Dan Mullen: Nicest "Arrogant Jerk" in the SEC

Outside of the MSU fanbase, most folks around the SEC don’t care for Dan Mullen. He’s seen as a jerk, arrogant, northern, talks fast, looks like a hunchback, he’s brought Mississippi State out of the cellar, etc. He isn’t going to make any top 10 most hated lists until we’re a major threat, but a lot of people don’t like him.

Well, they can say what they want, I don’t really care. But I will say – Dan Mullen is the nicest “jerk” around.

The guy doesn’t fire anyone unless they break NCAA rules. Below are the guys who have left MSU since Mullen has been the coach. The ones in italics are who should have been fired, but Dan was nice about it and let them find another job first.

After 2009

Defensive Coordinator Carl Torbush left for Kansas. We all know Torbush didn’t cut it for Mullen and he would not have been the DC in 2010 – plain and simple. The guy has just lost his edge or something, he spent last year as the LB coach at Liberty. But Mullen gave him the opportunity to find another job before “firing” him.

David Turner, who is now back as the Defensive Line coach, left for Kentucky because his friend Joker Philips had just been promoted to head coach there.

Reed Stringer was the recruiting coordinator, but he left for Clemson. I don’t think Mullen wanted to get rid of Stringer as he was rated by Rivals as one of the SEC’s top 10 recruiters, he just left on his own. He is now under Mark Hudspeth at Louisiana Lafayette.

After 2010

Of course, DC Manny Diaz left for the Texas Longhorns and a big raise after one year in Starkville.

Passing game coordinator/ WR coach/ offensive play-caller Mark Hudspeth left to accept the head coaching position at Louisiana Lafayette.

After 2011

In August of 2012 WR coach Angelo Mirando stepped down due to personal reasons, although we later found out it was due to his connection with some impermissible benefits involving Will Redmond. You could call this being “fired”, as his hand was obviously forced, however, he did technically resign. Nevertheless, Mirando was not terminated due to his coaching prowess.

After 2012

Cornerbacks coach Melvin Smith left for Auburn to take a similar position. From everything I’ve heard, he was told he should find another job…and he did, announcing on Christmas Day that he would be leaving. I don’t have much doubt that this is the case as he served two separate coaching stints at MSU (1995-2001, 2006-2012) totaling 14 seasons. I highly doubt, at age 55, he thought it was time to pack up and move to Auburn for the same job.

Defensive Coordinator Chris Wilson left to become the Defensive Line coach at Georgia. I imagine both he and Smith were told similar things, but Wilson couldn’t find a job prior to the bowl game, so he coached the D-line there while Geoff Collins ran the defense. Soon after, Collins was named permanent DC and Wilson accepted the position at UGA later that day.

Tight Ends coach Scott Sallach has recently been “reassigned within the athletic department” (director of football scouting) to make room for new WR coach, Billy Gonzales (Tim Brewster will move to TE coach). Sallach didn’t get the ‘find another job’ line because he’s Dan Mullen’s boy. But unlike Sly Croom, who stubbornly insisted on his boy, Woody McCorvey, staying put despite his incompetence, Mullen his making necessary changes to improve the team. 

I thought Les Koenning would be in this group as well, but it looks a little late for that as we approach March. I wouldn’t rule out a change in who does the offensive play-calling, however.

So that’s four coaches in four years that would have been fired anywhere else, but they were given the chance to leave with their dignity still in tact. This may be a Mullen thing, it may be a Scott Stricklin thing, but either way I think it’s a good thing in the end. Even if it’s just a simple gesture and everyone knows the truth, the technicality of not getting a pink slip feels a little better than getting one, and may attract assistant coaches in the future knowing their exit will be handled quietly, and with class.