Dan Mullen is 3-4 against Auburn in his career. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen joined the rest of the league coaches on the SEC Teleconference on Wednesday.
Here is a transcript of Mullen’s time on the call:
Opening comment:
Mullen: “We’re ready to get back on the field coming off a bye week. Obviously it’s a big conference game for us against a very good opponent. Our guys have had a very good week of practice. We’ve got to wrap it up and continue to get ready to play in a big game.”
What are the challenges of preparing for a third different coordinator at Auburn in three years?
Mullen: “At least they’ve played some games. We’ve had a first year coordinator in all but one of our games this year. This is our fourth out of five games with a new coordinator so it’s always challenging. But we’ve seen some film on them and they’ve played a couple of games this year.”
Have you gotten used to facing first year coordinators?
Mullen: “For us, it’s just how the schedule fell this year. It’s a big disadvantage because there’s not really film and you’re not watching the guys that you’re playing. At this part of the season they’ve played some games already so we get to watch them play. There’s film of them playing.
“The challenge when you’re playing brand new coordinators is that you don’t have any film so you’re watching an old team that you don’t have to play against. That always makes it a big challenge.”
How has Fred Ross changed this year?
Mullen: “He’s done a great job for us. He was the leading receiver in the Southeastern Conference last year and came back for his senior year. He’s off to a great start. He’s a talented football player who can play inside and outside receiver and has done that throughout his career. He gives you a lot of flexibility to be able to move him around and put him in position to make plays.”
How has Cedric Jiles responded to practice after being injured?
Mullen: “Ced does a good job and has such a great attitude. He’s dealt with two season-ending injuries and when he got hurt he was in the tank. But the positive is knowing he was able to come back and get back out on the field during the season and it really helped his attitude.
“Being an older guy and having gone through some of it before and having the opportunity to get back out there on the field is really exciting for him.”
How much progression have you seen from Sean White from last year to this year?
Mullen: “I think he’s a guy that understands the offense and you see why they like him as a quarterback. He makes good reads, takes care of the football and throws the ball very, very well. For them, he adds the component of the dropback pass that they haven’t had a lot in the past.
“You see the improvement, not just within their offense making reads and being a physical runner when he runs it and the ability to beat you down the field with playaction, but his ability in the dropback pass has really improved.”
What is your impression of Deshaun Davis?
Mullen: “They have such a great front that sometimes their (line)backers get overlooked. But the front certainly helps the backers and awful lot. You have a time dealing with all the great d-linemen they have on their roster that those guys are able to be freed up to make plays on the field. I think they get overlooked sometimes with the attention that everybody else gets.”
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