(01-30-2016 10:48 PM)gdunn Wrote:  I'm good with the hire. He's not over the hill and has been a HC this century.

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bingo.

(01-30-2016 09:27 PM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  Not a huge name or an up and coming OC, but a solid hire imo.

I hope I'm wrong but I don't like it. It's not as bad as the Sadler hire, though....so, there's that.

He was fired from his last job at the FBS level and was with a HC who was fired at the job before. And God knows we were sick of him when he was our DC under Bower. I would have just assumed promoting Duggan.

I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

I don't think that he will be particularly bad ....but I don't see Hopson getting us where our fanbase thinks our program should be. That's just me, though....and I hope to eat my words.

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 09:27 PM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  Not a huge name or an up and coming OC, but a solid hire imo.

I hope I'm wrong but I don't like it. It's not as bad as the Sadler hire, though....so, there's that.

He was fired from his last job at the FBS level and was with a HC who was fired at the job before. And God knows we were sick of him when he was our DC under Bower. I would have just assumed promoting Duggan.

I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

I don't think that he will be particularly bad ....but I don't see Hopson getting us where our fanbase thinks our program should be. That's just me, though....and I hope to eat my words.

yep....I was hoping for duggan on an interim 1 yr lease....

it is what it is now....

you have be a idiot to fk up this team going into this season....

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

You're discounting one thing. The fact that those schools that Hopson was beating in the SWAC were the same exact SWAC schools that Alcorn went 10-22 against in the three prior seasons to him becoming HC there.

I watched a couple Alcorn games this year. They were fun to watch.

(01-30-2016 11:34 PM)southernmiss4ever Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

You're discounting one thing. The fact that those schools that Hopson was beating in the SWAC were the same exact SWAC schools that Alcorn went 10-22 against in the three prior seasons to him becoming HC there.

I watched a couple Alcorn games this year. They were fun to watch.

they almost kicked our ass in 2014.

(01-30-2016 11:38 PM)EagleX Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:34 PM)southernmiss4ever Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

You're discounting one thing. The fact that those schools that Hopson was beating in the SWAC were the same exact SWAC schools that Alcorn went 10-22 against in the three prior seasons to him becoming HC there.

I watched a couple Alcorn games this year. They were fun to watch.

they almost kicked our ass in 2014.

okay, well, yeah. everyone kicked our ass in 2014. I get that

(01-30-2016 10:34 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  great post....but he will leave if he succeeds.....

don't kid yourself with that one....

Oh, I'm not saying he'll retire here. If the right offer comes along, he's gone, as it should be. I just doubt he'll be looking at the want ads from Day 1 like many other hires would be.

(01-30-2016 11:26 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 09:27 PM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  Not a huge name or an up and coming OC, but a solid hire imo.

I hope I'm wrong but I don't like it. It's not as bad as the Sadler hire, though....so, there's that.

He was fired from his last job at the FBS level and was with a HC who was fired at the job before. And God knows we were sick of him when he was our DC under Bower. I would have just assumed promoting Duggan.

I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

I don't think that he will be particularly bad ....but I don't see Hopson getting us where our fanbase thinks our program should be. That's just me, though....and I hope to eat my words.

yep....I was hoping for duggan on an interim 1 yr lease....

it is what it is now....

you have be a idiot to fk up this team going into this season....

dude, srsly? our OC has zero minutes of experience. making coach woz our OC only made sense with monken in charge.

(01-30-2016 11:46 PM)HarborPointe Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 10:34 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  great post....but he will leave if he succeeds.....

don't kid yourself with that one....

Oh, I'm not saying he'll retire here. If the right offer comes along, he's gone, as it should be. I just doubt he'll be looking at the want ads from Day 1 like many other hires would be.

bower spoiled us. the ncaa coaching carousel will eventually get to everyone.

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  I hope I'm wrong but I don't like it. It's not as bad as the Sadler hire, though....so, there's that.

16-point win tonight to move to .500 in conference. It's really time to let go of the Sadler hate. Is he Phil Jackson? Nope. But he's holding his own with key players sitting out & while recruiting with both hands tied behind his back.

I defy you to find someone who thought this team would have 7 wins going into February.

Seriously get off of Sadler already. The guy was dealt the worst hand ever and is probably over achieving with this ragtag bunch.

Hopson revived an Alcorn State program that had been dead for 20 years. Alcorn's attendance was back up and they were back in the national rankings. Good hire by USM.

(01-30-2016 11:34 PM)southernmiss4ever Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

You're discounting one thing. The fact that those schools that Hopson was beating in the SWAC were the same exact SWAC schools that Alcorn went 10-22 against in the three prior seasons to him becoming HC there.

