Sec storied on sylvester croom on sec now
- Thread starter dawgdr
- Start date
If you recall how he handled the slightest form of adversity, it’s really not hard at all
Bear in mind that after a 4-8 season, a 21-38 overall record, and a lifeless 45-0 butt whipping to OM, he blames Byrne and MSU for not giving him a fair chance. He was punched in the gut as he chose to say
Bear in mind that after a 4-8 season, a 21-38 overall record, and a lifeless 45-0 butt whipping to OM, he blames Byrne and MSU for not giving him a fair chance. He was punched in the gut as he chose to say
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Yeah, 1 winning season in 5 years doesn't get you more time in the SEC. Especially with the money being thrown around that was just starting to pour in. If he would have shown improvement, maybe another year.
But there was no progress. We regressed from the only good season he had bc he wanted to play Tyson Lee and not adapt the offense to Wes Carroll. After Wes took us to a bowl.
I wish he didn't have such sour grapes bc he's a good man and it wouldn't hurt to have him associated with MSU.
If his teams were able to consistently hang with the Louisiana Techs of the world he may have had more time. Alas. Maroon is what matters at the end of the day.
But there was no progress. We regressed from the only good season he had bc he wanted to play Tyson Lee and not adapt the offense to Wes Carroll. After Wes took us to a bowl.
I wish he didn't have such sour grapes bc he's a good man and it wouldn't hurt to have him associated with MSU.
If his teams were able to consistently hang with the Louisiana Techs of the world he may have had more time. Alas. Maroon is what matters at the end of the day.
Fortunately thanks to my good friends over at Jim Beam, I don't remember many of those games.
He was only something like 5 feet tall and 100lbs wet. I met him after the egg bowl he won and I literally did not know people that tiny were allowed to play.
I wouldn't call him a good man, if you listened to the call in show after the games, he never took responsibility for a loss. He always had someone, whether it was the admin, players or even fans that he blamed.
Throwing kids under the bus instead of taking responsibility is about the most spineless thing a coach can do. Week after week, then year after year, he just couldn't and wouldn't accept responsibility.
You sure your not thinking of Tyson Lee? Lee was tiny. Wikipedia (I know not the best source) lists Carroll at 6'1', 203 lb.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Carroll_(quarterback)
It was unbelievable.
I think now that time has passed, he's perhaps softened some, and perhaps we have softened a little bit toward him and can appreciate the social significance of his hiring, and in a vacuum, I can say I'm proud of my school for being a part of that. But there is no question that in that moment, his hiring was a huge mistake for this university that cost us millions and made us a laughingstock on the football field. Of course, it also set in motion some dramatic changes at Mississippi State, the shitcanning of LT and hiring of Byrne being foremost.
My father in law is the worst kind of Ole Miss fan. I remember him joking with me one time that Croom was perfect for Mississippi State (racial undertones apply) and he should hire Michael Vick as his offensive coordinator because "nobody gets them dawgs fighting quite like he does."
I think you're talking about Tyson Lee. Carroll was listed at 6'1" so he was probably 6ft. Lee was listed at 5'11" so he was probably shorter, that dude was a sprite for the SEC
No way he is 6'1. Perhaps in his cleats on a hard floor and wearing a helmet. I am 6'1 and I know who I met and I am taller than him. Also that 203 number may be right when he played at Florida. I doubt he weighed that much in Starkville.
I was referring to the character that he preached. I actually deleted some sentences about lack of accountability, funny enough. That said...
He was a terrible head coach, but those players loved him - not as a coach obviously, but as a father figure and a friend. He preached good values.
He was just terrible with management and accountability (unless it was one of our best players, then you could almost guarantee they wouldn't be on the team in a year)
He was a terrible head coach, but those players loved him - not as a coach obviously, but as a father figure and a friend. He preached good values.
He was just terrible with management and accountability (unless it was one of our best players, then you could almost guarantee they wouldn't be on the team in a year)
It's not hard for me either
First, I am just a fan and absolutely no interaction with him as a person. So, I love him the same as I do most of the other Billions on this planet to whatever level I do that.
Then, as a coach I cannot imagine anyone having a more inept concept for an offense as he had.
It was not even the play calling, it was his inability to understand that you had to have people that could execute said play prepared to do so.
The plays he called could and would have been successful with proper execution but he could not teach it and neither could he hire someone else to do it.
I typically support whoever is the coach but I was done after the Auburn 3-2 game where our defense completely dominated but our offense sucked so bad that we could not complete a pass against air. We got the turnover on their side of the field late in the game and I got excited. All we needed was about 10-15 yards to get into field goal range. I was up screaming and the guy sitting next to me whom I had gotten to know over the years because we had the same tickets said, "I don't know why you excited. It won't matter." Sure enough, not only did we not gain yards but we went backwards. I was done.
