Seriously, no flame is intended with this post. I am curious, however, how long y'all will be content with Jackie as your head coach? 3-8 last year. And this year so far, 1-3, with your only win coming to a Division II team. Yes, your three losses have come to 3 respectable opponents, but you should be winning some of them. Again, no flame post here. I just know that Jackie has been pretty much an idol in Starkville for the last decade. Are there even any grumblings from the MSU alum yet? MSU has the talent, but it appears that the coaching staff just isn't getting these kids ready to play.

Oh yes, there are plenty of grumblings in Starkville. Just head over to Genespage and check out all the posters calling for Jackie to be fired. I really don't think he'll get fired after this season, but if MSU has another bad season next year, he's probably gone.

We have SOME talent, but not enough in certain areas. We have some great young offensive skill players, but the OL is not what we've seen in the past. Ole Miss has killed us the last few years in recruiting OL, and it's showing now. There are also problems in the secondary. Morgan and Banks are good, but the rest of the DBs aren't playing well. In the past, Jackie and Co. have been able to coach UP players, but I don't see that happening anymore. He's also too loyal to certain players. Dontae shouldn't see the field again until he loses 15 pounds and learns how to RUN (not tip-toe) into the line.

I really only expected to be 2-2 at this point at best, but watching MSU is still frustrating. We make stupid and/or undisciplined mistakes too often. Sherrill's teams have lacked discipline for a long time, and I'm tired of seeing it. I've been a huge Sherrill supporter, but if he can't get it turned around by next season, I want to see some new blood come into the program.

I see good old Jackie calling it a career rather than being fired. From an outsider's perspective--Jackie is MSU football. The AD isn't likely to just decide a change is needed when considering the lackluster seasons tolerated in the past. I am sure Coach Sherrill knows his days are numbered in coaching period, let alone at MSU. The athletic department would rather it be a gentle bowing out on a positive note instead of back to back losing seasons. He will be gone in two more years either way.

Cheryl the Peril is probably the best coach State College has had for a long time and the best one it will have for a long time. There is such a thing as hopeless causes. State Collich is proof of that. Anyhow, if Cheryl retires or gets fired, David Klutzcliffe would probably be a good fit for State. He is content with mediocrity, likes to take his time getting somewhere, and the tractor - pace of Oktibbeha County would probably be very pleasing to him. I think State ought to see if it can buy his contract out.

We won't buy it out, but if you need more money for an extension, we'd be glad to help.

dawgy, I'd say that would be good use of your money...but back to Jackie. He is always bragging about how well he is doing in recruiting and lots of the experts seem to always agree. If that's IS the case -- what's happening. He has been taking notes for YEARS. Apparently, he is not paying any attention to what he is writing or he is playing "connect the dots".

Joe Lee has been solved and Sparky is wet and can't get it started. I say keep all of them and extend Jackie's contract - like we did. <img border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" title="" src="graemlins/banghead.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" title="" src="graemlins/banghead.gif" />

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by REBstill:
Joe Lee has been solved and Sparky is wet and can't get it started. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Joe Lee being "solved" is not the problem. If it took opposing coaches 4 years to "solve" him, they are all morons. Watch him on the sidelines. I swear he only has like 2 basic plays that he runs. When he's calling the plays, he either rubs his belly or cups his hands. He cups his hands in short yardage running situations. You can figure out what the other play is for.

The problem is players. When we lead the nation in Total Defense in '99, we had players. The two corners (Smoot/Bean) started in the NFL at one point in time. Pig played FS and would be in the NFL if not for that shoulder. The Dog Safeties (Cooper/Nelson) were small, but could hit like mack trucks. Simpson (All-SEC) played MLB and was backed up by Barris Grant (neck problem ended career). The interior DL featured a 6-man rotation. All 6 signed NFL contracts. The DE/OLB (Stephens/Knight) were pretty good, too.

Look at our defense now. Banks is the only guy that can cover. Morgan is a good one. The Dog Safeties can't cover and don't hit either. Mario is great at MLB. The DL is decent, but we have no depth. They tend to wear out in the 2nd half.

The system really doesn't matter if you don't have the players to run it.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by whos_your_dawgy:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by REBstill:
Joe Lee has been solved and Sparky is wet and can't get it started. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Joe Lee being "solved" is not the problem.
The problem is players.
The system really doesn't matter if you don't have the players to run it.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Correct you are - that is true on either side of the ball.

Jackie has said and "experts" have bragged on how M-State is recruiting so well, etc. I've been hearing that for years.....how long does it take to get it in gear?

The recruiting classes have been "highly ranked", but we aren't recruiting as well as I'd like. We have offensive skill players (Fant, Jenkins, Bivines, Norwood, Turner, Lee, etc.), but lack the offensive linemen that we've had in the past. McNeil and Burch are good young players. Tucker is solid. Derrick Thompson would've been a good one this year, but he didn't cut it in the classroom. If you don't have the linemen, it doesn't matter how good your skill players are.

The line is also the problem on defense. Some of the JUCO guys haven't panned out, and the HS DL talent in MS the last few years has been almost non-existent.

So, basically, I think our major problem is line play on both sides of the ball. We can't run the ball or protect the QB. We can't stop the run or get pressure on the QB.

wyd, I heard on the radio the other night that the MSU players have just flat given up on Jackie and are not performing for him. This is what I had a feeling of, because the talent, for the most part, is there. They simply are not playing hard. Maybe it is time for Jackie to hit the road, I don't know. Have you heard anything about them just giving up on him? Cuz it sure looks that way. Maybe it's time for a fresh start with someone else. Just an outsider's point of view, which means absolutely nothing.

10man,

I do think that there is some other problem besides talent. I don't think we have the talent (OL/DL) to win the SEC, but I do think our talent is better than the 3-8 last year and the probable 3-9 or so this year. I really thought we could go 6-6 this season, but that's not going to happen. Maybe the players have given up on Jackie. I've also heard that he's lost his "fire". Maybe both have happened. I think we definitely need some new blood in the program. If Jackie doesn't have the passion for coaching that he once did, then I think it's time for him to step down. If that isn't the problem, then I think it's time for some assistants to get the axe.

I'm not in Starkville anymore, so I don't talk to people in the program like I once did. Everything I say here is hearsay or conjecture, so take it for what it's worth.