots today.

Well at least our academics......never mind

 

[Dawgzilla2]

"Arnett should be calling defense".
Yes.

I don't think a first year head coach with so little experience needs to be a coordinator as well. I know Mullen did it, but he had more experience and an experienced staff to help him out.

The problem with promoting a good coordinator is that you not only get an unproven head coach, but you also lose a good coordinator. Seems like a lot of fans thought the defense would keep rolling along just because Arnett was still in the locker room.

And speaking of defense, the game plan against Auburn was simply stupid. Auburn was struggling to pass for even 100 yards per game. Thorn threw for over 200 in the first half! We needed to stop the run and pressure the QB, not rush 4 and play zone

Yet another QB had a career day against our D.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I don't think a first year head coach with so little experience needs to be a coordinator as well. I know Mullen did it, but he had more experience and an experienced staff to help him out.

The problem with promoting a good coordinator is that you not only get an unproven head coach, but you also lose a good coordinator. Seems like a lot of fans thought the defense would keep rolling along just because Arnett was still in the locker room.

And speaking of defense, the game plan against Auburn was simply stupid. Auburn was struggling to pass for even 100 yards per game. Thorn threw for over 200 in the first half! We needed to stop the run and pressure the QB, not rush 4 and play zone

Yet another QB had a career day against our D.

I disagree with this completely. When hiring these type of fundamental coaches with an expertise on one side of the ball, I think they should continue that expertise, at least at the G5 or low P5 level, at least until they train the coordinator under them to the point that they are competent. Problem is, most don't stay at that level long enough. Once you get to the blue blood P5, you generally have to let go a little bit. But you absolutely have to lean on what go you there.

There are 3 big ways you can be a head coach - the CEO, the fundamental, and the system. The CEO is never in the playcalling, the system guy does the playcalling, and fundamental is in the middle with some variance.