Mullen is shockingly bad at late game management

[57stratdawg]

It's his weakest characteristic as a coach.

It's 20-14, USA has 1st&G with 3:36 to go. MSU has all three timeouts. At this point, USA's goal is to kill clock. They have 4 plays, plenty of timeouts and plenty of time. Mullen has to use some TO on D here to save some clock. Even if it's only one, it would add almost a minute to the game clock after kickoff. It's a total failure on his part and really shows a lack of understanding of game situation. I'm fine with wanting to 'see what happens' on a down or two, but you can't leave yourself so exposed.

Instead, the clock runs after 1st and 2nd down, then USA scores with :57 17ing seconds left. Great job saving all three timeouts now that we're down to a handful of plays regardless.

MSU basically ran out of time with timeouts remaining. Sound familiar?

 

[TBone.sixpack]

Who discusses this type of thing with him? If he has full autonomy and is never given areas of improvement then we are to blame for letting someone self manage every aspect of the program.

I doubt Stricklin has the stones to do this.

 

[rugbdawg]

You are 100% correct. However, Mullen's cocky, pompous, ******* response would be "we got a 28 yard FG to win the game, how much closer do we need to be?"

 

[ronpolk]

You are 100% correct. However, Mullen's cocky, pompous, ******* response would be "we got a 28 yard FG to win the game, how much closer do we need to be?"

Is that not kinda true? I mean we really should have kicked the FG with only a second or 2 left.

With that said, I would have liked him to use the timeouts while USA was about to punch it in.

 

[basedawg]

It's his weakest characteristic as a coach.

It's 20-14, USA has 1st&G with 3:36 to go. MSU has all three timeouts. At this point, USA's goal is to kill clock. They have 4 plays, plenty of timeouts and plenty of time. Mullen has to use some TO on D here to save some clock. Even if it's only one, it would add almost a minute to the game clock after kickoff. It's a total failure on his part and really shows a lack of understanding of game situation. I'm fine with wanting to 'see what happens' on a down or two, but you can't leave yourself so exposed.

Instead, the clock runs after 1st and 2nd down, then USA scores with :57 17ing seconds left. Great job saving all three timeouts now that we're down to a handful of plays regardless.

MSU basically ran out of time with timeouts remaining. Sound familiar?

i kept saying call time out. It's a mystery to me what he was thinking. I thought it was dumb as not trying to establish a run game early in the game.

 

[rugbdawg]

It's not true at all. We had been horrible on kickoff returns. How did he know that they would kick it out of bounds?

More importantly, we could have scored a TD instead of kicking a FG.

 

[57stratdawg]

Probably, but lets take it a step further. We get the ball to the 19 with :19 seconds to go and one timeout. We should have tried the FG then with a TO left. That way if the snap sucks, you can fall on it and try again.

Instead we ran a play to center the FG (which we 17'ed up, BTW) and ended up on the left hash.

 

[Wizard.sixpack]

that off-sides penalty killed us after that sack that would have put them at 3rd and 15..

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Perhaps the biggest play of the game

4and 16 vs 3rd and 3.

And then there was the 28 yd FG.

 

[121Josey]

4and 16 vs 3rd and 3.

That is incorrect.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Well excuse me, what was it then?

...

 

[Apoplectic_Objurgator]

Who discusses this type of thing with him? If he has full autonomy and is never given areas of improvement then we are to blame for letting someone self manage every aspect of the program.

I doubt Stricklin has the stones to do this.

and certainly not our nutless media guys - mullen has them scared to ask a tough question. if you are paying for a "service" you are getting screwed and better off reading this board.

 

[TBone.sixpack]

I think my question is valid. Who manages Dan? If he is unmanageable then we either need a new AD or a new coach.

All it would take is one demand from Stricklin...Hevesy and Sallach have to go and be replaced with competent recruiters at their positions. I think Dan would walk before he obliged which answers the question.

I have been a fervent Mullen supporter but his unwillingness to adapt and change based off the program's needs have changed my feeling for him.

 

[MedDawg]

Probably, but lets take it a step further. We get the ball to the 19 with :19 seconds to go and one timeout. We should have tried the FG then with a TO left. That way if the snap sucks, you can fall on it and try again.

Instead we ran a play to center the FG (which we 17'ed up, BTW) and ended up on the left hash.

We ran it to the middle, forward progress was stopped in the middle, and then the defenders pushed/carried our runner to the hash. The ball should have been placed in the middle.

