My thoughts on the OL

[KurtRambis4]

aGAIN, Lashley didn't

go to Alabama thinking he'd never play.

I'm not sure how thing may have worked in your small hometown, but everywhere else, people with his skills don't just go into these situations not caring. That's the bottom line.

 

[patdog]

We will literally NEVER beat them or even compete with them if we can't sign guys like Lashley. That's the recruiting version of a pick-six.

Also I'm tired of people using Ole Miss cheating as an excuse. I have this sneaking feeling in the pit of my stomach that it won't be nearly as bad for them as most of us would like.

We will literally NEVER beat Bama on a consistent bases unless they just 17 up their program horribly no matter what we do.

It won't be as bad as most of us would like, and what I've heard recently from 2 good sources it's not as bad as I would like. But it's going to be bad. Southern Cal bad. Their program is going to be in some serious hurt for several years.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

go to Alabama thinking he'd never play.

I'm not sure how thing may have worked in your small hometown, but everywhere else, people with his skills don't just go into these situations not caring. That's the bottom line.

Thanks Nostradamus. Please tell us what's going through the minds of other people you've never met. Also, while your reading minds, you might want to read my post.

It's so cute how you think I'm from a small town. You know as much about my hometown as you know about Lashley's mindset.

You're the Hevesy of this board. You stay here even though you add nothing.

 

[KurtRambis4]

You mad, bro?

I read your posts, both times you suggested he went to Alabama knowing he'd never play. Hell, you still defend it in this posts, by saying I don't know what he was thinking. That's pretty dumb to suggest that a high quality player would go to a school knowing they'd never play.

So it's ok for you to project the thoughts (however dumb they may be) of a kid, but I can't? Especially given that it's FAR more likely that I'm right.

The only reason I put the "small-town" jab in is because only a moron that has never competed against top-quality would suggest this. It's the only rational explanation. Again, do you honestly believe a, what???, 4-star would go to some place knowing they'd never play? That's asinine. Then again, we're talking about your thoughts.

If I'm the Hevesy, then you're more than likely the crooms. You basically don't know your *** from the hole in the ground, but think you know everything. Quite similar, actually.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

I read your posts, both times you suggested he went to Alabama knowing he'd never play.

You clearly didn't do well on the reading portion of the ACT. Here's my quote:

"I'm willing to concede that maybe he just wanted to be at Bama and it didn't matter to him that he might not play. Maybe he overestimated his talent. Maybe he underestimated the talent at OL there. Who knows why he decided to go to Bama

When I say "who knows why he decided to go to Bama" that's an admission that I don't know what he's thinking. It's pathetic I have to spell this out for you. Did you see those three maybes? Those are words that indicate uncertainty. Should I type this in crayon?

On the other hand here's your quote, "aGAIN, Lashley didn't go to Alabama thinking he'd never play."

One of these people says he's not sure. The other is confident and thinks he knows. I'd say "you figure it out" but you clearly can't.

Thanks for your contribution Hevesy.

 

[KurtRambis4]

I must admit,

I'm willing to concede that maybe he just wanted to be at Bama and it didn't matter to him that he might not play

I clearly did not match your off-the-chart reading comprehension skills on the ACT***, but what the 17 does this exactly mean, crooms?

Aren't you saying what YOU believe his thoughts were, above, in the exact same post?

Then you come back and say you don't know? Are you that 17ing dumb, or do you just make **** up as you go, regularly?

You should probably just stick to telling us how bad of a QB Dak is, crooms.****

 

[Hoover Dawg]

Also we have not always sucked on the OL. It's been proven under more than one regime that we can get quality OL here and produce NFL caliber OL. We just haven't ever done it under Hevesy.

Disagree with this. Sherrill had peaks and valleys and the valleys coincided with lack of an OL. 2001-2003 were the DIRECT result of bad recruiting in the trenches. All the other things were secondary to having a line made of water.

The OL has brought down countless MSU coaches in my lifetime. For all Croom's faults, that's one area he built up. He realized it was terrible from day one and brought in tons of them, and by the time he was fired he had left Mullen a pretty damn good unit that he used in 2009 and 2010. And it is because he signed a bunch of them, something Mullen doesn't seem to want to do until this year apparently.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I don't know the answer but I'm confident it's not Hevesy. We are already at a disadvantage and sucking on the OL is like trying to win a boxing match with the heavyweight champ while having an arm tied behind your back. Good luck with that.

Also we have not always sucked on the OL. It's been proven under more than one regime that we can get quality OL here and produce NFL caliber OL. We just haven't ever done it under Hevesy.

I'm trying hard not to laugh at this. Not picking on you, just amused because all I ever read here and elsewhere is Hevesy, Hevesy, Hevesy.

The best boss I ever had said don't bring me a problem unless you have at least two answers to the problem. I agree that Hevesy has not produced squat, but there is a real possibility canning him might just bring in someone worse.

