This is not a pro-Mullen opost, but a sobering recognition that there is no way barring going 0-8 the rest of the season or a motorcycle accident that we can fire Dan Mullen at the end of this season, and probably not even next season if we have 3 or 4 win seasons. It all comes down to perception. Nobody outside of us watched any of the UMass game Saturday and truly took in the piss poor effort and unmotivated play we showed (though it's been seen all season). It would be perceived worse than the Cutcliffe firing. Firing him for his worst aspects (keeping Hevesy and Sallach, or pissing off fans and recruits through Yankee-ness) would be perceived as petty - firing him for being too loyal or because of his personality. He'll have to enter Houston Nutt territory of national ridicule for us to can him after next year. I think he'll still have a largely positive national reputation, even if we have back to back 4-8 seasons.
So how would you get rid of Mullen if you can't fire him. I think the lack of a contract extension pissed him off. So I think we should give him one, but change the conditions. His salary would remain the same, but he would be required to fire Hevesy and Sallach, and the AD has veto power over any hires. His buyout would also be small just to accommodate his wanting to leave. If he does not wish to take the contract extension, tell him fine, that none of these negotiations will be made public, and he has 2 years remaining on his current contract. This would be insulting enough to drive him to take a job elsewhere even if it's not a better deal.
I want Mullen to succeed here because it means MSU succeeds. I think he's smart enough and talented enough to take us very far, but right now he has no motivation and too many of his negative traits are driving our program in a bad direction.
So how would you get rid of Mullen if you can't fire him. I think the lack of a contract extension pissed him off. So I think we should give him one, but change the conditions. His salary would remain the same, but he would be required to fire Hevesy and Sallach, and the AD has veto power over any hires. His buyout would also be small just to accommodate his wanting to leave. If he does not wish to take the contract extension, tell him fine, that none of these negotiations will be made public, and he has 2 years remaining on his current contract. This would be insulting enough to drive him to take a job elsewhere even if it's not a better deal.
I want Mullen to succeed here because it means MSU succeeds. I think he's smart enough and talented enough to take us very far, but right now he has no motivation and too many of his negative traits are driving our program in a bad direction.