I noticed that when it happened and got a bad feeling before our kick. I've seen our kickers before kick from the hashmark straight down the field instead of toward the center, and that's exactly what happened.

 

[121Josey]

Probably, but lets take it a step further. We get the ball to the 19 with :19 seconds to go and one timeout. We should have tried the FG then with a TO left. That way if the snap sucks, you can fall on it and try again.

Instead we ran a play to center the FG (which we 17'ed up, BTW) and ended up on the left hash.

You should watch the replay or check the transcript (or my earlier thread about this ). We got the ball with two timeouts and :19. We ran the exact same play twice, burned both timeouts, didn't get the ball where we wanted it.

 

[the dog is on the loose]

I've been reading all the posts on here and I agree with most. I have giving Mullen the benefit of the doubt until last night. I am now done with him. This idiot makes freaking 4 mil a year to stand on the sidelines and look like he doesn't give a crap anymore. Then please leave!! He is so damn predictable that i KNEW he was going to run our little 160 lb guy up the middle on the first freaking play of the game! I'm so sick of him playing upper class men instead of more talented players. WHY!!! He is freaking bullheaded. While I agree he's done a lot for this program, I still don't think he is the best we ever had. With the exception of his last three years, JWS was. And one more thing. If the players like DW better than fitz then tell me if fitz gets better and is the better qb then will the players play without as much enthusiasm? Are they going to play to win then? I've said it since day one that DW ain't no freaking qb and would probably be third string at vandy. I just wished Mullen would pack his crap and leave after this season

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

You don't think the penalty that gave them what would probably be a less than 10% chance of success of scoring a TD was the biggest play of the game?

 

[KurtRambis4]

Bitching about

where the ball was placed on the FG is *****, bs. The kicker has to make that short kick, 100% of the time, regardless of where it's lined up.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

This place has run amuck!

 

[patdog]

There were a lot of "biggest plays in the game." And they all went USA's way. As poorly as we played, and as poorly as we were coached. 9 times out of 10, we still win that game. There was that play (he was clearly offsides), the safety that turned into a 40+ yard gain, a tackle in the backfield on a USA lineman that somehow wasn't called, Dam Williams taking a sack to turn a 36-yard FG into a 46-yard FG, the perfectly thrown ball for a TD when the guy was triple covered. And, of course, the missed FG.

 

[Bulldogg31]

If we make the kick then his clock management was fine.

 

[DawgsOnTheWing]

I agree completely. But the point is if you are making the effort to position yourself for a game winner, why not do the simple thing to position the ball in the middle of the field to give the kicker the best opportunity to make the kick? DW should have slid down when he got to the middle of the field. Not only did he get pushed to the left hash, he also risked fumbling the ball in the scrum. DW should have know to do it, and the coaches should have been making sure he knew to do it.

 

[57stratdawg]

Thats exactly what I said.

I assume you're confused because I said we had one time out. Don't worry, we know you spend most of your time on here confused about matters being discussed.

 

[The Riddler]

Yeah me make that kick and the clock management is fine. We miss it and not so much. All coaching decisions are ultimately judged by how they work out on the field. Everything works on a white dry erase board when your drawing it up.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

There was absolutely nothing wrong with where that ball was placed!

 

[121Josey]

You don't think the penalty that gave them what would probably be a less than 10% chance of success of scoring a TD was the biggest play of the game?

1) The play of the game is missing that safety. 2) The offsides happened on 2nd down. 3) Never take Karl's side in an argument.

 

[121Josey]

Thats exactly what I said.

I assume you're confused because I said we had one time out. Don't worry, we know you spend most of your time on here confused about matters being discussed.

Sorry. You're either confused or hung over or illiterate or combination of all of the above. Try the FG on 1st down with 19 seconds, from the right-hash? Dubmass

We were at the 19 with :19 on 1st Down with two timouts. The only thing I was confused on was whether UT was the "clear-cut favorite" to win the SEC East.

Probably, but lets take it a step further. We get the ball to the 19 with :19 seconds to go and one timeout. We should have tried the FG then with a TO left. That way if the snap sucks, you can fall on it and try again.

Instead we ran a play to center the FG (which we 17'ed up, BTW) and ended up on the left hash.