Mullen and crew need to come up with a different plan of coaching, recruiting and developing this part of our program. I would like to see us recruit outside Mississippi for OL and finding someone with a proven track record of creating linemen in the FCS world and then show some patience.

 

[Hoover Dawg]

Mullen and crew need to come up with a different plan of coaching, recruiting and developing this part of our program. I would like to see us recruit outside Mississippi for OL and finding someone with a proven track record of creating linemen in the FCS world and then show some patience.

This is really the answer right here. Recruit better. Hevesy is fine as a coach. Remember he did just fine when we had decent OL talent (and maturity) at the end of 2009, 2010, end of 2013 and 2014.

See a pattern here? Group of guys grow up at the end of their redshirt junior years and then produce as seniors. Then we seem to have to build back up every 4 years.

 

[Salty Sands Dawg]

I'm sorry Hevesy is NOT FINE as a coach. He is clearly the biggest albatross on that staff both on the field and off. He can't recruit, nor does he have the skills to recruit. He has a horrible reputation among HS coaches throughout the state and Mullen chooses to ignore it. He is a loser that needed to be gone years ago. As for 2013 and 2014, there were a few games that we played well in (MS 13', LSU, ATM, AUB 14') but we still did not have a top notch SEC caliber O-line. In the end this cost us the Western Division and likely more in 2014.
I agree with another poster in this thread that Mullen will live or die with Hevesy and the later is becoming increasingly obvious each Saturday.

This is really the answer right here. Recruit better. Hevesy is fine as a coach. Remember he did just fine when we had decent OL talent (and maturity) at the end of 2009, 2010, end of 2013 and 2014.

See a pattern here? Group of guys grow up at the end of their redshirt junior years and then produce as seniors. Then we seem to have to build back up every 4 years.

 

[Hoover Dawg]

I'm sorry Hevesy is NOT FINE as a coach. He is clearly the biggest albatross on that staff both on the field and off. He can't recruit, nor does he have the skills to recruit. He has a horrible reputation among HS coaches throughout the state and Mullen chooses to ignore it. He is a loser that needed to be gone years ago. As for 2013 and 2014, there were a few games that we played well in (MS 13', LSU, ATM, AUB 14') but we still did not have a top notch SEC caliber O-line. In the end this cost us the Western Division and likely more in 2014.
I agree with another poster in this thread that Mullen will live or die with Hevesy and the later is becoming increasingly obvious each Saturday.

I suggest you re-read my post. Settle down.

 

[aTotal360]

You have to excuse Hoover Dawg. His believes we could have Nick Saban as HC, Urban Meyer as OC, Bill Belichek as DC, and Anthony Munoz as OL coach and we still couldn't even sniff Bama's or Auburn's jock, so we shouldn't even try. We are a peasant team with unrealistic goals. History is written and it's futile to even dream about beating them at football. He might damn well be right, and not going to argue "what ifs".

I'm with you though. I'm not going to quit hoping for better for my teams. Hevesy is the weakest link.

 

[Hoover Dawg]

You have to excuse Hoover Dawg. His believes we could have Nick Saban as HC, Urban Meyer as OC, Bill Belichek as DC, and Anthony Munoz as OL coach and we still couldn't even sniff Bama's or Auburn's jock, so we shouldn't even try. We are a peasant team with unrealistic goals. History is written and it's futile to even dream about beating them at football. He might damn well be right, and not going to argue "what ifs".

I'm with you though. I'm not going to quit hoping for better for my teams. Hevesy is the weakest link.

Glad I'm am finally starting to make a dent. You need this beat into your skull as viciously as possible. Because then, and only then, will you realize we are going to have to do things differently to compete at the highest level. We CAN do it, but it won't be conventional. We can't just do what Alabama does in essence.

 

[aTotal360]

I'm all ears. Do you have any ideas?

 

[Hoover Dawg]

I'm all ears. Do you have any ideas?

My plan, that I have advocated for years:

- Recruit MS first and foremost (obvious), sign at minimum half the D1 recruits
- Become solid #2 option in Alabama and Louisiana behind the instate schools (and to a lesser degree Tennessee and Arkansas, because all the talent is is LA/AL, we can drive to these areas while other teams have to fly, giving us an advantage)
- Retain an innovative offense utilizing a mobile QB (many ways to do this, but it needs to be underlying theme)
- Recruit the hell out of the JUCOs, minimum 6-8 per year
- Sign at least 5 offensive linemen per year, even if it's at the expense of another position

 

[patdog]

My plan, that I have advocated for years:

