Dan Mullen on Mississippi State defense - "They do not look like what we're used to"

Mississippi State football is in the midst of another bad performance, as the Bulldogs trail a struggling Florida Gators squad 28-14 in Starkville. State's defense has been horrific against a Florida offense that's been terrible so far this season.

The Gators totaled 311 yards in the first half, more than they had in the entirety of their games with Miami and Texas A&M. The heavily-criticized Graham Mertz looked like a Heisman-contender, completing 15-16 passes for 147 yards and three TDs for Florida.

It's been rough, and during the half, someone who knows both these programs very well explained what the issue is for the Bulldogs.

Former Bulldog HC Dan Mullen blunt about current Mississippi State defense

During the halftime studio analysis of Mississippi State - Florida, former Bulldog and Gator head coach Dan Mullen was very clear that the current MSU defense is simply not close talent-wise to what the program has traditionally fielded on that side of the ball.

"Defensively they do not look like what we're used to seeing on a Mississippi State defense. The defensive front, all the NFL players on that defense, that's not what we're seeing."

- Former Miss State HC Dan Mullen

The talent level of the 2024 defense is almost inexplicably poor. Outside of safety Isaac Smith, State doesn't have hardly anyone that you would call a clear SEC-caliber player. It's why they've been so horrendous on that side of the ball this season. And it's very different from what we're used to in Starkville.

If anyone would know what a Mississippi State defense is supposed to look like, it's Dan Mullen.

While Dan Mullen was an offensive-minded coach (and one of the nation's best at that), he absolutely knows what great defense looks like and specifically what defense is supposed to look like at Mississippi State.

During Mullen's tenure in Starkville, his program consistently fielded a strong defense, loaded with NFL talent. Future pros Fletcher Cox, Darius Slay, Johnthan Banks, Chris Jones, Benardrick McKinney, Jeffery Simmons, Montez Sweat, Willie Gay, and more all played under Mullen in Starkville.

His program had a tradition of hard-nosed defense, and he developed countless elite players during his time. But that type of talent just doesn't exist at State anymore. And unfortunately, there's no changing that this season.

Regardless of what happens the rest of the way in this game or this season, Jeff Lebby will have to address the lack of talent on defense this offseason.