• [h=3]1st and 10 at USA 19[/h](0:19 - 4th) Damian Williams run for 2 yds to the SAlab 17
  
• (0:12 - 4th) Timeout MISSISSIPPI ST, clock 00:12
  
• [h=3]2nd and 8 at USA 17[/h](0:09 - 4th) Damian Williams run for 6 yds to the SAlab 11
  
• (0:09 - 4th) Timeout MISSISSIPPI ST, clock 00:09
  
• [h=3]3rd and 2 at USA 11[/h](0:06 - 4th) Westin Graves 28 yd FG MISSED SOUTH ALABAMA Penalty, Unsportsmanlike Conduct (10 Yards) to the SAlab 10
  

 

[121Josey]

where the ball was placed on the FG is *****, bs. The kicker has to make that short kick, 100% of the time, regardless of where it's lined up.

Yeah, kickers are pussies. Let's intentionally not place the ball in the middle of the field. It doesn't matter that the kicker missed one from that side of the field the previous drive. They should make every FG inside the 50 with the game on the line, no matter the pressure or where the ball is.**

 

[57stratdawg]

Yeah me make that kick and the clock management is fine. We miss it and not so much. All coaching decisions are ultimately judged by how they work out on the field. Everything works on a white dry erase board when your drawing it up.

'The clock management is masked' is probably a better way to phrase it. I really try not to judge Mullen's decisions on what ultimately happens. I try to judge the decision based on the information available at that time.

He should have known using a TO on D could double our time with the ball. Just because we got a FG attempt out of it, doesn't mean we didn't make a mistake.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

'The clock management is masked' is probably a better way to phrase it. I really try not to judge Mullen's decisions on what ultimately happens. I try to judge the decision based on the information available at that time.

He should have known using a TO on D could double our time with the ball. Just because we got a FG attempt out of it, doesn't mean we didn't make a mistake.

Well said, Strat. And to Tbone's point there has to be someone in the HC's ear cautioning, reiterating, & simply relaying time management info in crunch time. This person is removed emotionally from the game.

 

[The Riddler]

I agree that he should be judged by the information he has at the time of a decision. However for most of our fan base the results matter far more than the process used to make the decision. The mistake he made there was not his mistake. Damien Williams has to
know stay in the middle of the field to step up the most makeable kick possible. It really is a game of inches the ball being on that hash turned out to be costly. You will hear people say it was a short kick that he should of made. Since when has state been reliable kicking? We need, from the head coach on down, for everybody to know we have got to put our kickers in the best possible position.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

I agree that he should be judged by the information he has at the time of a decision. However for most of our fan base the results matter far more than the process used to make the decision. The mistake he made there was not his mistake. Damien Williams has to
know stay in the middle of the field to step up the most makeable kick possible. It really is a game of inches the ball being on that hash turned out to be costly. You will hear people say it was a short kick that he should of made. Since when has state been reliable kicking? We need, from the head coach on down, for everybody to know we have got to put our kickers in the best possible position.

You're asking too much of 18-21 yr olds, whom many have no business attending an institution of higher learning, save their athletic prowess. That said, the QB should know as much. Saturday, he didn't have a clue. That's as much on coaching as it is on himself.

 

[The Riddler]

Not trying to start an arguement or be disrespectful in anyway. I hate when people make the arguement they are just kids. They are kids given opportunities that most other kids can only dream in terms of exposure and free college. They should be held to a higher standard both on and off the field. I know they are young but learn your craft man. That's a little thing to know it that situation. If we can't get the little stuff right how do we ever expect to get the big stuff right. I do agree with you that somebody on the sideline should have been telling him ok you have to stay in the middle of the field on these short runs in this situation. That's on the coaches for not making sure he was completely understanding the situation. You can say it shouldn't have come down to that but ball not on the hash we win.

 

[triton28]

I think my question is valid. Who manages Dan? If he is unmanageable then we either need a new AD or a new coach.

All it would take is one demand from Stricklin...Hevesy and Sallach have to go and be replaced with competent recruiters at their positions. I think Dan would walk before he obliged which answers the question.

I have been a fervent Mullen supporter but his unwillingness to adapt and change based off the program's needs have changed my feeling for him.

good question. Typically people learn how to coach before they hit the sec west. With that not being the case here maybe he could call one of the other coaches in the league making 5 million and get them to teach him.

 

[triton28]

You are 100% correct. However, Mullen's cocky, pompous, ******* response would be "we got a 28 yard FG to win the game, how much closer do we need to be?"

And was generally pleased with special teams play

 

[patdog]

All coaching decisions are ultimately judged by how they work out on the field.

Not true. Sometimes, bad decisions will work out OK and sometimes good decisions will fail. If we make that kick, a bad decision worked out OK. Doesn't change the fact it's a bad decision.

 

[rugbdawg]

To answer your question about the kicking, we were excellent in FG kicking last year.