Forgive my belated posting, but it is Sunday, of course. Now that I’ve received some spiritual and physical nourishment, let’s take a comprehensive look at the Sylvester Croom resignation.
From today’s Daily Journal, there is the main story about Croom resigning at the end of a 4-8 season, less than 24 hours after MSU lost 45-0 to Ole Miss. Then there is the matter of finding a new coach, a task that begins immediately. And we also see how some prominent Bulldogs supporters react to Croom’s departure.
As for national reaction, there is plenty of it:
• ESPN.com’s Chris Low says Croom can leave with his head held high.
• Sportsline.com’s Dennis Dodd says forcing Croom out was a huge mistake.
• Geoff Calkins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal calls the move “business.”
• The New York Times examines the issue of minorities in coaching.
My plan today, when I’m not working the desk shift (ugh), is to track down some recruits and get their thoughts. MSU assistant coaches and Athletics Director Greg Byrne were to speak with them today.
Inside Mississippi State Sports with Brad Locke 
November 30, 2008 at 1:28 pm |
Any coach who is not completely desperate for a job (calling Terry Bowden?) would be a fool to take the MSU job. It is a coach’s graveyard. Name me one coach who has succeeded at MSU. Bet you cannot.
November 30, 2008 at 1:54 pm |
Can a high school player “unsign” from a team? i.e. Chris Garrett? Could he possibly jump back on the MSU wagon now that Croom is gone? Question comes to mind after reading of his dad’s concern of lack of progress by the offense last year. Just a thought…
November 30, 2008 at 2:11 pm |
Croom had his positives and negatives. I respect him as a man and coach. He did get rid of a lot of bad a MSU. That said, however I am tired of hearing that he was a great disciplinarian or that he kept our guys out of trouble. Brad I would like to know…Jackie Sherrill vs. Sly Croom…who had the most guys arrested and/or kicked off of the team due to off the field issues? What I am a saying is…although I think he was a good guy and he had a high standard for his guys…it didn’t translate in to something great as far as the discipline of players. Bascially after they were arrested he would either suspend them or kick them off the team…but they were still arrested or cause lots of problems. I am not saying Sherrill handled it any better…but I am saying Croom wasn’t the great guy god everyone made him out to be. At least Sherrill had some deal worked out with the SPD to bring players to his house if they got in trouble…not arrest them.
Ultimately his lack of control off-of-the-field and on-field led to his failure. Also his pride and stubborness caused lots of issues. Likely his failure to, or lack of willingness to, fire assistant coaches caused most of this problems on the field. Reed Stringer should have never been allowed to coach the special teams. He was simply Croom’s right hand man and was a big part of CC’s transition team in ’03 as a Grad Assistant and thus he was given the job. Woody and the WCO kept us subpar on the offensive side. I mean if you never crack the Top 100 offenses out of 119…there is a problem and it has to be dealt with.
Now State must move on…find a great coach with passion (which Croom never showed) and keep our existing recruits…and maybe bring some new ones.
Greg Byrne, thank you…good luck in finding a great coach. MSU fans are ready to welcome him with open arms and get behind him.
November 30, 2008 at 2:26 pm |
All I know is that State better not hire Derek Dooley, or I have sat through my last game on Friday. I die hard, but if they hire him they just want a cheap coach and not a winning coach. Now is the time to get a “BIG” guy, somebody that will kick Houston Nutt where it hurts for 4th and 1 from the 1 up 31-0.
If these so-called “Cigar Boys,” (supposedly huge donors) allow Dooley to be hired, they should change their name to Cigarillo Boys or Black and Mild Boys because now is the time to pony up the dough and get an offensive genious that will bring a strong defensive coordinator. For one time in my life, I want to see a MSU offense that actually knows what it is doing and can actually make plays.
November 30, 2008 at 2:34 pm |
I have changed my opinion about Peterson not interested in Scientology.
November 30, 2008 at 2:55 pm |
You against Cohen for being a Jew as well?
November 30, 2008 at 3:00 pm |
Not the same and you know it.
November 30, 2008 at 3:08 pm |
Tigimer, try a several million $ contract plus BCS conf. Win or loose who ever takes the job is set for life. We can get a good coach if Byrne does it right. But you are right, we have never had success in football. But, I think that has been more of an administrative problem than a logistic problem. Good coaches win within 3 years, if not fire them. But, we have most always made bad hires then given them 5 or 6 years. Good coachs will win 6 or 7 games by their 2ed or 3thd year.
Shuffle, signing day is in February of 09. Garrett is only committed to LSU which is not binding. In Feb he can sign with State or any one else who offers.
November 30, 2008 at 4:04 pm |
Was a joke. And the scientology thing has been proven false. Just like all the Obama BS that was out there.
November 30, 2008 at 4:14 pm |
My bet is Bowden. Not my first choice but he is a name coach that we can probably hire. And he mostly won at Clemson so not the worst hire in the world. I just don’t see Peterson moving here.
November 30, 2008 at 4:26 pm |
Ha Ha, good one. I read on another blog that GB and Peterson are friends. Anybody know if thats true?
November 30, 2008 at 4:37 pm |
Nevermind, just read GB was assistant AD at Oregon when Peterson was an assistant coach there.
November 30, 2008 at 4:38 pm |
i just dont understand why we couldn throw some up and coming guy like holtz, kelly, petersen, etc…petersen and byrne know each other and are friends supposedly but im not going to hold my breath even though it would be the hire of the century…brian kelly has already said he would like to coach in the sec…holtz i think should be our guy right now….i would love get gary patterson from tcu but i dont think he’ll come…
holtz, kelly, graham, mullen, kevin wilson, should be some main figures to go after assuming patterson and petersen dont want to come…
November 30, 2008 at 4:38 pm |
Dont be surprised to see Fulmer in the mix. I hear he has already sent word to Starkville that he’s interested
November 30, 2008 at 4:41 pm |
NO FAT PHIL, PLEASE!!!