First, I am just a fan and absolutely no interaction with him as a person. So, I love him the same as I do most of the other Billions on this planet to whatever level I do that.
Then, as a coach I cannot imagine anyone having a more inept concept for an offense as he had.
It was not even the play calling, it was his inability to understand that you had to have people that could execute said play prepared to do so.
The plays he called could and would have been successful with proper execution but he could not teach it and neither could he hire someone else to do it.
I typically support whoever is the coach but I was done after the Auburn 3-2 game where our defense completely dominated but our offense sucked so bad that we could not complete a pass against air. We got the turnover on their side of the field late in the game and I got excited. All we needed was about 10-15 yards to get into field goal range. I was up screaming and the guy sitting next to me whom I had gotten to know over the years because we had the same tickets said, "I don't know why you excited. It won't matter." Sure enough, not only did we not gain yards but we went backwards. I was done.
^^^This. Felt the same way about Rick Ray. If the best compliment someone can give a coach is “he’s a good guy”, that’s not really a compliment and that coach probably sucked.
The Peter Principle personified. Good, maybe a great, assistant coach.
He might have had the ability to become a good head coach. But he didn't need an SEC school as his first shot.
In a lot of ways, Coach O behaved and operated much the same way at UM. The pigheadedness was painful to watch. He knew he was in way over his cock-eyed hat.
He might have had the ability to become a good head coach. But he didn't need an SEC school as his first shot.
In a lot of ways, Coach O behaved and operated much the same way at UM. The pigheadedness was painful to watch. He knew he was in way over his cock-eyed hat.
Croom could have been successful in the mold of Ed Orgeron or Dabo Swinney. By that I mean a CEO who focuses on recruiting. He needed to hire good assistants and let them do what they do. He did that on defense, but he just would not turn loose of the offense. Special teams was always beyond awful too. His gameplans were terrible by and large. Then his ego couldn't handle it when anyone told him the obvious.
Ego was his biggest issue. From the beginning he criticized Jackie Sherrill who was beloved, even with how it ended. I would love to think maybe he could learn his lesson and come back like Orgeron did, but I don't think he would, because his ego was so big.
Remember, Croom did nothing to earn a head coaching job except for being in the right place at the right time. In no way was he qualified on paper. Same as the 2 I listed above.
Ego was his biggest issue. From the beginning he criticized Jackie Sherrill who was beloved, even with how it ended. I would love to think maybe he could learn his lesson and come back like Orgeron did, but I don't think he would, because his ego was so big.
Remember, Croom did nothing to earn a head coaching job except for being in the right place at the right time. In no way was he qualified on paper. Same as the 2 I listed above.
Funny story from that time. Couple players relayed to me that Croom was so stubborn about the offense that he wouldn't let his best WR's just play. They had to be in an exact spot. Thus negating the speed and agility to get open. If it was a 5 yard drag, they couldn't run full out, they had to hit "the spot" he wanted. If that allowed the defender to keep up, oh well.
He was unwilling to modify routes so that guys could be at full speed.
He was unwilling to modify routes so that guys could be at full speed.
Dude, I literally shook the mans hand after the 2007 Egg Bowl when he came out of the locker room with the trophy with Anthony Dixon and others. I then (in a moment I am not necessarily proud of) went to the other side of the M Club and chanted 0 and 8 at Coach Orgeron as his 4th and one fired self got on the bus to leave.
Tyson Lee wasn't even on the team in 2007, he was at Ittawamba.
I think you are exactly correct. Not showing up for a new head coaching job for about 6 weeks during the main recruiting season is very telling. Or was it longer than that?
I'd always heard that Carroll ignored Croom's play calls on the winning drive at the Liberty Bowl in 2007 against Central Florida. If true, that might have been the root cause of Croom not liking him.
not only that but LT and Pres Less literally begged him at least twice to take the job. Croom later stated that he finally accepted the job because his daughter encouraged him. He had sour grapes because the only job he ever wanted was the Alabama job and he was never ever going to get it anyway regardless of talk about him being a runner up to Shula
Relative of mine worked in administration at MSU and thought Croom was sent down from heaven. In one of the games against OM, which we lost of course, one of OMs ace receivers lined up outside. We had one of our novice defenders covering him, and of course the receiver caught the ball and scored. At a family get together afterwards I mentioned the mismatch to my relative. His love was great, so he responded "Yeah, but what if it had worked?"
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