I watched a couple Alcorn games this year. They were fun to watch.

The two coaches before Hopson: One was fired after one year and I can't find that he's currently coaching anywhere. The guy before that is currently at Northern Colorado with a stellar record of 15-41. We aren't exactly comparing him to successful coaches.

Trying to find a history of other successful coaches in the SWAC recently. The guy who turned around Prairie View went to NC Central (a MEAC school) and was fired after two years. Have there been coaches who have been successful after coaching in the SWAC recently?

I get that he turned Alcorn around after six or seven really bad years. But the SWAC is bad. Really, really, really, really bad. And the coaching seems to be really bad. From what I see, it isn't unusual for SWAC programs make turnarounds.

I think his less than stellar resume as an assistant coach at the FBS level is more significant than head coaching experience in the SWAC. That's my opinion, though.

I'm going to stop there. I don't want to **** on the hire. If you guys are excited, good. I don't want to spoil that. I'm just putting in my two cents.

He almost beat our ass in 2014 and his team outplayed ours for about 3 quarters in that game. So there's that.

(01-31-2016 12:54 AM)GreenHornet33 Wrote:  Hopson revived an Alcorn State program that had been dead for 20 years. Alcorn's attendance was back up and they were back in the national rankings. Good hire by USM.

This^^ Very good hire by Southern Miss. Hopson did an excellent job with an very bad Alcorn team. He turned them into a winning program and showed his moxy by being the first ever white HC at Alcorn.

He also knows Mississippi and the recruiting trail in that area. Congrats.

Looks like a good hire for you guys. It will be interesting to see what he does with the current assistants. Willing to bet a good number of them are retained.

(01-31-2016 01:30 AM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:34 PM)southernmiss4ever Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

You're discounting one thing. The fact that those schools that Hopson was beating in the SWAC were the same exact SWAC schools that Alcorn went 10-22 against in the three prior seasons to him becoming HC there.

I watched a couple Alcorn games this year. They were fun to watch.

The two coaches before Hopson: One was fired after one year and I can't find that he's currently coaching anywhere. The guy before that is currently at Northern Colorado with a stellar record of 15-41. We aren't exactly comparing him to successful coaches.

Trying to find a history of other successful coaches in the SWAC recently. The guy who turned around Prairie View went to NC Central (a MEAC school) and was fired after two years. Have there been coaches who have been successful after coaching in the SWAC recently?

I get that he turned Alcorn around after six or seven really bad years. But the SWAC is bad. Really, really, really, really bad. And the coaching seems to be really bad. From what I see, it isn't unusual for SWAC programs make turnarounds.

I think his less than stellar resume as an assistant coach at the FBS level is more significant than head coaching experience in the SWAC. That's my opinion, though.

I'm going to stop there. I don't want to **** on the hire. If you guys are excited, good. I don't want to spoil that. I'm just putting in my two cents.

Most SWAC coaches when successful usually stay in the SWAC unfortunately. Rod Broadway left Grambling and has been very successful at NC A&T. The other successful coaches such as Pete Richardson, Houston Markham, Eddie Robinson, and ext ultimately retired instead of getting other jobs.

And Alcorn had about 20 very bad years not 6 or 7. Jay Hopson COMPLETELY revived Alcorn's program. Alcorn's attendance and fan support was in the dumps along with their program and Hopson changed all of that. Alcorn fans were back, the program was back, and there was excitement back down on the Reservation. Alcorn has a very critical decision to make about who replaces Jay Hope on because they have a few highly rated recruits who are committed to the program and several FBS transfers who've recently enrolled. Fred McNair will be key to what happens there.

(01-31-2016 09:43 AM)GreenHornet33 Wrote:  

(01-31-2016 01:30 AM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:34 PM)southernmiss4ever Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

You're discounting one thing. The fact that those schools that Hopson was beating in the SWAC were the same exact SWAC schools that Alcorn went 10-22 against in the three prior seasons to him becoming HC there.

I watched a couple Alcorn games this year. They were fun to watch.

The two coaches before Hopson: One was fired after one year and I can't find that he's currently coaching anywhere. The guy before that is currently at Northern Colorado with a stellar record of 15-41. We aren't exactly comparing him to successful coaches.

Trying to find a history of other successful coaches in the SWAC recently. The guy who turned around Prairie View went to NC Central (a MEAC school) and was fired after two years. Have there been coaches who have been successful after coaching in the SWAC recently?