November 30, 2008 at 4:45 pm |
We could do much worse than Phil. You could tell last night he still has a fire and would love to prove UT wrong. He would have the same chip on his shoulder that Nutt had this year.
November 30, 2008 at 5:08 pm |
Guys I’m new to the blog,but i was wondering what you guys think about running a triple option or wishbone type offense. No one practice against it anymore and we have the talent in the state to supply the players. Georgia tech seem to be doing well with it.
November 30, 2008 at 5:11 pm |
We always seem to have great running quaterbacks in the state every year and our running back talent is second to no state.
November 30, 2008 at 5:21 pm |
I think the answer is clear, we need to compete financially in the SEC as well as wins. That means we need some new boosters and bigger fan support. I believe that Byrne is going after the big name. The Clarion Ledger reported either last night or early Sunday morning that State hired a coach-search firm (a group responsible for Urban Meyer, Butch Davis, and ect..). So there is no doubt we are going big, the question is, “is Mississippi State attractive?” That entales recruiting, money, facilities, fan support, and opportunity to win big. And I believe we are a bit lacking in that department compared to others out there.
Patterson would be great but ain’t TCU in a better position than State? And Peterson I belive would jump to Washington before Starkville. I would love for someone like them to come but we might have to be realistic. Dooley is not that bad of a coach, he has done alot at LA Tech (Head coach, AD, and a impossible 7-5 season). But I agree with y’all, he is a great second/third choice. I just don’t know who out there, that is big, would want it. Kelly from Cincy or Hoke from Ball State would be ideal, especially Kelly. Everywhere he has been they have immediate success. But those are some long shot with Norte Dame down and possible searching. Division II-A might be the ticket, but again we need the big name.
I just hope Croom can rally the team and the recruits to stay. That should be our number one concern right now. Alot of them liked Croom and we need to get a person like Croom in ways.
I feel like the desicion will be announced early Wednesady or as late as Saturday, during the SEC Championship. I am afraid time is not on our side, recruit wise.
November 30, 2008 at 5:32 pm |
farley good to see you back over here some!!! Its not the same on here without all the old “faces”
November 30, 2008 at 5:59 pm |
I think we are going to suprise everyone like ole miss did last year with Nutt.I believe in Byrne.I think he has alot of fire and passion for MSU.He will get it right
November 30, 2008 at 6:28 pm |
I hate that Croom got canned, but I totally understand why. He was given the boot because os his stubborness, and nothing else.
I firmly believe if Croom would have given in on his stubborness to change his offense, he would still be walking the sidelines. The West Coast Offense hasn’t worked for anyone since the glory days of the 49ers–“Joe Montana is not walking through that door.”
The offense is awful…I mean awful, but looking back at the schedule we left three wins on the field…La Tech, Auburn, and Kentucky. All very winnable games that would put us back in the post season for the second year in a row.
I also believe that we are fooling ourselves if we believe we are a 10 win program year in and year out, but I know we can be competitive and have an offense better than what we shown the past five years.
I’m behind anyone that changes the weak as pond water offense that we have now!
November 30, 2008 at 6:34 pm |
I don’t see why we can’t have a 10 win season.The talent is here in Mississippi.We just have to put the right people in the right positions
November 30, 2008 at 6:37 pm |
Is this Ked from Ripley?
November 30, 2008 at 6:41 pm |
I don’t expect a 10 win season every year but just having a chance at one would be nice. Hell Ole Miss had a chance to win every game this season. I’m sure that bothers everyone in this blog and not just me
November 30, 2008 at 6:42 pm |
No just a positive thinking bulldog fan.
November 30, 2008 at 8:54 pm |
dc31…yea its Ked from Ripley.
Yea the talent is here in Mississippi, but we never get all the talent required to have a 10 win season. We don’t have the history or prestige to get the playmakers that go to Alabama, LSU, or Florida. There is no reason why State should let anyone leave Mississippi, but at times we can’t even get kids in State’s back yard. A consistent winning program is five years away, at best.
November 30, 2008 at 9:01 pm |
ericintupelo…I am a alumni of Miss. State and a serious fan, but it really didn’t bother me that Ole Miss had a chance to win every game this season. They can win every game as long as we prove we are the better team in the state…and we should be.
November 30, 2008 at 9:16 pm |
I don’t think I worded it correctly. I’m not upset that Ole Miss has a winning record or that they almost won every game by itself. I’m upset that just one year ago we beat them then they turned around and whipped us this year and that we had a much better season than them last year yet we went right back in the cellar while they completely turned it around. I still don’t think I’m wording it right but I can’t quite get the words. Forget it
November 30, 2008 at 10:27 pm |
I think it is great ole miss had such a fantastic year – it proves our point that we can compete. WE CAN!! Now, I’m not saying we will ever win a national championship, or an SEC title, but we should expect 6 wins yearly (3 non-conference and 3 out of 9 SEC games). An occasional 4-8 or 5-7 is acceptable to me if changes are made, but no status quo year after year. Whoever Byrne hires, we need to get excited.
November 30, 2008 at 10:29 pm |
Then once we establish ourselves as a .500 team, maybe we move to the next level again. Like the saints for instance. Mora came in and gave them respectability again, but couldn’t take them to the next level, and Payton will. Not every year, but they are competitive – remember the bum philips years?