The Dan Mullen Era is officially under way, because the product he’s putting together took to the field for the first time today in the first of 15 spring practices. The Bulldogs went for about three-and-a-half hours, and the difference between a Mullen practice and a Sylvester Croom practice was immediately apparent to the players.
“I think it’s more intense, more attention to detail, and a fast pace,” said linebacker Jamar Chaney. Quarterback Tyson Lee echoed that: “It’s just intense the whole way through.”
Everyone was happy to get outside and start practicing what they’ve been studying. “It’s great to back out on the field right now,” Mullen said. “This is what you work for. You do all that so you can get out here and play some football.”
Injury updates: TE Marcus Green (hamstring) looked completely healthy; Chaney (ankle) looked solid; RB Robert Elliott ran pretty well but was limited and just a little gimpy; WR Brandon McRae (leg), also limited, was moving gingerly; WR Delmon Robinson came up gimpy late in practice, holding his thigh. Also, Mark Melichar (mono) and Eric Richards (hip) were in uniform but didn’t practice.
Being pressed for time as I am tonight, here are some thoughts from Mullen, Chaney and Lee. Starting with Mullen:
• “We’ve got a long way to go. But I think our guys came out and gave some effort today, and that’s what we’re looking for after this offseason.”
• On freshman Cameron Lawrence (January enrollee) at QB: “We want to give him a shot, especially early on so he can learn the offense and add a little extra depth. If he does move to a different position, at least he has a foundation at quarterback.”
• On anyone standing out today: “I don’t know if there’s anybody that really jumped out and said, Boy, right there we’ve got ourselves a real football player. I think we’ve got a long way to go to get ourselves some football players.”
From Chaney:
• On returning from injury: “I missed coming out here, dressing out with them before they go on to practice, just the little things that you wouldn’t think was a big deal before the injury.”
• On the mental workload: “On defense, we’ve got probably 25 percent of our defense is already in right now. They’re just putting it on us.”
• On Mullen’s coaching style: “He’s a real fiery guy. He’s a real cool coach, but he’s going to get after you, he’s going to make sure you do your job, and he’s going to make sure you go 100 percent, give all your effort.”
From Lee:
• On the mental workload: “It’s one thing sitting in a room and seeing things on paper, but actually getting out there with defenses and people moving, it makes a difference. That’s why tonight and tomorrow, watching film, it’s huge to look and see what I did wrong, what you did wrong, so you can learn from it.”
• On the QB battle: “It’s an open position. I ran with the ones today, Chris (Relf) ran with the twos. I don’t think that dictates or indicates anything as far as me starting.”
Inside Mississippi State Sports with Brad Locke 
March 24, 2009 at 8:01 pm |
Eric Richards is back? And hurt again? Is he made of paper?
March 24, 2009 at 8:16 pm |
Hope is renewed!!!
March 24, 2009 at 8:17 pm |
BL how did lawrence look throwing the ball??….ima, i agree richards is a puss….wasnt he suspended from the team last year??
March 24, 2009 at 8:30 pm |
Maybe he just there for moral support. You know, this is what happens when you become an idiot.
March 24, 2009 at 9:12 pm |
“I think we’ve got a long way to go to get ourselves some football players.”
As if we didn’t already know, it looks like it will be an uphill climb this season. Here’s hoping for the best.
March 25, 2009 at 6:05 am |
Sounds like he’s taking the Cohen approach. We suck, I’ll do what I can till I get my guys in here.
March 25, 2009 at 6:50 am |
I think to, like I’ve said before…Mullen’s and Croom’s definitions of ‘success’ and ‘progress’ are probably world’s apart.
We may not have much now, BUT its nice to know that our freshmen coming in- CAN and WILL be ready to play at the college level.
A lot more than what we could say about CC’s recruits
March 25, 2009 at 7:35 am |
How big is Lawrence? He looked small in a picture on the CL web site?
March 25, 2009 at 7:46 am |
None of the QBs looked really sharp. But they looked OK. Just trying to find their timing with this new offense, I imagine, and some of the new receivers. Lawrence is listed as 6-2, 210.
March 25, 2009 at 7:52 am |
Yeah, saw a different pic, he looked the part in it.
March 25, 2009 at 10:32 am |
BL, i have heard from some other people that went to practice that the QBs didnt look that sharp but i know its the first day….the guys said if they had to pick between lawrence and relf they would probably pick lawrence….whats your opinion on that??…..they also said tyson looked ok but nothing the caught the eye….i still have a strong feeling we will see tyler russell sometime this season even though i dont want to…
March 25, 2009 at 3:08 pm |
What were the charges against Clark and Langston?
March 25, 2009 at 3:10 pm |
“I think it’s more intense, more attention to detail, and a fast pace,” said linebacker Jamar Chaney. Quarterback Tyson Lee echoed that: “It’s just intense the whole way through.”
But I thought Croom said no one would out work his team. As if the record wasn’t enough, it is becoming more and more obvious that CC was in over his head. Not ready to declare Mullen the greatest coach ever after one practice report or anything, but it sure would seem the program is going to head in a much better direction with him at the helm.
March 25, 2009 at 3:39 pm |
tgl, i could be wron but i heard clark supposedly stole a kids cell phone, and when he got caught all he had to do was give it back but he said he didnt have it….but he did….
langston got caught with over a pound of illegal green grass and i doubt we ever see him again unless he some how gets off the hook saying it was his friend’s…doubtful…
March 25, 2009 at 9:13 pm |
Langston: possession of marijuana with an intent to distribute.
Clark: Petty larceny.
Carw: Too early to say, and I wasn’t exactly studying and comparing Lawrence and Relf closely. As they say, time will tell.
March 26, 2009 at 6:24 pm |
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