- Recruit MS first and foremost (obvious), sign at minimum half the D1 recruits - WE DO THIS
- Become solid #2 option in Alabama and Louisiana behind the instate schools (and to a lesser degree Tennessee and Arkansas, because all the talent is is LA/AL, we can drive to these areas while other teams have to fly, giving us an advantage) - WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB AT THIS
- Retain an innovative offense utilizing a mobile QB (many ways to do this, but it needs to be underlying theme) - WE DO THIS
- Recruit the hell out of the JUCOs, minimum 6-8 per year - THAT'S TOO MANY JUCO'S.
- Sign at least 5 offensive linemen per year, even if it's at the expense of another position - AGREE COMPLETELY. WE DO NOT DO THIS & IT'S BEEN HURTING US THE LAST 2 YEARS

nm

 

[Hoover Dawg]

nm

Yes, we do already do most of those, which is why I like Mullen. I disagree on the JUCOs, that is an advantage we have to exploit in the state of Mississippi. Kansas State does the same, which is a program we should emulate. We have to make sure to ADD talent though....if we are in a situation where we are filling holes rather than adding talent, 2001 happens. We are in that situation again next year. Our success will be dependent on JUCOs, rather than bolstered by them, which is a risky place to be. Mullen's job depends on it.

 

[aTotal360]

The days of Jackie owning the JUCO circuit in MS are over. Now Bama, FSU, and OK camp out in Scooba. Back in the day, it was our little secret. That's not the case anymore. Those teams are putting a lot more resources into recruiting MS JUCOs. It's got to start with the coaches. We have to do a better job of greasing the JUCO coaches. It's just like the retail dept world. You have to sell your product to the buyer, not the consumer.

 

[Hoover Dawg]

The days of Jackie owning the JUCO circuit in MS are over. Now Bama, FSU, and OK camp out in Scooba. Back in the day, it was our little secret. That's not the case anymore. Those teams are putting a lot more resources into recruiting MS JUCOs. It's got to start with the coaches. We have to do a better job of greasing the JUCO coaches. It's just like the retail dept world. You have to sell your product to the buyer, not the consumer.

2009: 6 - McPhee, White, Langston, Berry, Hutchins, Brauchle
2010: 3 - Carmon, Ballard, Howie
2011: 3 - Slay, Trapp, Cherrington
2012: 3 - Autry, Siddoway, Holley
2013: 2 - Cox, Chappelle
2014: 3 - Coleman, Hutcherson, Johnson
2015: 4 - Gray, Jung, Rankin, Calvin
2016: 3 - Durr, Thomas, Brown,
2017: 6 - Pope, Autry, Champion, Pierce, Philips, Sweat

I am hoping Mullen has now got the message, and seen how much talent infusion has happened to this program via JUCO. Pretty good hit rate, imagine what would happen if we signed 6 every year?

 

[aTotal360]

Thought we we talking about OL? Who was the last good JUCO OL we got out of MS?

 

[Hoover Dawg]

Thought we we talking about OL? Who was the last good JUCO OL we got out of MS?

Two separate topics.

In my plan, #4 is JUCO and #5 is OL. Don't deflect.

 

[aTotal360]

I don't care about the order of your plan. We aren't landing enough quality OL within our traditional footprint to keep up with the joneses. Mullen hasn't recruited an impact JUCO OL since he's been here. It's the definition of insanity. We keep doing the same thing over and over again hoping for different results. All I'm saying is go pick up crumbs elsewhere. Like someone else said, try the midwest. Maybe we can get a couple corn fed 3 stars with not enough vowels in their name to help us out. And yes, I realize Rankin was the #1 rated JUCO LT in the country. Truth is, he can barely see the field.

Your plan is basically "keep doing what we're doing, but do a better job of it".

 

[Hoover Dawg]

I don't care about the order of your plan. We aren't landing enough quality OL within our traditional footprint to keep up with the joneses. Mullen hasn't recruited an impact JUCO OL since he's been here. It's the definition of insanity. We keep doing the same thing over and over again hoping for different results. All I'm saying is go pick up crumbs elsewhere. Like someone else said, try the midwest. Maybe we can get a couple corn fed 3 stars with not enough vowels in their name to help us out. And yes, I realize Rankin was the #1 rated JUCO LT in the country. Truth is, he can barely see the field.

Your plan is basically "keep doing what we're doing, but do a better job of it".

Yeah that is not what I said. I know you don't care about my plan because you have to reason to doubt it. You don't even know what you are arguing about.

Offensive line is a different animal. I do not care where they come from, we simply need more of them. Mullen's strategy worked in 2014. What we need to do is fill up those gap years. I don't care if they come from JUCO, Louisiana, Alabama or Alaska. We simply need to sign more.

 

[The Riddler]

I agree the problem is that we simply don't sign enough o line guys. Keep in mind it's take a special kind of kid with a special kind of mentality to play in the trenches.

I would also add hevesy doesn't develop guys very well. If a kid comes into state with a bad zone step then he leaves with a bad zone step. If a kid has a problem kick sliding at 45 to cut off outside pressure then he leaves with that same issue.

O line is a technique driven position and the technique of our o line has been the real issue to me. Now I am sure my humble opinion will get torn apart but you guys.