The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Week 11

The Bulldogs are currently on a roll, as they have completed the past two weeks without a loss. Yes, I know that we just came off our second bye week of the season, but at this point in the season I will take everything positive I can find.

I do believe we might be in for a battle this coming Saturday after Alabama pretty much handed LSU a good chance at an SEC West title last weekend. When I heard Coach Saban say that Alabama will not waste a failure, to me that meant they will be more than prepared for this week’s matchup against Mississippi State.

This final three-game stretch is going to answer a few questions about the future of this team, and possibly about our current coaching situation. I have no doubt Joe Moorhead gets another year if this team can make a bowl game by winning six games. But if we don’t, well. that is the question of the year, and I’m sure I am not alone in wondering what John Cohen is planning to do in that situation.

To put it as simple as possible, I will explain just how I feel about the situation. I am not at all convinced coach Moorhead is ready for this conference based on the body of work to this point. First was the wasted opportunity from last year with the best defense this school has ever put on the field and a very stocked offense to boot. I believe last year was, for the most part, a success from an overall winning perspective, yet a failure base on over all expectations.

As for this season, I must give some leniency based on a few factors. First having what should have been an experienced quarterback missing pretty much half of the season due to injury. The second factor was losing three first-round draft picks to the National Football League. The third reason revolves around lack of control and proper monitoring of the players in what everyone calls “tutor-gate,” and yes, I put some of this on the coaching staff. Every one of these factors has played a role in this season in a negative way.

So, here is my point with everything listed above. If this team can win two more games and get to a bowl game, I would expect a third year from this coaching staff as we pray for a better outcome next season. In the case this team does not make it to six wins, it is totally due to lack of preparation and coaching in two key games that we should have won. First was the K-State game where we got off to a terrible start and fell short down the stretch. Second was the Tennessee game. In both contests we outmatched our opponent in both sides of the ball, but yet we were totally unprepared. Bottom Line!

Recommendation: Hire an offensive coordinator and make Moorhead coach the entire team instead of just the offense. I just don’t think he can do both in this league, and very few can, so this is not a hit on him but rather recognition of the degree of difficulty in this conference.

With that being said, Let’s Talk Mississippi State Football, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Week 11 (bye week No. 2).

THE GOOD!

First and for most, we get to play football this weekend, so I hope everyone enjoyed their week off from watching everyone else play football with no worries.

Second, I know this has nothing to do with Mississippi State football, but I have to say it is good to see Mississippi State basketball back at The Hump. Both teams have started the 2019 season by winning their first two games.

The men’s team defeated Florida International 77-60 and Sam Houston 67-58. Their next game is against Louisiana Monroe in Starkville.

The Lady Dawgs have started the season doing what they do best, which is just crushing their first two opponents. First was against in state rival Southern Miss, where the Bulldogs won 91-58. The second was against Tennessee-Martin, where the Bulldogs won 82-46. Both victories came pretty easy for the Lady Bulldogs, even though they had issues with turning the ball over several times in each game.

I pretty sure both of these teams will make NCAA tournament this season for the second-straight year. Hail State!!

The BAD!

Well, this is actually good for one team and bad for the other, and that was watching the University of Evansville knock off the University of Kentucky, who was ranked No. 1 in the country. That’s right, the Purple Aces have defeated the top ranked team in the country for the first time in school history, and even though it was good for Evansville, it was very bad for Kentucky. “Can You Feel That?!?!?!?”

The UGLY!

This was easy. How about how Coach Ed Orgeron turned a great victory into a media nightmare in about five seconds. First it was the spitting on the 50-yard line in Bryant-Denny Stadium and claiming it as our house from now on, meaning LSU’s house. Second was sending his players over to tell the visiting recruits on the Alabama sideline to come to LSU instead of Bama. Last was the locker room speech that has started a fire storm throughout college football. Great win for LSU, ugly example from their coach. Piss Poor Example!!!!

HAIL STATE AND GO DAWGS!