Dan Mullen > Steve Spurrier?

The great Steve Spurrier took over South Carolina after Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz stepped down after the 2004 season. Think about that- Spurrier, one of the greatest coaches in college football history and certainly SEC history, took over for another legendary and HOF coach.

Both of these men have been at South Carolina- a school that is very much like Miss State in its history. It’s a history of limited success and alot of years spent as being the number 2 program in its own state- although SC did have a Heisman winner back in 1980. Following another HOF coach as Spurrier did, you would have to think the program was on solid ground when he took over. And then when you add the greatness that is Stephen O. Spurrier, then fans should expect nothing short of greatness. But at the very minimum, you should surely expect that there is no way a nobody like Dan Mullen could match or even better what the great Steve Spurrier has done with SC at little ol Mississippi State.

Spurrier took over a team that had gone 6-5 the previous season- and won 33 games in the last 5 years,,,his first 5 years on the job:

2005- 7-5
2006- 8-5
2007- 6-6
2008- 7-6
2009- 7-6

Thru 5 seasons, Spurrier went 35-28…never losing less than 5 games. All this after taking over for another HOF coach

Dan Mullen on the other hand, took over for Sylvester Croom. A first time head coach that didnt really want the Miss State job, never got his offense ranked higher than 103rd, constantly talked about his love for Alabama, and once fell asleep on a recruit’s couch on a recruiting visit. Croom’s 5 year record before Mullen was 21-38. 21-38.…so its obvious Spurrier took over a better job.

Since Mullen took over, State has gone:

2009- 5-7
2010- 9-4
2011- 7-6
2012- 8-5

Mullen is 29-22, one win ahead of Spurrier’s pace. Yet in a worse situation that he took over. It’s time for State fans to begin appreciating again what they have in Mullen- someone that has made the program relevant as well as a contender for solid bowl appearances. Something the Miss State program has rarely experienced. Instead of the “wool is low”, State fans should be very excited and thankful they arent worried about beating lower level teams like UAB, Tulane, and Houston- schools that have beaten State in the past. It’s strange that a loser program for so many years can’t enjoy 8-5 seasons. If you cant enjoy 8 win seasons at Miss State, then you need another team to root for-because anything better than that doesnt come around very often. In my 43 years, I’ve seen 3. That’s three as in 1, 2, 3.

No team outside the SEC’s Big 6 (Fla, Georgia, Tenn, Alabama, LSU, and Auburn) has won the SEC title in the last 50 years. There’s a reason for that- and one that is not likely to change anytime soon unless newcomer Texas A&M and it’s vast resources in Texas gets lucky. Or could Steve Spurrier, now in his 9th season, be the one that does it. Spurrier was given time, support, and patience- and now has SC winning like never before. Wonder what Mullen can accomplish with time, support, and patience as well???? It’s all about PERSPECTIVE.