I get that he turned Alcorn around after six or seven really bad years. But the SWAC is bad. Really, really, really, really bad. And the coaching seems to be really bad. From what I see, it isn't unusual for SWAC programs make turnarounds.

I think his less than stellar resume as an assistant coach at the FBS level is more significant than head coaching experience in the SWAC. That's my opinion, though.

I'm going to stop there. I don't want to **** on the hire. If you guys are excited, good. I don't want to spoil that. I'm just putting in my two cents.

Most SWAC coaches when successful usually stay in the SWAC unfortunately. Rod Broadway left Grambling and has been very successful at NC A&T. The other successful coaches such as Pete Richardson, Houston Markham, Eddie Robinson, and ext ultimately retired instead of getting other jobs.

And Alcorn had about 20 very bad years not 6 or 7. Jay Hopson COMPLETELY revived Alcorn's program. Alcorn's attendance and fan support was in the dumps along with their program and Hopson changed all of that. Alcorn fans were back, the program was back, and there was excitement back down on the Reservation. Alcorn has a very critical decision to make about who replaces Jay Hope on because they have a few highly rated recruits who are committed to the program and several FBS transfers who've recently enrolled. Fred McNair will be key to what happens there.

It took guts to take that job (Alcorn).....that fact alone gets him a shot at D1 football. Remember that Hopson was in the running for the ULM job. I like the hire. I think it is a good fit. Hops knows MS and he knows USM. He will keep the ball rolling.

(01-31-2016 01:30 AM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:34 PM)southernmiss4ever Wrote:  

(01-30-2016 11:16 PM)eaglenjxn Wrote:  I don't believe that you can put much of anything into what he did at Alcorn. The SWAC is on par with D2 in terms of quality of play. Hopson has had nothing to work with in Alcorn, true. But he's also competing against schools who have nothing to work with. Take a look at who he is competing against, in terms of the schools and coaches.

You're discounting one thing. The fact that those schools that Hopson was beating in the SWAC were the same exact SWAC schools that Alcorn went 10-22 against in the three prior seasons to him becoming HC there.

I watched a couple Alcorn games this year. They were fun to watch.

The two coaches before Hopson: One was fired after one year and I can't find that he's currently coaching anywhere. The guy before that is currently at Northern Colorado with a stellar record of 15-41. We aren't exactly comparing him to successful coaches.

Trying to find a history of other successful coaches in the SWAC recently. The guy who turned around Prairie View went to NC Central (a MEAC school) and was fired after two years. Have there been coaches who have been successful after coaching in the SWAC recently?

I get that he turned Alcorn around after six or seven really bad years. But the SWAC is bad. Really, really, really, really bad. And the coaching seems to be really bad. From what I see, it isn't unusual for SWAC programs make turnarounds.

I think his less than stellar resume as an assistant coach at the FBS level is more significant than head coaching experience in the SWAC. That's my opinion, though.

I'm going to stop there. I don't want to **** on the hire. If you guys are excited, good. I don't want to spoil that. I'm just putting in my two cents.

My point is this.

He is coming from a school with LESS fan support than USM, with LESS facilities-wise than USM, with LESS tradition than USM, etc.

We've never had that with a HC. We always get these OCs from bigger schools who come in and say "I need this, I need that, give me this and we will be good."

I don't see Hopson as that guy.


I don't think you truly realize how bad Alcorn had been. And it was more than just 6-7 years. They hadn't been any good since Steve McNair left from there.

Pretty sure one of the games Alcorn played against us they had to wear their home uniforms because they only had one set of uniforms or something along those lines.

This is a guy that understands where we are, and where we need to go.

What Hopson did at Alcorn is nothing short of amazing. There were games in the past where Alcorn didn't even have 600 people in the stands and now over the past few seasons they've a few 30,000+ crowds. In the past nobody invited Alcorn for anything. Since Hopson they've been invited to the Circle City Classic in Indianapolis, invited to the Delta Literacy Classic in Little Rock, and just received an invite to play in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. Hopson revived the fan base. For years most people would travel to Lorman and would outnumber Alcorn in their own stadium. That hasn't been the case lately and Alcorn has now gained a reputation as a very good traveling fan base. They've traveled in droves to support their team wherever the team has gone. This wasn't the case before Hopson. For a few years Alcorn only had purple jerseys. Since Hopson alumni contributions are up to the highest in school history and the team now has multiple uniform combinations and helmets. The Jay Hopson effect has helped Alcorn increase overall student population and now Alcorn feels like more than just a homecoming opponent for other SWAC schools. If Hopson did all of that at Alcorn State just imagine what he could do at Southern Miss.